Day 86 – to Galdane, Lærdal

More historic trails today. There are some wonderful stories about how people got around these mountains hundreds of years ago. The section between Borgund Stave Church and Seltun was the most difficult to construct. It was eventually completed in 1793, by CJ Hammer, who’s name wouldn’t be out of place at a music venue. It would it’s way past the farm at Galdane, then up a 25% incline at Vindhella.

It was so rugged and dangerous that it was replaced in the 1843 by Captain HC Finne, who simply built a somewhat smoother version on top of Hammer’s. Late in the 1800s it was replaced by a road around the river in the valley, but was repaired 12 years ago as a monument of national significance.

I’ll be on the Galdane section tomorrow, but today, I took that steep climb which was next to where I had parked last night.

At the pass between the hills, I veered off to take in the peak at Klanten, at 575 metres. Of all the places I have been, Lærdal looks most resplendent in its autumn colours, set off with its apron curtain of snow on the sheer faces of the surrounding mountains, with water dropping, seemingly out of every crevice.

Hammer’s road ends at Borgund Stave Church. The church was built around the year 1200 and is brown, though in the picture it may appear black.

At the time the church was built, the population had only been relatively recently converted to Christianity, and many still dwelt on the Norse gods. The four dragon heads on the corners of the church were designed to hasten the transition from pagan tradition.

In 1668 a manuscript tells that a reindeer wandered into the church during a sermon.

“when it marched like a wizard in front of the other animal carcasses.”

It was promptly shot, and it’s stuffed carcass remained in the church until the 1900s. Images from the 1990s show it’s antlers proudly displayed by the altar.

I returned in the older road of Sverrestigen, which dates back to King Sverre travelling on it in 1177. This was the main road before 1793, but unsuitable for travel with a cart. On foot today, covered in autumn leaves, it was steep in places, and frequently slippery. Again, it has been maintained and preserved as a national monument.

The weather seems on the way up today, at least for my purposes. There is a high pressure area established, which means clear and cold weather for the next few days, ideal..

I’ve moved the van on about 10 kilometres, some new scenery for the afternoon and early evening, an even more spectacular setting than last night, and next to the track I want to take tomorrow.

Later in the afternoon, I finished a book I’ve had on the go for a couple of days now, James Hann ham’s Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta, and reviewed it, over at GR. It’s about a black Colombian who has just been released from Attica prison after serving 22 years for her minor part in the robbery of a Brooklyn liquor store. While inside she, Carlotta, had transitioned from Dustin. Her narration is amusing, and yet tragic, and her resilience shows through. Abused for years inside, she now tries to find her place in society, while meeting the terms of her parole.

Finally for today, a photo of how the local sheep are fierce defenders of their proud history..