Safe Return Doubtful

Once east of Tromso city I headed north around the coast of the peninsula when most traffic headed south, in that direction the road is continuous, but northwards the road stops at Oldervik, almost all of the way around the peninsula, but not quite, as the mountains get in the way. Here, at Oldervik, I had reckoned would be quiet and get a great view of the Lyngen Alps across the fjord. There didn’t seem to be anywhere to stay, but this is rarely a problem in Norway, something usually turns up. The law says that for wild camping you should be 150 metres from an inhabited building, but in the rural places this can be more of a guideline; often buildings are second homes and with no one in them, or you can simply ask permission. 

My first night in Oldervik I stayed by the marina, which is often a good place. Yachts as well as fishing vessels are moored here, so vehicles are often parked for a few days. It did have a spectacular view across the sea. On our afternoon walk we discovered the rocky beach to the south, with a parking place ideal for our second night. 

Rua has so much energy that he needs short bouts of exercise. I recall what both vets told me back in Penrith, not to be concerned with the 5 minute rule (5 minutes exercise for each month of age), rather to use common sense and make sure he doesn’t use his energy to cause mayhem around the house, or van in my case. So we have fallen into the habit of going out three times a day, after breakfast and my reading session, after lunch, and after his dinner at about 6 pm. That will change as he gets older and the autumn and winter arrive. 

The stopover at the rocky beach was one of the best. The occasional person came to walk, very occasional, perhaps 3 in the 30 hours we were there. There’s a rough track from the beach that leads further down the coast to a three houses that make up the village of Ytterskjær. This little place is an old fishing and farming community that fell into ruin about 50 years ago. Three years ago one of the properties, in a state of severe disrepair, was renovated, and another currently is. We walked to there, and chatted with the owner of the one being renovated. They are permanent dwellings, and, though not luxurious conversions, tremendous places to live. 

From Oldervik on Saturday morning I retraced my tyre tracks back almost into Tromso. I picked up a new dog lead at a pet shop conveniently on route, the old one had been Roja’s, so eleven years old now, rope style, Rua had chewed parts of it, and it was falling apart. 

Then I headed to just before the Breivik ferry where a rough and extremely potholed track leads into a nature reserve. The Park4Night website suggests Tromso Golf Course but a couple of kilometres further on is a small car park which no vehicles at all passed in the day I was there. It’s a rare bit of flat coastline known for its bird life. From the car park twenty minutes walk to a beach or a couple of kilometres. One person came to walk her dogs, two bloodhounds, father and son, the ‘little one’ being the same age as Rua, 5 months, so they enjoyed meeting each other. 

It was one of those summer Saturdays with not a huge amount of my sort of sport, so I reluctantly settled for some Hundred cricket in the evening. 

Today we took the Breivik ferry, twenty minutes across to Svensby. I will explore three narrow peninsulas that stick out in a northerly direction towards the island of Vannoya, where I was two years ago. This is the Lyngen area, and just to the south is the spectacular Lyngen range of jagged, seemingly insurmountable peaks; extreme winter skiing in popular here. 

This afternoon we visited the first of the peninsulas. From the village of Styrmannstøa there is a short walk to the lighthouse and headland. I’m parked up at the sports track above the village, used in the winter for floodlit exercise. It’s quiet and windless. After two fine days rain is in the forecast for tonight and much of next week.