28.9.2024: Tromsø - Tromvik - Tromsø - Lanes/Aldorvegen - Tromsø.
Wonderful weather today, we start for a longer drive with short mountain walk to the north of the island of Kvaløya.
The usual view from the window - bright weather.
Again we drive over the bridge to Kvaløya, this view from the "suburbs" of Tromsø to the south and over the Sandness sound to the mainland .
A bit farther, shortly before Erfjordbotn we branch off to the right to drive along the Kaldfjorden. Last view back, over Tromsø to the Tromsdalstinden.
Kaldfjord beach.
Birch wood.
Kaldfjord beach.
Kaldfjord beach.
Kaldfjord beach.
Kaldfjord beach.
Kaldfjord beach.
The road now winds up and turns to the west, passing a lake at about 150 m asl. In the shadow, where permanent hoarfrost is on all of the vegetation around, the road is a bit icy, so we are rather happy about our spike-tyres.
View down to the hamlet of Grøtfjord on the drive down from the height.
We now branch off to the south to drive along the Grøtfjorden. Panoramic view of the Grøtfjord. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
View oto the south into the Grøtfjord. Behind the head of the valley is the partly glacier-covered Hollendaren (1.029 m)
View to the north, out of the fjord
Great light effects now within the fjord valley.
Grøtfjord.
Grøtfjord and Hollendaren.
Vågstinden (796 m) to the left.
Grøtfjord.
Grøtfjord.
Birch forests.
We have driven to the small village of Tromvik and a bit further up omto a flat saddle on the road to Rekvik, where we park our car on a rather large carpark.
View back to the north over Tromvik to the island of Vengsøya.
A rather smooth, only gradually ascending plateau, where we now walk on a well visible path.
A small lake in between, ...
... covered with ice even now at lunch time.
Red leaves of densely growing blueberries.
The plateau, with Skamtinden (882 m) in behind.
Skamtinden (882 m) and to the left and behind the ridge to the Storstolpen (974 m).
We continue walking til the steep escarpment down to the Sessøyfjord, up to an altitude of 340 m.
Plateau and the escarpment.
View to the Sessøyfjord.
Panoramic picture of the Sessøyfjord, with Nordsund and Ersfjord in behind. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
View down to Ersfjord/Nordfjord.
The plateau and the ridge from Storstolpen (974 m) to the Skamtinden (882 m).
View to the norden, along the Sessøyfjord. We don´t take in the steep ascent to the Brosmortinden (518 m) ahead.
View over the plateau to the carpark Parkplatz.
Bunchberries (Cornus suecica), with fruits not poisonous but tasting flavourless, so usually only eaten by birds.
At the descent.
The plateau.
Plateau and the view to the Storstolpen.
Brosmortinden to the left, which we did not climb.
View down to the hamlet of Grøtfjord on the drive back.
On the bridge over the Sandnes sound, Tromsdalstinden.
With good aurora prognosis and clear sky, after dinner (in a very good indian restaurant just opposite of the hotel) we once more drive out to the island of Kvaløya, this time however not so far: we branch at the village of Lanes onto the Aldorsvegen heading for Skulsfjorden and find ourselves in a completely remote area after a few kilometers.
We are greeted soon by first northern lights.
Today, the night sky is completely clear with many more stars as compared to the day before yesterday.
Tromsø to the east.
The pattern is changing within minutes.
Sometimes more red areas ...
... and pink/violet.
This time, the yellow is no cloud but a small yellow northern light.
Sometimes aeroplanes landing at the nearby aerport of Tromsø ...
... or car lights disturb the impression.
