Bodø to Kalvåg
The drive from Bodø to Kaldvåg was simply mindblowing - the materialisation of a dream. Mountains sprang from everywhere that we looked, the sun tried in vain to melt the snow from their tops, fjords cut through them, driving their path to the sea, and the clouds tried to cling to anything they could touch. Everything simply begged to be captured, as a divine memory, but moving past faster than the eye could take them in. In desperation to remember, we stopped many times on the way, changing a 3 hour drive into 8 hours of sublime immortality.
The harbour at Bodø.
One of the mountains overlooking Bodø (336 metres).
Some of the houses in Bodø look nice enough.
But the city centre was ugly enough to earn it the title "Ugliest city in Norway". For somewhere with so few inhabitants, earning more votes than any other city is a real pointer to how bad it is. Oh, and yes Jonny, this is where smør comes from.
Typical Jonny at a cafe. If it is not a laptop, it is a phone with IRC and Opera.
Yes, we were a bit bored in Bodø (on our way back) - don't ask what this is, just look at it.
OK, well, we did find a few things entertaining.
Route finding in Bodø.
Yes, it is a big map, but then, this is a big country (Bodø is visible on the map Jonny is holding).
An enormous 360° panorama of Skjerstadfjorden and the mountains around Løding. The biggest are a little over 1000 metres.
Looking across Skjerstadfjorden to the Lurfjellet (1284 metres), Åselltindan (1175), and Borvasstindan (1143 metres) ranges (known locally as the Seven Sisters).
Mjønestinden (1058 metres) and Stordalsfjellet (998 metres).
With so many mountains, several roads are forced to use tunnels, and Norway has one of the highest total length of tunnels of any country.
The mouth of Leirfjorden, looking across Sørfolda - most of the mountains visible in the background are over 1000 metres high.
Leirfjorden, with Korken (1219 metres) on the right.
As well as fjords and mountains, Norway is a land of waterfalls, this one is at Leirfjorden.
A fragment of a railway tunnel that was never completed.
Leirfjorden.
The E6. This is the only road leading to the north of Norway. If it is closed, you must take a 1000 kilometre detour through Sweden - I love the isolation here that means that this is as big as a road needs to be to serve a country over 2000 kilometres long.
Taking a quick bath in Kobbvatnet, in front of Kvitturdfjellet. Hidden in the clouds is the 1517 metre peak of Gasskatjåhkkå, the tallest peak in Hamarøy and Sørfold.
Looking across Kobbvatnet towards Gyerdalen and Gjerdalstinden (1210 metres).
"Just hold on there a cotton pickin' minute". We would get quite bored of these plants by the end of the holiday.
Wonder what is on the other side of this?
Aah, that is what it was leading me to. Almost looks like it could be Alaska.
The ridge of Korken (1219 metres).
A young buck.
Giovanni Segantini's "L'angelo della vita".
Standing stones with the smaller (1305 metres) peak of Reinoksfjellet in background.
Standing stone in Gjerdalen.
Stones on ridge of Reinoksfjellet.
The beautiful scoured rock of Jukosatjåhkkå (1252 metres). Sweden is a few kilometres behind it.
Snow on Jukosatjåhkkå.
A very common sight in north Norway.
Kråkmotinden (924 metres). Welcome to Hamarøy - the county where the "city" has a staggering population of 800.
Sun-not-set over Sandnesvatnet.
Sun-not-set over Sagfjorden.
The first of the colours, captured thinking that it would never be like this again. Not until tomorrow anyway.
Tidal stream at Røttangen.
At the moment, the water is flowing between Sagfjorden and Innhavet, it will reverse directions in 6 hours. Here the surface can be seen bending as the water flows through the narrow section.
The harbour at Bodø.
One of the mountains overlooking Bodø (336 metres).
Some of the houses in Bodø look nice enough.
But the city centre was ugly enough to earn it the title "Ugliest city in Norway". For somewhere with so few inhabitants, earning more votes than any other city is a real pointer to how bad it is. Oh, and yes Jonny, this is where smør comes from.
Typical Jonny at a cafe. If it is not a laptop, it is a phone with IRC and Opera.
Yes, we were a bit bored in Bodø (on our way back) - don't ask what this is, just look at it.
OK, well, we did find a few things entertaining.
Route finding in Bodø.
Yes, it is a big map, but then, this is a big country (Bodø is visible on the map Jonny is holding).
An enormous 360° panorama of Skjerstadfjorden and the mountains around Løding. The biggest are a little over 1000 metres.
Looking across Skjerstadfjorden to the Lurfjellet (1284 metres), Åselltindan (1175), and Borvasstindan (1143 metres) ranges (known locally as the Seven Sisters).
Mjønestinden (1058 metres) and Stordalsfjellet (998 metres).
With so many mountains, several roads are forced to use tunnels, and Norway has one of the highest total length of tunnels of any country.
The mouth of Leirfjorden, looking across Sørfolda - most of the mountains visible in the background are over 1000 metres high.
Leirfjorden, with Korken (1219 metres) on the right.
As well as fjords and mountains, Norway is a land of waterfalls, this one is at Leirfjorden.
A fragment of a railway tunnel that was never completed.
Leirfjorden.
The E6. This is the only road leading to the north of Norway. If it is closed, you must take a 1000 kilometre detour through Sweden - I love the isolation here that means that this is as big as a road needs to be to serve a country over 2000 kilometres long.
Taking a quick bath in Kobbvatnet, in front of Kvitturdfjellet. Hidden in the clouds is the 1517 metre peak of Gasskatjåhkkå, the tallest peak in Hamarøy and Sørfold.
Looking across Kobbvatnet towards Gyerdalen and Gjerdalstinden (1210 metres).
"Just hold on there a cotton pickin' minute". We would get quite bored of these plants by the end of the holiday.
Wonder what is on the other side of this?
Aah, that is what it was leading me to. Almost looks like it could be Alaska.
The ridge of Korken (1219 metres).
A young buck.
Giovanni Segantini's "L'angelo della vita".
Standing stones with the smaller (1305 metres) peak of Reinoksfjellet in background.
Standing stone in Gjerdalen.
Stones on ridge of Reinoksfjellet.
The beautiful scoured rock of Jukosatjåhkkå (1252 metres). Sweden is a few kilometres behind it.
Snow on Jukosatjåhkkå.
A very common sight in north Norway.
Kråkmotinden (924 metres). Welcome to Hamarøy - the county where the "city" has a staggering population of 800.
Sun-not-set over Sandnesvatnet.
Sun-not-set over Sagfjorden.
The first of the colours, captured thinking that it would never be like this again. Not until tomorrow anyway.
Tidal stream at Røttangen.
At the moment, the water is flowing between Sagfjorden and Innhavet, it will reverse directions in 6 hours. Here the surface can be seen bending as the water flows through the narrow section.