Arteid Vestre - A Stabburet turned into Pilgrim Lodging

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Catching the Bus

So I stayed in Oslo again last night following my walk to Olavsgaard, intending to catch the bus back out to start walking from there again today.

With my big pack ready, I headed into the bus terminal on the tram, which with a couple of false starts took about 40min, and I was soon on the bus. About five minutes later we stopped outside the hotel to pick up passengers. Researched that well, didn't I.

Back on St Olav's Way

I will claim that I wasn't lost, just taking a short cut! I found out that the one reason that land isn't farmed, forested or build on here is that one can't. It's not about keeping pleasant green space for innocent travellers to take short-cuts through, but about leaving the excessively steep bits in peace. And I should have too.

Still, I found Skedsmo kirke, and the marked path again and had a pleasant walk through open farmland when the waymarking went cross country on a short cut to Frogner kirke. After the roadway, walking the edge of farmland under crop is an entirely different proposition. The vegetation in the dividing strip is thick, tiring to walk in and was home to some more nasty stinging plants. The ploughed edge of the field marginally better, but still slow going.

After that, I stopped for coffee and cake at Frognor sentrum, rang the contact for my overnight stay at Arteid Vestre, and pushed on. This time the path entered a patch of forest and crossed the Dergfjelle before veering north on a combination of forestry track and a riding trail just inside the forest where it abutted farmland.

As I emerged, I could see my destination across the fields, and at the same time spotted a women taking photos and cracking a whip. A little further on it was clear she was photographing horses, who clearly had other ideas about charging around a perfectly good bit of grazing just for her. As I found out a little later, she was also the contact for pilgrims staying at Arteid Vestre.

Arteid Vestre

When researching where to stay, Arteid Vestre appealled because of its traditional look, and it was about the right distance for the first day carrying a big pack. It was an interesting place to stay. The family were welcoming and it was a pleasant old fashioned approach, with minimal work done to the stabburet to prepare it for pilgrim use. The showers etc are in buildings close by, and there were minimal food preparation facilities.

It appears from the 'hut book' that I was the first Australian to visit. Other antipodeans included South Africans and Brazilians.

Summary


18.75 km, 435 m elevation gain.

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Photos

Trail after Skedsmo #2
There is a very steep drop of over 20m each side of the roadway.

Emerging from the forest
... to find a blonde Norse woman with a whip and a camera. A little later it became clear she was photographing horses, here out of sight.

Arteid Vestre
Stabbur hut turned into Pilgim Herberge

Comments

[Fiona]

No thanks
Hi Doug, No you can keep your nettles and damp grass. We have quite enough dampness here in the UK. Hope you have a really good trip and look forward to seeing you here soon. Fiona

[malcolm]

It sounds like you're in the backyard. If you get lost again, walk to the fence, put your left hand on it. Now follow the fence until you get to the front of the house. If you ask a passerby for help they'll lead you up the garden path.

[Monika]

Nettles etc
Wish I could be there too. Hope you haven't been (just a little) lost again...and the mozzies aren't too bothersome. How are your feet? I recall they were a bit sore at the start of your Camino.