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Fauske - Namsos, crossing the arctic circle

Today we will travel a long distance (more than 500 km.) straight to the south and we leave early. This was the last night with a 24-hour present sun, because we will cross the arctic circle again, this time towards the south. But probably the sun hasn't been shining all night, because it is cloudy and a bit dull when we leave.

The region near the polar circle seems to be flat, but in reality we are on a plateau, surrounded by snowy mountain tops. Although the landscape still has some green vegetation it looks much more desolate than the islands of the Lofoten and the Vesterålen.

Despite the long drive, we also want to do and see something along the way and we choose to visit the Gronligrotta, a cave near Mo I Rana. A very steep and narrow sandy path leads up to a restaurant where we buy tickets. A note states that the trip is not suitable for people with a weak health.

But even for the healthy the trip is very difficult. It is a walk of less than 500 meters, but it takes us almost 45 minutes. There are no paths and everywhere water comes from the walls and flows through the cave and there are treacherous holes. There is even a waterfall.

We get soaked; this is more a survival trip than a cave walk. Some people even go back. We follow the guide but she can't tell us much about the cave because of the noise of the everywhere-present tumbling water.

We have seen our share of caves, but never one so 'natural' as this, that is, so primitive, without pathways and handrails and not much lighting. This is the way a cave should be and it is a real adventure, slithering and sliding through the water and climbing several unstable stepladders.

Once back outside we are proud we have made it, but when we ask if there have ever been accidents the guide answers negatively. But it is almost impossible to imagine that nothing has ever happened in there; in our group was a kid of 5 years old who only had been wailing and a lot of grown-ups didn't look very happy either. The risk of getting a bruised ankle is very high, we think.

Elisabeth asks for a certificate to prove that she has made the walk through the cave. While we enjoy a cup of coffee, Marianne, our guide, brings the document which proves that Elisabeth really has walked and conquered the Gronligrotta!

South of Mo I Rana we slowly descend and the sceneries become more diverse, caused by the mountains which look higher because we are lower, and by the presence of the fjords. Eye-catching are the many waterfalls we see, one even more beautiful than the other. And we would keep seeing them over the next days.

The trip to the cave has taken almost 3 hours and we arrive late at Namsos. Time for a tonic, Elisabeth thinks (cod-liver oil, or something like that).

We have covered a long distance southwards today and left the polar area. It gives us a little bit the feeling that we are driving home again. We have also seen so many magnificent and impressive things the last few days, that we wonder if this maybe was the last day with such beautiful sceneries. We couldn't have been more wrong!

Travel through Europe and Africa

with Elisabeth and Teije