We made it up Bjorndalsfjellet at last

Even with the extra hour of sleep (daylights savings today) we left the house a bit late, about 9am, as late as last week. With winter at the door, even at 9am the road was practically empty. We sped away to Gramstadt on the E39 and arrived at the parking lot half an hour later.

There was ice everywhere around the parking lot, remnants of last cold Thursday and Friday. There weren't very thick 2-3" in places but planty of slick ice where's there's water. One has to walk rather slowly and carefully on the tarmac, one bad step, you are bound to be on the ground in less than two seconds flat.

Last week we were too ambitious in attempting to climb both Mattiruddla (343m) and Bjorndalsfjellet (363m) in one go via the southern entrance. By the time we went through the circuituous route and ended up on Mattiruddla, we were well disoriented, short of time and tired.

Today we chose an alternate route which was more direct. We trudged through frozen muck and streams, trampled over frozen grass and branches; and clambered up rocks, some still covered in frozen snow. The climb up was slightly slow with too many breaks for snow fights and refueling stops.

We climbed up three ridges and walked down two valleys before ending up on the ridge ridge where the peak rests. The view all around was white, cold; and undoubtedly beautiful. Lucky for us the cold wind was blowing only from certain approaches, today there were only two spots facing the wind so temperature wasn't a big issue. The height was high enough for us to peer down Mattirudla, Dalsnuten and Eikenuten. And of course a great view of the the highest peak which is also on our list Bynuten at 671m.

Dalsnuten (323m).

First stop with the first toffy.

This is made with much effort from both subject and photographer.

A stop midway and an early celebration, toffies all around.

Snowball ...!

Chuck the old guy down the gulley and we can have all the chocolates to ourselves!

The cairns and the peak, we signed our names in the book!

Bjorndalfjellet from the steep side.

Future peaks!

The kids love to be able to find patches of leftover frozen snow for impromptu snow fights up at 363m! Everyone clamberred down with big smiles back to the parking lot.

Trekking Mattirudla (346m) near Gramstadt

WIth fall colors slowly fading, we continue our exploration of the Lutsifjellet hillsides with attempting to climb Mattirudla (346m) and Bjorndalsfjellet (363m) this weekend. Due to our late start we only managed to clamber up Mattirudla one hour shy of midday. We then decided to leave the higher peak to another weekend. 

The fall colors were still around in patches but the leaves are struggling to hang on to branches in their last few days, a gentle breeze would quickly dislodge most of them to the ground to start a new cyle of the seasons.

View towards Sandness.

A sheep on his early trek in the countryside.

Can't go on anymore!

Aisya has an appetite for higher vantage points.

More sheep down below.

Break for lunch and hot chocolate.

Happy scrambling down the hill.

We have a few more hills to do around the Sandness, generally tame ones upwards of 300m. These places of higher vantage points add many opportunities of great views of the countryside. Ultimately further afield there are even higher mountains with even more elaborate treks. Hopefully next summer we can explore further, higher hills, meadows and mountains.

Hillwalking to Mattirudla and Bjorndalsfjellet

Mattirudla (342m) and Bjorndalsfjellet (363m) from Gramstadt parking lot. Drive south to Sandness (R44), across Sandness centrum, drive north towards Dale, turn right towards Fogn and park by Gramstadt. Trail up Mattirudla is at the back of the parking lot.

Detailed contour map. Weather forecast for Sunday 11 deg C and raining.

A walk in the park Rogaland Arboretum

The thing with us is we are early risers. Even on a day that we sleep late, we'll rise early. This becomes even more enforced when there's a trip the next day. Like this weekend, the kids went to bed by 2100hrs, they are up by 0530hrs. Both parents were already up and about by 0400hrs.

It's not a big trip; a half an hour's drive on the E39 to Rogaland Arboretum ... a forestry park with 1400 species of plants and 100+ species of birds. It seemed like a perfect setting for a family outing on a cold minus 1 degree morning to enjoy autumn colors in the northern lands.

Being early has it's advantages especially for photography ie. the good lite, spotting birds and wildlife. On top of that you don't have to bother with parking space, crowds on the path and odd people in your pictures! On a minus 1 degree morning, the prospect of seeing anyone else this early is very remote, but you have to put up with the cold!

 Warm autumn colors on a cold autumn morning.

Sunlight through the pines.

A small hill over the horizon from 230m, mountains in the background.

Even wildlife wakes up late on a cold day like this.

Revellers enjoying the day as the morning gets warmer as the sun rises slightly higher.

That little hill above from the ground.

Skipping down Skogaberget (230m) along a dirt road, a well spent morning breathing fresh air.

We roamed about the park for a whole hour checking out the nook and crannies of the arboretum, traversing streams and jumping puddles and reflecting at the few little lakes in the park. There were plenty of birds and plants to gawk at. This place would be a wonderful place to spend a winter's morning too by the looks of it.

By 1000am we were up Skogaberget which is one of the peak in the area at 230m. It was a short and much less arduous climb compared to the other peaks surrounding the area. 

By the time we left the park, more people were meandering about with children and grandparents also enjoying autumn colors but at a few notches higher temperature. The many pathways are ideal for this sort of short slow walk for families in the weekend, the very young and old alike.

Romping the beach at Revtangen

Daddy was informed of the possibility of waders in October on a beach in Revtangen, we were there previously in Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and weren't expecting any waders now that it's autumn. The waders should be sunbathing someplace in Portugal, Israel, Libya if not South Africa. So we went on a "just in case".

There were no waders to be seen; there were many passerines, ducks, the usual large number of cormorants and gull but no waders! They are sunbathing someplace warm ... not here in 8 degrees, cold and windy conditions.

All we have on the beach were these round rocks. Theraupatic to some extent and the kids love it. We found ourselves a cozy patch on the beach full of these weather beaten, tempered by glacier, smooth as baby bottoms rocks. A millenia of glacial mingle, tumble and rumble to end up on these beaches; perhaps another millenia to be forge millimeter by millimeter by the waves from the North Sea.

Aisya's handiwork.

Both kids trying to figure how it works.

Two piles reaching up to the skies.

 Ali with his handiwork, trying to sneakily topple the two behind him.

Two brave souls at Vigdelstanden beach ... warning of fecal matter in the water turned us off quite early, the cold water wasn't that inviting either.

Revtangen Beach (North) when we arrive just past eight, cold and windy. 

We romped about for nearly two hours. By then everyone fingers were practically frozen ... all we had on were half cycling gloves which weren't suitable for these windy times. We packed up and left to the relatively warm car waiting for us in the sun on the other side of the beach.

With autum well underway, the temperature is slowly reaching single digits. The tendency to remain indoors in the warmth of home is overwhelming, but there's still plenty of nature to be enjoyed at these times ... less people about too!

Trekking up Dalsnuten

Aisya did it with her Grade 5 class just a couple of weeks before, we felt we must also experience Dalsnuten. We've been told by friends that before you go scrambling through moors, meadows and mountains here you must first do Dalsnuten. Apparently it's a pre-requisite for Preiskestolen and Kjerag, the two most sought after must-do-trips when in Stavanger.

Aisya didn't think much of it ... walk in the park she said and was skipping along the muddy and wet trails in the moors. Ali was upbeat for the first few hundred meters, before turning on his usual whining machine. The first time Aisya walked the trail she had her teachers and classmates to keep her going; this time she had only a whiny lbig brother, a not so excited Mommy and too busy with camera Daddy.  It wasn't as easy going to say the least.

We left the house early and was first at the carpark before the clock struck 8 am. It was cold, windy and damp. But boy ... the light was great! The sun was just sliding over the mountains and slowly lighting up the farmlands, meadows, lakes and hills as it slowly 'miring' just above the horizon. We walked towards Ovre Eikenuten, swing right towards Lundane and took a sideways route up Dalnuten at 323m; all the while dodging wet paths, muddy patches and scraggly grass.

Countour map of Dalsnuten (323m), next peaks across are Bjorndalsfjellet (362m) and Mattirudla (346m).

 Dalsnuten from sealevel, there's a trail going up from the steeper side a well for those seeking more fat burning action.

Morning has waken just after a short walk from Gramstad parking lot.

The meadows of wet path and scraggly not so tall grass.

The view of Flatafjellet from 3/4 way up Dalsnuten.

The view from the top.

Blueskies day in mid September, people were out in big numbers intent on enjoying the last bit of the sun.

The toughest part was convincing Ali to get a move-on. He was willing to be left behind on a big rock so he didn't have to climb. Mommy in her usual best manipulative self managed to convince Ali to do otherwise. The last hour up the steep slope saw Ali racing through the trail counting the little red "T"s, route markers to the top.

In the two hours that took us to get up Dalnuten, a couple in their late fifties raced up, raced down again almost flying down Dalnuten and up Kallandnuten (264m) and up Mattirudla (346m), the other two hills nearby. "We are making the best of the last of the sunny days! Better hurry!".

It's a beautiful sight walking the meadows, even better views from the top. We had lunch and enjoyed a chilly lunch soaking up a birds-eye view of Stavanger.

We raced back down and reached the car at 12noon.

By the time we arrived back at the parking lot, it was loaded with cars, more people were edging their way in; stark contrast to the situation earlier in the morning. It's great to see families with kids as young as 3-4 years old decked in proper outdoor gear and hiking boots and backpack, excited to be outdoors, ready to conquer yet another hill with Mom and Dad.

Checking out Skeiehagen

Skeiehagen, just around the bend from our house, could be another nice spot to fish, watch birds and make nice pictures; and there's parking space next to the spot.

Kayaking at Vaulen Beach

The last time I successfully kayaked was a solo trip around Pulau Kapas (on the sheltered side the violent South China Sea), which was my first ever paddling experience. The second time was at Lutong Beach together with Joyce, Franco, and Joy ... we never left the beach  ... the vessel kept sinking or we managed to toppled it to it's side somehow or rather.

Ever since then, kayak is constantly in my mind. The big open spaces, the nook and crannies of the waterbody to explore, the still waters of Loagan Bunut to glide through quietly on a cloudy overcast day. The serenity it promises and the adventure beyond the next bend of the river. Getting a kayak in Miri was a chore due to the limited selection available.

Now that we are in Norway, surrounded by water, it is only natural we pick up kayaking again at first opportunity. The choices of kayak seemed limitless, there a shop next to our house which even offers storage space for the vessel. This time the entire family is taking part. They were reluctant at first but quickly changed their minds when half a day of wet frolic in 20 degree waters got the better of them.

Last Sunday we attended our first (re)introduction to kayaking as members of the Statoil Kayaking Club. Soon to be members of Stavanger Kayak Club, we foresee many memorable hours on the water ... paddling, exploring, camping maybe even an Eskimo roll or two on the way to a secluded rock someplace in the fjords. That's the grand plan anyways!

Checking out the handmade Greenland kayak Kersti made herself with her own two barehands.

Listening to the introduction to kayak by experts from Neptun Kajakk.

Four experienced kayakkers engaged for the day doing their thing for kayakking greenhorns in attendance.

Some have definitely done this before judging from their outfit.

The proper dress for kayakking in Norwegian waters, kayakkers here don't die of drowning but of hypothermia, so a proper outfit for a day kayakking consists of a baselayer or two of wool, a layer of dry suit and and outer layer of wet suit, water-proofed neoprene boots and other assortments of expensive clothing items.

Stable on the water.

Looking like a pro-kayaker.

Round and round the new kayakers go to get a feel of  their chosen kayaks.

The more advanced participants get to try out the Eskimo roll and the cowboy re-entry.

Ali and Aisya were both very positive about the kayaking experience, both were paddling confidently at the shallow end of the beach convinced that they can maneuver better than both parents. That's a good sign!

Here's to more kayaking days ahead (next stop Stokkavatnet practice days and the Grunnkurs)!

Fasting and Hari Raya Eid-ul Fitri in Stavanger

The past few weeks have been filled with cycling, scootering and fishing for the kids. Sunny weather or rainy weather they'd be out cycling. With school already moving full steam with regular classes and school activities, the children have less and less time to themselves.

Fasting proved to be a long drawn out affair here in Norway. Sahur starts about 3am with fajr around 4am and sunrise 5am; break fast was late well into 10-10.30pm at the start of Ramadhan. It proved less tiring with complete sahur meals for the children. The were more complaining about the break in their sleep rather than the usual dwindling appetites. Fasting start 19th July with Hari Raya celebrated in a much scaled down affair 20th Aug. This year we didn't even have time to take our annual Eid-ul Fitri family portraits. Hoping to do so before end of Syawal.

Our sparse iving now jammed pack with the few furniture items we brought over from Miri, Sarawak. The rest are still packed up in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.

Aisya at the 2012 Stavanger Steamship Festival, standing next to our dream wooden boat.

Aisya with our first mackerel which ended up as mackerel goreng tepong the same morning for lunch (the raya weekend).

The weekend before raya we managed to squeeze in a trip to the fjordes by bus and returning by ferry.

Not many pelita lit up around Stavanger for Hari Raya this year, we made do with Hundvag bridge lights.

 Being far away from family, raya this year was a very understated family affair. We attended a get-together for pot-luck cookout with several other Malaysian families and singles around Stavanger, and there aren't that many of those. We are however discovering more and more Malay diaspora in this cold northern lands.Some have long taken residence in Norway.