With promises of good weather and the children safely placed with friends, my better half, the camera and I set out on what should be a nice Sunday trip. It should turn out not to go exactly according to plan.
Mælen by Eide is a mountain which according to the map is 679m above sea level (774 it says on the sign ... well,, 100m more or less ..). We find the parking lot and are in good spirits. But what is all the gray stuff over the trees .. ??
So far, the mood is high and the smile is loose.
We see the fog, and the peak is well hidden. But perhaps it might clear up?
The trip starts on a moderately steep forest road. Apart from the fog, the conditions are perfect and the nature around us is amazing. At some point the fog cleras a little and we can see some distance towards Averøy.
Now the climb begins. We decide to go for it and hope for the best. A guy we meet who looks like an experienced hiker, says that at the top there is sun and little fog. But also that the fog comes and goes fast.
Fortunately, small cairns have been built that make it easy to follow the path.
After an hour we take a lunch break. Food rarely tastes as good as now!
The sheep do not seem to care about the fog.
We are constantly being surpassed by other hikers.
We walk wrapped in fog all the way to the top. It's a strange and a bit claustrophobic feeling. The last stretch towards the top is quite steep, but we fight our way up, and in the end we stand on top. Hurray! Now we just have to wait for the fog to clear up. Suddenly something happens!
The upper layer of fog disappears, leaving a cloud layer which is level to the top. In addition, we have sun in the back, which creates a beautiful, white rainbow on the clouds.
It was not quite the view I was hoping to photograph, but now it is just a matter of raising the tripod and using the chance you get.
The clouds have some distinctive patterns, and I try to take some abstract pictures.
I manage to take some interesting pictures before the fog returns. We eat, relax and hang around a bit on top in the hope that the sun will crack the fog, but it never happens. We decide to start going down again.
On the way down, we look forward to everyone we meet who is on the way up, so that we can give them well-meaning good advice and encouragement, but it never happens. Seemingly, we were the last ones who were stupid enough to choose to go to the top today.
The descent is steep, long and hard, and the fog does not make it easier. It seems like it has rained a little further down, and the ground is muddy. I send a grateful thought to the manufacturer of my hiking poles, which again is a savior for well-used knees.
We finally get down, and never has it felt so good to get in a car! It was disappointing that the trip and the view did not go as planned, but I still got some photos that may turn out ok, and we have both received a good portion of excercise. We will hope for better conditions next time!
Results
The photos turned out that pretty good. They are not spectacular at all in terms of views or colors, but the fog gives an abstract dimension that provides food for the imagination and tickles the artistic part of the brain. All in all, I'm pretty happy!
1/320 sec, f/11, ISO 100
20mm
"The rainbow on top of the world"
1/320 sec, f/11, ISO 100
20mm
"The path to heaven"
1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 100
18mm
"A stripe of hope"
1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 100
18mm
"The hidden peak"
1/10 sek, f/14, ISO 100
26mm
"The revelation"
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