Engavatnet, Roparvikheia, Dragereiret, July 21 2020

Summer vacation, day 2 & 3

Continued from day 1

Torghatten, Brønnøysund

Index

Date Peak/Place Height PF Location WCP
20.07.2020 Salhusmarka Brønnøy, Norway  
21.07.2020 Engavatnet 65m Brønnøy, Norway  
21.07.2020 Drogsøya Brønnøy, Norway  
21.07.2020 Roparvikheia 153m 87m Brønnøy, Norway  
21.07.2020 Dragereiret 50m Brønnøy, Norway WCP

Salhusmarka, July 20 2020

We drove from Hjerkinn in the morning and headed for Brønnøysund (via E6 & Tosenfjellet). We arrived at my mom’s place in the evening and had a nice walk close to where she lives.

Anne & Karma by the fjord at Salhusmarka

There are nice things to find if one takes the time to look…

Small details

Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone) from the walk:

 

Engavatnet, July 21 2020

Engavatnet – dry version

The next day, we went to Hommelstø to visit Engavatnet – a famous lake that drains out and fills up again.

The information board at the parking states:

Engavatnet is a mysterious lake which suddely disappears into the ground. Such a lake is called a turlough. Engavatnet has no surface outlet, but is linked to a subterranean system of caves and passages.

The lake floor consists of mud which most of the time blocks the entrances to the cave system, but every few years when the water table sinks, the mud dries and loses its grip. The water in the lake then disappears down into the cave system, and fish are often left behind on the lake floor. The water usually returns after a weeks when the groundwater level rises again.

The special landscape surrounding Engavatnet is called karst. Karst forms when limestone is undermined, excavated and eroded. The result is caves, caverns and subterranean passages, and depressions on the surface. Aunhola is a karst cave northwest of Engavatnet, and the stream innermost in the cave probably originates from the subterranean outlet of the lake.

A cairn in the middle of the lake!

This was the first time Anne and I visited Engavatnet and it was quite odd to see a near dry lake, but even more odd was knowing that it would soon turn into a lake again.

We did a walk around the lake before moving on.

The inlet – and outlet!

Trip statistics: 7,9km, 480 vertical meters, 2h:08m

Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone) from the hike:

 

Drogsøya, July 21 2020

After visiting Engavatnet, we drove down to Drogsøya to take a look at the beautiful water lilies.

Water lilies in Buåsvågen bay

It’s altogether a very nice area!

Karma, enjoying the view

Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone):

 

Svadhylla, Roparvikheia, July 21 2020

After Drogsøya, we sat course for Aunbukta to hike across Svadhylla and Roparheia. I was hoping we also could include Nonstuva, but the weather would decide. The rain was on its way in.

Once we got through the forest, we had a nice hike up the slabs to Svadhylla

On our way to Svadhylla

The weather was still good and the views excellent!

View towards Andalshatten

From Svadhylla, we sat course for Roparvikheia. This was a route mom knew well, but it was the first visit for Anne and me.

From Svadhylla to Roparvikheia

Just before we reached the top of Roparvikheia, the rain sat in and we decided to take the shortest route back to the car.

On top of Roparvikheia

Going straight through the forest seemed to be the shortest route.

Aiming for the forest below

The forest was for the most part gentle to us, but offered a couple of obstacles that we just would have to deal with…

A somewhat steep pitch

Trip statistics: 4,3km, 250 vertical meters, 2 hours

Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone) from the hike:

 

Dragereiret, July 21 2020

The Dragereiret pothole

Back in Brønnøysund, the weather was fine and mom suggested that we should visit “Dragereiret” (dragon’s nest). I had never heard about it before, but it is a very cool pothole below the Mosaksla mountain just outside Brønnøysund.

Mosaksla and Dragereriet trailhead

The idea was also to have dinner at the restaurant there, but unfortunately it was closed.

To the restaurant

So, we followed the path towards the pothole, studying “stuff” along the way.

Hmmm…

The pothole can be climbed from below (yes, I mean climbed) and from above. Both climbs had a “twist”. Climbing from below isn’t hard but requires a committed move to get into the pothole. As I assumed I would have to go down the same way, I only put my face in there as I hadn’t really good hand- or footholds.

Had I wanted to, I could have climbed in here

On top of the pothole, we found a sling – attached to a bush. The sling had a loop for the foot. Without this sling, it would have been difficult to get safely down and difficult to get up again. And eventually, I was down in the pothole. Anne followed next.

Anne in Dragereiret

Mom was a bit reluctant at first, but she accepted the challenge when I climbed down to guide her from below. She was very proud when she found herself down in the pothole. Certainly something that would impress her regular hiking friends.

Mom and me in the pothole

This is a fun area, and I do remember my solo ascent to Gjerddalstind (160m) above Dragereiret. It’s certainly one of the most airy routes I’ve done alone and I just need to go back there to relive the experience.

Mosaksla also offers other fun routes – like up Nonsrabben and via Kjerringskardet (scroll down).

Trip statistics: 1,7km, 50 (ca.) vertical meters, 1h:15m

Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone) from the hike:

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