The cold wind slaps me in the face like an old girlfriend this morning as I first venture outside my snug cabin. Breakfast is served a short walk away in the local cafe. I feel a little out of place, filling my face for the day ahead whilst old dears daintily digest each morsel. That said, it does not stop me :) With my boots filled, it is time to cross the road and continue the journey south.
The icy prepared løypa soon lead back to the freshly covered Trolls Trail. I am the first person of the day to lay tracks across the virgin snow. At some points I glide effortlessly and other times it is like wading through treacle as the sticky snow slows my progress. Even the few tumbles caused by the transition between these two states cannot spoil my enjoyment of this great route through the open birch forest.
With just 4km to the cosy little DNT hut at Vetåbua, the winds pick up and the sleet begins to fall. It is time for me to get indoors.
I ski along, with my head down, hoping that the bad weather of the past few days would work to my advantage for tonight. Lady luck shines on me as I am only sharing the hut with two lovely French engineers: Sébastien and Gwendoline.
The DNY huts are brilliant! They are stocked with food and logs for the fire. I love spending time in remote cabins like this. This hut is not staffed, so my time is spent collecting water, keeping the fire going and preparing dinner. All of these jobs are good fun and complete the mountain experience. So after my feast of smoked salmon on potato cakes for starters; Cashew Nasi for mains (thanks to Jan, Pia and Tom) and a huge slab of Melkesjokolade for dessert, I stoke the fire one last time and head to bed as I have a long day tomorrow.
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