12th August 2023 (sun and cloud, warm, with a little late afternoon drizzle) 64km

Today's riding has probably been as close to perfect as you can get.  Not too much traffic, great road surface, mostly flat, cloudy skies keeping the temperature to a perfect 15-16C.  There was a slight breeze but even this was coming from the south, pushing us gently northwards.  And then there was the scenery....we are back to WOW country. 

The mountains remind us a lot of Scotland and I think we've even been cycling past peat bogs.  But when I asked my resident Pete expert, he wasn't sure if it was or not.  Besides, he was too busy looking at and photographing the mountains.

Our day began at 7.52am and couldn't believe the time.  Last night we'd both taken an antihistamine and boy, they knocked us out.

So much so, that when we got up, Emilie, David and little Rachael had gone and we hadn't heard a thing.

Ate breakfast, packed up and hit the road into Sortland to stock up, then it was over a big busy bridge to begin pedalling north again.

Then over another bridge and started to make good headway on the main road, which was now not too crowded.

Our good day continued when we found a picnic bench right when we wanted lunch, which we enjoyed with mountains every way we looked. The only negative was the ever hovering midges, but we slathered any exposed areas in some Bushman's and were able to lunch in relative peace.

Our food is so simple but so appreciated every day. Today's lunch was simply avocado, ham and tomato buns followed by a coffee. Delicious!

The afternoon session continued in the same vein with more mirror reflections and mood filled cloudy skies.  We did hit a headwind for about half an hour but I'd managed to con Pete into going in the front, with "I'll get a picture of you going past this scenery and just keep going. I'll catch you up".

After about ten minutes he asked "Are we going all the way round this fjord?"
"Yes" I replied. "See that village over there, that's our ice-cream stop".  

With renewed vigour he kept pedalling, while I coasted along behind him.

We had one big hurdle to go before we got there and that was a bridge that seemingly went straight up and all the cars and campervans that went up before us looked like a bunch of lemmings about to jump off a cliff.  As they disappeared over the apex, it looked like they had fallen off the edge of the earth.

Yesterday when planning our route for today, I noticed there were no campgrounds in the vicinity we needed. So I jumped onto Google Earth to see if I could find some likely looking freecamping spots. I found a few, but one looked especially appealing. It would mean we would have to cycle 4km out of our way, but it would also mean we would get to camp right by a beach.

However, while we were eating our ice-creams, it started to rain. Pete also noticed a map board which said there was a campground on the road we would be taking, about 5km past the turn-off for my beach freecamp. There was no mention of a camp being there on MapsMe, so we weren't sure whether to believe the map board or not. But with the rain came a big drop in temperature so a hot shower seemed infinitely more attractive than a beach swim.

But as we neared the turn-off for the freecamp, the rain stopped and we decided to go and check it out.  If it was no good we could come back to the main road and continue up the coast to the campground.  

We duly found the path to the cemetery that the spot was behind and cycled down the grassy, sandy driveway that led to it. It was quite open farmland either side and a village at the top of the drive. So not exactly stealth camping, but definitely within the bounds of the wildcamping rules. As we reached the shoreline, there curved a beautiful white sandy beach in front of us with plenty of uncultivated grassland in front to pitch our tent. We had mountains surrounding us every way we looked. It was beyond perfect. And the icing on the cake....no bloody midges!

If this were anywhere except the arctic circle, it would be packed with holidaymakers, paying to get on.
We couldn't believe our luck.
Tent erected, gear unloaded and in for a skinny.
Not a soul around.
The temperature of the water may put a couple,..... well a few,....dozen people off, but the location and views to be had, were phenomenal.

Dried ourselves off and went and grabbed the pre dinner drinks and snacks, which we ate on the beach, soaking in the vista.
After which, we took a stroll around the bay watching the cloud formations over the water and mountains.

A lovely dinner, was to be  followed by some writing and then a cup of coffee.
On our own, with no noise other than the tide lapping on the seashore, we watched the sun slowly sink in the sky.
Keeping our eyes glued to the ocean hoping to sight whales or dolphins, which inhabit this coast, it was the perfect end to a great day.

Well....it would have been if we'd spotted a whale.