Tromtinden

A beautiful afternoon hike up to Tromtinden, in the far west of Kvaløya, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. It was quite warm, but it also drizzled most of the afternoon, so the normally spectacular views were a bit grey and foggy today.

Een prachtige middagwandeling naar de top van Tromtinden, in het westen van het eiland Kvaløya, met uitzicht over de Atlantische Oceaan. Het was een vrij warme dag, maar met motregen, dus de normaal spectaculaire uitzichten waren vandaag nogal mistig en grijs. Er is dit jaar in het noorden van Noorwegen een uitbraak van rupsen van de kleine wintervlinder en de novemberspanner. De rupsen geven de voorkeur aan berkenblaadjes en de berkenbossen zien er daardoor dit jaar vrijwel dood uit (laatste foto's).

Nice lunch spot under an overhanging rock, sheltered from the rain.

First view of the islands Sessøya, Håja and Bjørnøya.

Tromtinden, our destination for today.

View to the north, the islands Gjøssøya in the foreground, Risøya (low islands in the middle), Sandøya (behind Risøya), and Rebbenesøya to the right.

Looking south, with Mellomtinden and Sørtinden to the right, and Skamtinden in the middle.

Looking down to the township Tromvik.

Birch forests are having a hard time this year. There is a massive outbreak of caterpillars from the autumnal moth and the winter moth and they have eaten virtually all the birch leaves, leaving dead-looking birch forests behind.

The few surviving leaves look like this.