This track eventually arrived at a wall of trees.
Recalculate, spot the error, turn round, and arrive.
It was expanded in 2011 and now includes wetlands.
This is from the tower at the middle entrance.
No chance of getting closer.
The bit we noticed most about the old growth was the variety. As many firs as pines and a deeper undergrowth.
We lost count.
Judging by the display at the entrance probably more than 100 years.
It confirmed that what we thought was a creaking branch was probably a woodpecker.
We didn't hear a bear or a moose.
At first sight a dovetail. Until I realised it had to be built one layer at a time and can't separate.
I have no idea what the cuts look like. Some interesting angles.
Nor how they are made!
A couple of visitors each day.
We've become "experts".
The fireplace hasn't yet been used.
No bears or deer today.
Hamra lays claim to having the heaviest density of bears in Sweden but noone ever sees them..
We reckon that 3 bears must be more dense than 2 (Australians).
Four in all.
Warily keeping just the right social distance from us.
Via the "big bear" near Sveg.
We saw the snow as soon as we left Sveg and began to wonder what we were letting ourselves in for.
We are part way up looking west towards Norway.
First Rachael in Scotland, now Ali in Sweden. With feet in snow.
The Sododal Hut (Sododalstugen).
The track carries on to the southern entrance to the park, another 10 km.
We turned left to make a circuit.
It doesn't grow as fast or as high in this rather windswept barren place.
Its a lichen.
The plants we saw in other national parks would have been useful for making some of the trees used in model train layouts.
Normal growth rate is about 5mm per year. Here its probably a bit slower.
Really!
Its a rock ptarmigan. Losing its winter white plumage.
Superbly camouflaged. Even though I saw it land it was hard to see. It kept rock steady (so to speak).
We wondered what all the level crossing signs were for also.
Until we went through the snow and the orange paint on the rocks disappeared that is.
The walk was about 14 km, made more strenuous by the rocks and snow. We are a bit tired.
But fortunately, as confirmed in one of the old new scientists we've been catching up on, the journey home seems shorter.
Getting a bit desperate. The forests are full of birds we hear but don't see.
The park also has a high density of bears that noone sees. Maybe 2!
Though seriously, this whole area has lots of bears. We aren't sure but that may have something to do with the frequent houses on the valley bottom road, much more regular than we've seen and not next to a river.
We think an Arctic Fox though not in winter fur.
It crossed the road in front of us. Stopped for a look before disappearing into the forest. Wonderful bushy tale.
We did see what we thought were fox tracks in the park. Maybe they were.
It doesn't seem to matter which zoo in which country, the wild animals we catch fleeting glimpses of seem more alive, less lethargic, more aware, less pacing, healthier, less passive, than captive ones.
Struggling for words a bit so I'll try again ..... a few seconds viewing a wild animal and a terrible photo seem to be worth hours and a perfect photo in a zoo.
I wonder what the fox thought about us.
So we drove down the road a few km and parked for the night.
Following morning we drove to the north east entry to the park.
Looks like we were lucky with the weather yesterday. Today its snowing. There's a mountain beyond the trees.
Not as exciting as yesterday. Just below the edge of the trees.
At the northern and western (yesterday) entries the car parks are outside the park and on the edge of nature reserves. The northern entry is also the site of a Shieling, an original pasture.
Thus, there's a collection of huts and fences.
We'll drive down the road a bit to stop for the night.
Tomorrow is Ostersund. The last big town (about 58,000 people) for a while.
We'll stock up on fuel and food.
Plus visit the museum - lot's of Viking goodies, including the Viking equivalent of the Bayeux Tapestry.