Tromsø and the Quest for Troll Hattelaus

Arrival in Tromsø and First Explorations

After a long drive, we finally arrived in Tromsø, the gateway to the Arctic. Choosing to head to the campsite first was an easy decision since it was already midday and a perfect time to secure our accommodation for the next few days. Fortunately, we found a few available spots at the pop-up area without electricity at the only nearby campsite—which was perfectly fine for me. I booked two nights right away.

In the afternoon, I set off on my bike to explore Tromsø. The car was parked in the shade, keeping it cool, and Lina could comfortably stay inside. This allowed me to leisurely visit some of the city’s attractions, including the impressive Arctic Cathedral and the fascinating Troll Museum.

In the Troll Museum, I discovered an image of another intriguing place: a rock formation resembling a seated troll, called Troll Hattelaus. It’s supposed to be near Tromsø. Despite extensive searches online and on Outdooractive, I couldn’t find more information about it—a small mystery that piqued my curiosity.

Back at the campsite, Lina was eagerly waiting for me. She got quite excited when she saw the bicycle. So, we decided to end the day with a short bikejöring session. It was the perfect conclusion to our first exploration day in Tromsø.

Morning Hike to Fløya

Today’s morning stroll turned into an exhilarating hike up Fløya, specifically to the cable car station. We chose the route via the Sherpa Steps—a steep yet impressive path comprised of stone steps built by Nepalese Sherpas.

After we conquered the ascent, we took a well-deserved break on the terrace of the cable car station. For a brief moment, we had the summit all to ourselves, savoring the spectacular views of Tromsø and the surrounding fjords.

After our break at the summit, we headed steeply downhill. We chose a different path back to the campsite to experience the landscape from a new perspective. Once we returned, we tried to relax as much as possible—though Lina was busy alerting us to everything that moved nearby.

A Relaxed Afternoon and New Insights

The afternoon was leisurely, finally giving me time to finish the book “Control Unleashed – Reactive to Relaxed” [unpaid promotion; random publisher]. My conclusion: Much of it focuses on counter-conditioning through operant methods, but following specific, predictable patterns for the dog known as “Pattern Games.” Theoretically, it’s similar to what I learned at ATN, just described differently and more as a dialogue with the dog.

Interestingly, I realized I’ve been practicing something similar with Lina, without consciously naming it. It was a nice affirmation and opened up new approaches to enhance our training.

Thus, our day came to an end, full of new experiences and valuable insights. Tromsø had already captivated us, and we were looking forward to the adventures yet to come.

The Quest for Troll Hattelaus – A Different Kind of Hiking Day

With a mix of adventurous spirit and a bit of naivety, I set out to find the legendary rock formation Troll Hattelaus, which I had learned about at the Troll Museum. A quick internet search yielded surprisingly few results—in fact, none at all, to be honest. But I wasn’t deterred. An untraceable troll? Just my kind of challenge! I found a tour on Outdooractive that might lead to the troll.

We drove about 30 minutes from the campsite and began our hike. The ascent was challenging, almost pathless at the upper parts. There were markers, but we still had to scramble over a lot of scree.

Did we find the Troll Hattelaus in the end? Well, I’m not entirely sure. The rock certainly looked troll-like, but the description and the direction didn’t quite add up.

I found the mentioned peak on another (topographic) map, but unfortunately, it was on the opposite side. At least we had a direction.

Hoping for a spectacular discovery, I continued our journey, thinking I might find another troll-like rock formation. My idea of taking a detour for an alternative descent turned out to be less brilliant—more scree, steep and challenging. I had to lift Lina from rock to rock, which she found only mildly amusing.

On the way, we passed a lake. Finding access was a challenge, but when we finally discovered a spot, I couldn’t resist taking a dip. Swimming nude in the lake was a bucket list item finally checked off! Lina was less impressed and waited patiently on the shore.

The rest of the descent was also rocky, steep, and challenging. Flies and horseflies swarmed around us constantly, and in the lower part, we had to squeeze through birch trees. Turning back was not an option for me, as I can be quite stubborn in such matters. Fortunately, we managed to navigate through all the scree and birches without incident.

Our alternative descent took us directly to the car, and shortly before we reached it, we found a stream. Overheated, I lay down in the water with my shoes and clothes on. Once at the car, Lina enjoyed her well-deserved meal while I changed. Afterward, I was in desperate need of a coffee and a cinnamon roll!

We’ll probably stay here for the night, as I don’t feel up to driving any further at the moment. The descent took quite a toll on my nerves. Overall, we were on the move for over five and a half hours without taking a significant break. A truly unforgettable (and somewhat borderline) hiking day—with or without the troll.