Martin Held FKT report Dronningruta / The Queen’s route Report
Distance: 14,9 kilometers Time: 1:57:03 Pace: 7:50 min/k Weather: Few rain showers and moderate wind
The route starts from the trailhead located about one kilometer from the Nyksund village, right next to the road. I started in heavy rain, and after first small climb I wasn’t feeling really good and the weather was bad. But I decided to continue.
I would say that first three kilometers are the most difficult from all the route. I is mostly uphill with really technical parts. Also because it was raining past three days it was very muddy and slippery. But as soon I hit the highest point of the route, I started to feel better. I try to went bit faster to downhills and flatter parts, but I wasn’t that fast, mostly because of terrain, which was very slippery and rocky.
After first three kilometers, route follows contour lines and it is very runnable. After about 7,5 kilometer descent to Sto village starts and again, it was wet and rocky, so I tried to run very carefully. After descent to Sto, flat part starts. Route goes along the sea. But it goes mostly in the grass which was very wet and very muddy. This flat part continues to kilometer 13. After this part my pace was under 7.30 min/k.
Then steep uphill follows. Which slowed me a bit and I speed hiked all the way up. And then, there is last 1.5k which go on the same trail as first part of the route. Mostly downhill until finish on the trailhead.
It was overall very good experience. I didn’t quite enjoy the views, because I was very concentrated on my pace and tried to push hard, so I should go back in the future and do the route in slower manner.