I hadn’t made any plans for my last day of this mountain trip, so when my photographer friend suggested Mittåkläppen with a plan B (=waffles in Djupdalen!), I didn’t need to think twice. The day dawned just like the two previous, cool and cloudy with little wind and maybe a small chance of rain. In other words, just perfect photography weather and I couldn’t have asked for better. We made quick time up above the tree line and found our first flower meadow.
On this last excursion I was lugging my 300mm lens with me, so far I had done all my photography with the 100mm macro. Having the 300mm with me means also carrying a tripod, and the bag gets very heavy after a while. I think I was better off with the 100mm anyway, because many of the flowers I was shooting were so small that I would’ve missed the opportunity had I had the big lens with me. Background is more of a challenge with 100mm than 300mm, but shooting up above the tree line solves that problem – the vegetation is so low that you can easily find an angle without a distracting background.
I didn’t have much time because I had to get home early in order to sort through the pictures and pack for the big trip to Finland. So I shot some rock speedwells and scottish asphodel (Tofieldia pusilla) (above) and then it was already time to head back. My friend continued up the mountain and I wondered if he made it all the way to the top because it had started raining… I reached my car just before the real raining started so no worries on my part. Rainy weather was exactly that plan B I mentioned, so of course I drove to Djupdalen to eat a waffle. This is not the first time I’ve sat in the cabin with a crispy waffle in front of me and the rain falling down outside, I think it was no less than two waffles last year… and somehow I hope that this won’t be the last time either!
When I started driving back, the rain and the clouds were covering the mountains and it was just as well. It’s easier to leave when you can’t see what you’re leaving behind.