LOST !

Do you know the feeling of losing your way when you are on a hike?

It happened to me today. I was going on a trip to Black Water , thought I had taken the right path.
It was very similar but I reacted that the hiking signs were gone and that it was overgrown with trees and grass.Some distance into the bog Imet an eldery married couple in their 80s.Iasked if it was iodine and wet on the hike and how it was in Blackwater(it is normal to stop and say hello during meeting people in the woods)they looked shcockedand said it was very wet.I talked about Blackwate rand they even told me that it was a long way to go to that water.I thought they were old and did not have a complete sense of the place.They asked me for the road back and they mentioned they were very tired after this trip.I said goodbye to them and continued into the forest between tree roots and marshy areas Sometimes I had to climb up into the forest to find the path The path yes? There were many paths !!!!and which ones should I follow?. I felt  stressed. The snowbirds and the thrush were everywhere. They probably had a nest but I had my eyes of the paths and did not care about nature or birds right now. I finally came to a little mountain  and then though ,  it was neither lack of deforestation nor lack of signage that had led me on wild roads.No, I had started on the wrong path from the begiining of the  road. I scratched my head and it rattled in the grass .Probably a mouse
A cone fell to the ground and almost hit my head.Yes it was like the forest itself laughed at me.Ahh those Squirrels !! I turned and tried to take the same route back .Not easy that either.You know when you have gone wild you do not care about anything just find the way home.
The mosquito stung and stung, I scratched and got  swollen. I Spit on the stings because I had no other remedy. It helped. The finger that  became thick as a sausage stopped aching .
I was incredibly happy when I came out of this fairytale forest
and could see birch forest,little waters and mountains again.

The area from Kanadaskogen towards Damsgårdsfjellet and Gravdalsfjellet offers an exciting and versatile terrain where you can get very varied nature experiences during a Sunday or afternoon trip. The trail pattern in the area can be a bit confusing, but it is well signposted ,but not all places hmmm... Wear footwear(rubber boots) that can withstand a little water, and one more note.For the protection of snakes!

The Canadian forest is also an important part of the cultural history of Bergen, in addition to old stone fences, cottage buildings and terraces that previously separated infield from outfield, the forest has a number of buildings that were built and used during World War II, including a prison camp used by the Germans.

The rest of the tour was sheere pleasure

At the end of the 19th century, many cabins were built in Nordnesdalen, the southeastern part of the Canadian forest. This development lasted until World War II. There were both private cabins and cabins owned by different teams. The area was especially used by Laksevåg residents, but also by city people from Bergen. There are not many cabins left today, but Viggohytten and Laksevåghytten are two of the cabins that are still used and maintained.

The history of the name

One Saturday evening in 1918, the 1st Laksevåg scout troop is on a trip to Tennebekkskogen. The scouts sit around the campfire in the evening and talk about a bit of everything, i.a. about the great forests of Canada. Suddenly, troop leader Wilhelm Wilhelmsen says "I suggest we name this forest Canada." There was a unanimous "YES" from all the boys. Little did they know at the time that the name "Canada" would become so well known that it became the official name of the forest

The scouts at Laksevåg used the forest actively. Some of the tent sites got their own names such as Old Beaverplace ,Mosquito Bay and The Mossplace.Two mountains were named North Pole and South Pole when they were easy to see. These were used for information.

At Tennebekktjernet, the scouts had a small cabin at the disposal of master painter Hofseth in the early 1920s. This the scouts called Hofsethytten. Tennebekktjernet was then named Hofsethwater. Even though the name Hofsethvannet was not used as the Canadian forest became, there are still a number of older people in Laksevåg who use this name.

Most places in the Canadian forest where it is flat there, are bogs or similar, and there are a few tent sites. For many years, the land by Blackwater has been used regularly for tent trips.

Hofsethytten had the scouts until the 1930s. In 1979/1980, 1. Laksevåg had a small cabin northwest of the forest. This was named Kjeta. This was delivered back in the 1990s due to a lot of vandalism.

From the very beginning of the scout work at Laksevåg, the Canadian forest has been an important area for outdoor activities. Many scouts have received their first overnight stay from home there. When Nygårdslien school together with Bergen municipality in 2008 was to set up two gap huts in the forest, Moseplassen was introduced on the site. The new Moseplassen is located about 100 meters from the historic Moseplassen which is now completely overgrown. But we got an old scout name introduced again.

Even today, this is one of the most important local areas for the scouts at Laksevåg. The area has been used for patrol trips, troop trips, hikes, departmental maneuvers and circuit maneuvers.

Little girl having a break under the waterfall

One of the many falls in the area

 Finally, I must mention that I met the couple again at the parking lot.They was still stressed because they did not find the car!

Yes, that's how it can go - Next time I will take some friends with me! At least to unknown places in the forest. There is nothing else  more confusing to feel lost on a sunny day while you hear there is somone in the treeline ,trees break and you feel someone watching you..ohh well it probably was a deer or some animal

Alas, I have probably read too much about the forest's elves and trolls