Finland - Lapland
February 2024
This year we postponed our New Year’s trip a little as we wanted to go up to the north of Scandinavia. In February, there is already a lot more light above the Arctic Circle and it’s easy to do things outside again.
We travelled by plane from Milan via Helsinki to Oulu.
On our arrival we were greeted by freezing temperatures. It was already dark when we got into our hire car shortly after 6pm. The car thermometer showed -27˚C.
The next day meant travelling 4.5 hours further north to Ylläsjärvi. We drove along the coast to the Swedish border, then continued north along the border river. The route took us through the endless forests of Finland. Again and again we had a clear view of a frozen river or lake. We made an intermediate stop in Kemi. The Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland still freezes over regularly. Neither of us had ever seen the Baltic Sea like this before. Of course we had to take a little walk on the frozen sea.
When we arrived in Ylläsjärvi in the evening, the car thermometer showed -30˚C. Our nose hairs froze immediately as we breathed. And bringing our suitcases into our AirBnB room with our jackets open was no longer an option.
Footpath and walk on the frozen Baltic Sea
Cool off after the sauna in the Baltic Sea
The frozen border river Saaripudas and the hills in Sweden
Well rested, we woke up to a beautiful sunrise in a snow-covered winter landscape. Today’s plan was a short hike directly from the house. We wanted to hike to the cosy Aurinkotupa hut. The temperatures during the day were no more than -23˚C, which meant we put on everything we had with us. It was always a good idea to take off our gloves for the photos, as our fingers immediately became freezing cold. Dense forest alternated with open spaces. It seemed to me as if we were always entering a new part of a huge garden. We warmed up in the Aurinkotupa hut.
In the afternoon we set off again to hike up to the Tuomikuru hut. It’s right next to the Ylläs ski area. The red-orange light of the setting sun illuminated the snow-covered landscape. The higher we got, the more we could see of the surroundings of Ylläsjärvi. The walk up was quite strenuous in the cold, but we were rewarded with beautiful views of the endless forests and frozen lakes.
Our lovely AirBnB house
The ski area of Ylläsjärvi
Tuomikuru hut with fireplace
As the forecast for the northern lights was very good for the night, we stayed up. It was a bit exhausting to stay awake after a long day outside. Shortly after midnight, it started to glow slightly brighter above the treetops. We quickly got dressed and went outside into the freezing cold. The long exposure of the camera made the greenish colour really intense. A great natural spectacle to watch.
The next day, the weather was once again sunny and icy cold. We climbed the 443 metre high Kuertunturi Fell. Here, too, the path led us through a snow-covered forest. The view from the top was fantastic. We could see the frozen lake of Äkäslompolo and as far as the Pallas Hills in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. At the top of the hill, the temperature was quite pleasant. We could even leave our gloves off. At this time of year, there is a phenomenon whereby the heavy, cold air sinks into the valleys and cannot rise due to the warmer, lighter air. We clearly noticed this. After the descent, we stopped off at Velhonkota Oy to warm up. An open fire warmed the cosy little cross-country ski hut. The way back to the car was another 2 kilometres and it was slowly getting colder again. We were both pretty tired and exhausted by the end.
Cross-country trail through the forest
The hills near Pallas in the distance, where Marco will go snow kiting
The treeless peak of Kuertunturi Fell with a wonderful view of the surrounding area.
Velhonkota Oy
If you’re not cold enough yet, here’s some ice cream
Marco’s kiting trip to the Pallas Hills
We visited the nearby Snow Village. This is rebuilt every year. Sculptures and pictures are carved into the ice walls by various artists. This year’s theme is mythologies. At the moment, the blocks of ice are being harvested from the river for next year.
The road up to the snow village
Snowmobile tour around Ylläsjärvi
After 6 days in Ylläsjärvi, it was time to say goodbye to the winter wonderland. We travelled back to Oulu via Rovaniemi. It snowed quite a lot in Oulu during the night and the next morning all the snow clearing vehicles were on the road to level the streets and pedestrian paths again. We had a look at the small market hall, strolled through the city centre and had a delicious meal in a Finnish restaurant that used to be a boat repair shop.
