MyWanderfulLife
  • Home
  • About
  • NPL Diary
  • Long Distance Hikes
  • Day Hikes
  • Gear
  • Hiking with Dogs
  • Deutsch
MyWanderfulLife
MyWanderfulLife - Trekking Stories | Outdoors with Dogs | Tour Planning
GränsledenLong Distance HikesNordkalottleden

Trekking tour in Lapland: Crossing borders on Nordkalottleden and Gränsleden

by Katharina 10. January 2021
by Katharina 10. January 2021
2.5K

What can I write about this trekking tour? It was absolutely incredible and spectacular, a true adventure and perhaps one of the most beautiful vacations I’ve taken so far. We hiked the Nordkalottleden from Abisko to Røysvatn and from there we hiked the Gränsleden to Ritsem.

The vastness of the landscape cannot be captured on a photo

I’ll start with the scenery. This was definitely the trekking tour we did with the most sensational views up here in Lapland. Actually, we could keep my phone permanently in panorama mode for taking pictures, as every turn of the trail offered another stunning view. On a photo with normal image ratio it is impossible to capture this vastness, in fact, it was not even possible to capture the atmosphere at all.

This trekking tour has brought me to my limits

But then this trekking tour also brought me to my limits. Carrying food for us and dog food for Lando for 14 days is no walk in the park. At the same time, finding the trail was more difficult than on our previous tours and the trails themselves were also harder to walk on. All this ended up in us moving significantly slower. With about the same tour length as in previous years on the Kungsleden between Abisko and Vakkotavare and from Saltoluokta to Jäckvik, we were walking longer. In retrospect, it would have been good for me to take one more rest day. It would have been okay with our tour planning, but during the hike I couldn’t really commit to it. But I will definitely take this lesson learned with me for the next time.

Not one cloud in the sky with temperatures above 20° C – and all that in Lapland

The weather was also absolutely extraordinary. Except for the first two days and the very last day, the sun was shining without exception and somehow also somewhat mercilessly. There was not a single cloud in the sky. We have never experienced that in Lapland! On my previous trekking tours we were always happy when it didn’t rain and considered ourself lucky when the sun would shine for one or two days. This year, on the other hand, we were permanently fighting against beeing sunburned and had to take extended lunch breaks to avoid the strongest sun. Never before in my life have I had a sunburn on the back of my hand…but I don’t want to complain. The weather was absolutely great and I was happy about it every morning! But at the same time it is enormously exhausting to spend the whole day hiking in the sun.

The late melting of snow challenges us

Last but not least, it was a great adventure to ford through the rivers swollen by the late snowmelt. My fording experience so far was limited to a crossing of the Neckar at a shallow spot near the ruin of the Neckarburg. There was neither any significant current, nor was the water deeper than up to my calves. Before going on this trekking tour, we simply had not expected that it would lead us through so many rivers that we actually had to constantly hike with wet feet.

The lesson of this vacation: let go and take each day as it comes

Mentally, I struggled with the uncertainty during the first days. In the mornings we didn’t know if we would be able to make it the way we planned. Too many factors like the state of the bridges, swimming spots for Lando and fords that were not marked on the map lay ahead of us every day. However, as the days went by, I learned to deal with it a lot better and did not see the planned path as the only one. I realized that it was not so easy to let go of the long planned route and to see alternatives. Every mastered ford, bridge or other difficult passage gave me self-confidence and in the evenings I felt a deep satisfaction and pride about the achievements we have made every single day!

The sections of our trekking tour on the Nordkalottleden and the Gränsleden

Via the following links (will be added bit by bit) you will get to the detailed descriptions of each day:

On small trails
Day 1: Traveling, Abisko – Campsite at Kårsajåkka
Day 2: Campsite at Kårsajåkka – Campsite at Hoiganjohka
Day 3: Campsite at Hoiganjohka – Unna Allakas
Day 4: Unna Allakas – Cunojávrihytta
Day 5: Cunojávrihytta – Cáihnavággihytta
Day 6: Cáihnavággihytta – Campsite behind the dam

Nordkalottleden
Day 7: Campsite behind the dam – Sitashytta
Day 8: Rest day in Sitas
Day 9: Sitashytta – Paurohytta
Day 10: Paurohytta – Campsite at Skuogejávrre
Day 11: Campsite at Skuogejávrre – Røysvatn

Gränsleden
Day 12: Røysvatn – Gálavárddo shelter
Day 13: Gálavárddo shelter – Campsite at Sievgok
Day 14: Campsite at Sievgok – Ritsem 

List   

Information
Click following button or element on the map to see information about it.
Lf Hiker | E.Pointal contributor

Start in Abisko   

Latitude: 68° 21' 30"
Longitude: 18° 47' 01"

Description

We start at the STF Tourist Station in Abisko, just a few steps away from the train station. Here we buy some last things and check our gear one last time. We also make a short stop at the backpack scale before we set off for the trail.

Trekking tour in Lapland: Crossing borders on Nordkalottleden and Gränsleden   

 GPX

Profile

50 100 150 200 5 10 15 Distance (km) Elevation (m)
No data elevation
Name: No data
Distance: No data
Minimum elevation: No data
Maximum elevation: No data
Elevation gain: No data
Elevation loss: No data
Duration: No data

Description

Route of our Lapland hike: We start in Abisko at the STF Fjällstation and walk first to Unna Allakas Fjällstuga. We continue along the Swedish-Norwegian border until we hit the Grensleden in Røysvatn. We follow this trail to the STF Fjällstation in Ritsem.

End in Ritsem   

Latitude: 67° 43' 19"
Longitude: 17° 28' 11"

Description

The end of our tour: the STF Fjällstation in Ritsem. There is a hot shower and a small store. Unfortunately no restaurant, but a cozy sauna.

Day 1 >>

Avatar photo
Katharina

Hello! Glad you found this blog. I am Katharina and with my articles I would like to give you an impression of my tours. If you have any questions about planning your next tour, about my equipment or about hiking and travelling with dogs, just contact me!

Related Posts

Kungsleden from Jäckvik to Ammarnäs

Project NPL – Norge på langs

Hiking in Lapland – Day 14: Campsite at Sievgok –...

Hiking in Lapland – Day 13: Gálavárddo shelter – campsite...

Hiking in Lapland – Day 12: Røysvatn – Gálavárddo Shelter

Hiking in Lapland – Day 11: Skuogejávrre campsite – Røysvatn

2 comments

Kealan McCowen 3. July 2022 - 10:41

Hi Katharina,
I will be doing this the other way round with my son mid July starting in Ritsem and it will be his first time and I want to make sure the fords are ok for him. How bad were the fords as in to what depth on your body. Could you point out where there were particularly bad ones and was it obvious how to get around them or any trick you realised. Also is it obvious the first night so it would have been your last night where to camp. It looks like there is a wind shelter on the most western part of Akkajaure Is there camping spots there. Thanks for your help.

Kealan

Reply
Avatar photo
Katharina 9. August 2022 - 13:02

Hey Kealan,
sorry for the late response but we are on tour at the moment.

It is probably to late for you now but it would have been unreliable to say something about the fords anyway. Conditions in the mountains are different every year. This July was very wet so fords might have been hard. Best way to find out is contacting the local DNT section which is DNT Narvik. They are experts and should know best about the current conditions in the mountains.
Katharina

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Welcome!

Welcome!

About this blog

On this blog we are telling our stories about trekking with and without dogs. Thereby we always put together the most important information about the tour. We are sure you will find new inspiration and helpful tips for your next tour. Enjoy browsing and reading!

Subscribe to our newsletter

Keep in touch

Facebook Instagram Pinterest

Visit us on Instagram

Popular Posts

  • Barefoot shoes long-term test – One hiking boot for all conditions?

  • Trekking with a dog in Sweden – What do you need to keep in mind?

  • Project NPL – Norge på langs

Welcome!

Welcome!

About this blog

On this blog we are telling our stories about trekking with and without dogs. Thereby we always put together the most important information about the tour. We are sure you will find new inspiration and helpful tips for your next tour. Enjoy browsing and reading!

Popular Posts

  • Barefoot shoes long-term test – One hiking boot for all conditions?

  • Trekking with a dog in Sweden – What do you need to keep in mind?

  • Project NPL – Norge på langs

  • Traveling to Kungsleden: From Germany to Sweden, Lapland and the trailhead

  • Kungsleden: From Abisko to Vakkotavare through the wilderness of Lapland

Keep in touch

Facebook Instagram Pinterest

Subscribe to our newsletter

Visit us on Instagram

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Rss
  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

©2019-2022 MyWanderfulLife