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Somewhere in the darkness in front of me, six huskies ran. They seemed to dance across the snow, hardly sinking into it at all as they pushed ever forward. Snow crunched under my sled, weighed down with two people and a heaping pile of reindeer skins. The dogs panted and the wind was doing its…
If you’re looking for remote — and if you’re visiting Lapland, chances are you like remote places — it doesn’t get much moreso than Utsjoki. Finland’s northernmost municipality is also once of its most sparsely populated; most sources list the number of people living there as .25 people/km2. That’s not many people at all. Unfortunately…
Time and again on this blog, I’ve talked about the adventures that are possible north of the Arctic Circle. Whether it’s dogsledding across a frozen landscape in the dead of winter or white water rafting on midsummer, there are so many options that it would be impossible to cover them all. Even though I knew…
In many parts of Lapland, the history of the region isn’t immediately obvious. You won’t find any cathedrals erected in 1000AD or even many buildings built prior to 1945, when the retreating Nazis razed nearly all the towns in the region to the ground. While this means you have to dig a little further, it’s…
One of the best things about travelling around Finnish Lapland in summer was the sheer number of unique experiences that were available. Even though much of the region shares a very similar geography — rolling fells covered in dense birch and pine forest broken up by hundreds of lakes, which in turn are dotted with…
Two years ago, my visit to Lapland in winter was magical. Everything about it was completely foreign to me, which made the trip that much more special. However, it could occasionally be limiting as well. My complete lack of experience with winter conditions meant that I didn’t trust myself to wander too far away from…
No matter where I am in the world, my visits to national parks usually include activities like hiking or kayaking. I love going out in nature when I visit a new place; it’s only then that I really feel like I start to understand the place I’m in. It’s no surprise, then, that some of my favourite places in…
Lapland and Northern Norway are not places that you travel to expecting to sleep at traditional hours. No matter what the season, the natural phenomena of the Arctic Circle are often at their strongest in the middle of the night; the northern lights dance overhead in the darkness of winter and the midnight sun shines…
In the Nordic countries, midsummer is a big deal. It’s similar to a national day, like the Fourth of July or Australia Day, but without the nationalistic overtones; simply put, it’s a huge party that celebrates the never-ending light of summer and the fact that there is no snow anywhere to be seen. This past…
Usually, if someone mentions horseback riding, it brings to mind rolling hills in the country and river crossings at the base of epic mountains; it makes me think of being out on my own in the country. One thing I can categorically say I did not think of, prior to my trip to Rovaniemi this…
Finland
When I originally sang along with the Pythons (“Finland Finland Finland, the country where I want to be”) I didn’t realise how much I’d come to agree with that sentiment. My trip to Lapland in winter was one of the most memorable experiences in my life, and I can’t wait to go back and see it in other seasons as well — especially if it coincides with the semi-annual reindeer herding!
The Huskies of Hetta
Somewhere in the darkness in front of me, six huskies ran. They seemed to dance across the snow, hardly sinking into it at all as they pushed ever forward. Snow crunched under my sled, weighed down with two people and a heaping pile of reindeer skins. The dogs panted and the wind was doing its…
The Best Ways to Explore Utsjoki & Finland’s Remote North
If you’re looking for remote — and if you’re visiting Lapland, chances are you like remote places — it doesn’t get much moreso than Utsjoki. Finland’s northernmost municipality is also once of its most sparsely populated; most sources list the number of people living there as .25 people/km2. That’s not many people at all. Unfortunately…
Menesjärvi: Blissful Lapland at its Best
Time and again on this blog, I’ve talked about the adventures that are possible north of the Arctic Circle. Whether it’s dogsledding across a frozen landscape in the dead of winter or white water rafting on midsummer, there are so many options that it would be impossible to cover them all. Even though I knew…
Inari in Summer: Exploring the Lands of the Thunder God
In many parts of Lapland, the history of the region isn’t immediately obvious. You won’t find any cathedrals erected in 1000AD or even many buildings built prior to 1945, when the retreating Nazis razed nearly all the towns in the region to the ground. While this means you have to dig a little further, it’s…
Swimming Away from my Comfort Zone in Saariselkä
One of the best things about travelling around Finnish Lapland in summer was the sheer number of unique experiences that were available. Even though much of the region shares a very similar geography — rolling fells covered in dense birch and pine forest broken up by hundreds of lakes, which in turn are dotted with…
Hitting the Trails in Ylläs
Two years ago, my visit to Lapland in winter was magical. Everything about it was completely foreign to me, which made the trip that much more special. However, it could occasionally be limiting as well. My complete lack of experience with winter conditions meant that I didn’t trust myself to wander too far away from…
Becoming an Amethyst Miner in Pyhä-Luosto
No matter where I am in the world, my visits to national parks usually include activities like hiking or kayaking. I love going out in nature when I visit a new place; it’s only then that I really feel like I start to understand the place I’m in. It’s no surprise, then, that some of my favourite places in…
Things You Might Not Know About the Midnight Sun
Lapland and Northern Norway are not places that you travel to expecting to sleep at traditional hours. No matter what the season, the natural phenomena of the Arctic Circle are often at their strongest in the middle of the night; the northern lights dance overhead in the darkness of winter and the midnight sun shines…
Celebrating Midsummer in Rovaniemi
In the Nordic countries, midsummer is a big deal. It’s similar to a national day, like the Fourth of July or Australia Day, but without the nationalistic overtones; simply put, it’s a huge party that celebrates the never-ending light of summer and the fact that there is no snow anywhere to be seen. This past…
Jet Skiing to the Island of Horses
Usually, if someone mentions horseback riding, it brings to mind rolling hills in the country and river crossings at the base of epic mountains; it makes me think of being out on my own in the country. One thing I can categorically say I did not think of, prior to my trip to Rovaniemi this…
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I'm Kristin, and I'm one of the clumsiest people you'll ever meet. I've given myself a concussion by falling into a parked car in England and have broken my leg chasing a bus in Arctic Sweden. Regardless, I keep travelling the world in search of my next adventure (and my next photo opportunity).
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