Kapstaden till Kiruna – 11 days in Sweden: day 5

Sun 9
October
2016

Abisko National Park

 

After getting lost in the fog and dark the night before Jun and I decided that between us we’d use the daylight to find the lake. I made that my first mission before heading off into the park to explore the Kungsleden trail.

Abisko: wild moose  Abisko canyon

Abisko

The craft place was closed throughout my stay, unfortunately

Abisko  Abisko: lingon berries

Turns out that lake Torneträsk was indeed the advertised 300m from the guesthouse – we’d just missed the road in the dark. I followed it straight down to the water and the boatclub.

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko: Torneträsk

Abisko: Torneträsk

Abisko: Torneträsk  Abisko: Torneträsk

I loved this lake – it was perfectly still and devoid of people.

Abisko: Torneträsk

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko

Abisko: blueberries  Abisko

On my way towards the park I passed Jun who was returning and said it was very beautiful. I was pausing every few meters to take a photo of something or other when I discovered, to my delight, a whole lot of wild blueberries (well, bilberries technically I think?) growing everywhere.

Abisko: blueberries

Abisko  Abisko: Hadley

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko Tourist stationThe Tourist Station was closed for the off-season, but there were a few other people walking around in groups.

Abisko Tourist station

Autumn!

Abisko Tourist station  Abisko Tourist station

Abisko Tourist station

Model of the canyon

Abisko: Cloudberry leaves  Abisko

Abisko canyon

Coming around the corner the canyon almost snuck up on me. It was immense and beautiful

Abisko canyon  Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon  Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon

And of course the obligatory selfie had to be taken

Abisko canyon  Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon

Abisko canyon  Abisko

Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden  Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden

This was painted in the inside of a tunnel, and was joined by a recording of Sami spoken language and music

Abisko: Kungsleden  Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden

Abisko: Kungsleden

I didn’t walk the trail, but I was really happy to find the little Kungsleden house

Abisko: Turistation  Abisko: Turistation

Abisko: Turistation

Abisko: Turistation  Abisko: Turistation

Abisko: Turistation

Another eerily unmanned but functioning train station

Abisko: Turistation  Abisko: Samevistet

It was getting late but I wanted to see the Sami camp so headed along a very quiet and narrow path behind the train station. There was no-one anywhere around, it was amazing.

Abisko: Samevistet  Abisko: Samevistet

Abisko: SamevistetAbisko: Samevistet  Abisko: Samevistet

Abisko: Samevistet

Abisko: Samevistet  Abisko: Samevistet

Abisko: Samevistet

I was going to turn around but on a whim decided to follow the nature path a little further

Abisko: Samevistet  Abisko: Samevistet

Abisko: wild moose

In that perfect stillness I suddenly had that uncanny feeling of being watched…and my heart stopped when I saw this moose staring straight at me

Abisko: wild moose  Abisko: wild moose

Abisko: wild moose

I stayed very still, then slowly backed out of her way when I realised she was a mother with two young calves. When she started eating they appeared out of the bushes

Abisko: wild moose

I couldn’t get over how big they were. The closest animal in size I’d seen before then was perhaps a camel…the mother crossed the path a way in front of me and headed into the camp. I waited for the calves to follow her before I did so too.

Abisko: wild mooseAbisko: wild moose  Abisko: wild moose

They started literally eating the huts, it was amazing! The whole encounter was so special, and lasted nearly half an hour. Totally majestic animals, and completely silent.

Abisko: wild moose  Abisko: wild moose

Abisko: wild moose

Abisko: wild mooseAbisko  Abisko

Abisko

Abisko supposedly has a population of around 85. Most of the people there, therefore are tourists. While I was there virtually everyone I saw was a tourist, apart from one old guy down near the lake, a jogger in the morning and a dog-walker in the evening. I’m not sure if it’s the old stoic Swedish stereotype or an Abisko-specific thing but none of these people were particularly friendly…the old man ignored my attempts at a greeting, the jogger positively glared at me and the dog-walker radiated an almost aggressive indifference. I thought maybe they’re sick of tourists, but who knows…

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko

Abisko  Abisko

Abisko

The only open local business I saw while there…a candyshop with a petrol pump. The highway is directly to the left

Abisko

Abisko hospitality

Abisko Guesthouse  Abisko Guesthouse

I enjoyed the Abisko guesthouse, for what it was. It was expensive but accommodation options are limited out there, and overall I’d probably return. The kitchen was great, the dining area was also nice. My (triple, it was the cheapest…) room was dark and a bit cramped and the place itself looked a bit like a maze inside…but again, overall it was pleasant enough and the location (close to the lake and station and next to the shop…even though said shop was closed indefinitely) was great.

Abisko Guesthouse

Abisko Guesthouse

–  –  –
Kapstaden till Kiruna :  intro  |  pt 1  |  pt 2  |  pt 3  |  Kent at Arena Arctica  |  pt 4
pt 5  |  pt 6  |  
pt 7  |  pt 8pt 9  |  pt 10  | Tiger Lou at Pustervik  |  pt 11

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