Day trip to Swedish Lapland

Sunday 5^th June 2011 – Day trip to Swedish Lapland on Europe's most northerly line.

Narvik Station - our Engine

As planned we caught the 09.20 train and the first of the day from Narvik Station to Sweden, we chose not  to get out immediately across the border at Riksgransen which takes about 45 minutes but to continue on to Kiruna, a journey of 2.5 hours.  The first part of the journey leaving Norway is all up hill, skirting the bottoms of mountains with some superb views.  We had been advised to sit on the left for the best views looking across valleys and down gorges.  Once in Sweden we began the slow journey down hill.

                                                                  Houses in the lake seen from the train

The first lakes we saw were still mostly frozen over, and then we came to a very long lake: Tornetrask where there were still small parts of frozen ice flows and snow around the edges of the lake.  This is the most northerly railway line in Europe and would never have been built if it was not for the iron ore deposits at Kiruna, needing a way of transporting it to the coast.

A still frozen lake seen from the train

River seen from the train

There were various stops on the way but the most popular was Abisko which seems to be a popular holiday destination for winter and summer with a ski lift and runs for winter sport and in the summer with fishermen and hikers – it is the beginning of the ‘Kings Trail’ (Kungsleden) which can be skied in winter and walked in summer.    The Kings Trail stretches for 105 kilometres and takes most people 7 – 10 days to cover, however, you can chose to do just part of it.  It is also the most popular hiking trail in Sweden.  There are mountain huts along the way along the way for people to stay in. this area is occasionally referred to as Europe’s last wilderness or Sweden’s own paradise – it includes Sweden’s tallest mountain Kebnekaise.

After the end of the lake came a period of Tundra, which if James’ memory from school geography is correct is frozen in winter and bogey in summer, certainly most of the vegetation is scraggly small birch trees which seem to dominate all the mountains areas we have seen in Norway and not firs as one might expect.  This was time for a doze!

Kiruna C Railway Station

On arrival at Kiruna we had two hours to spend before catching the last train back to Narvik.  Kiruna is a one horse town – everything is dominated by the LKAB mining operation, it is the world’s largest underground iron ore mine and whole districts are being moved – the oldest city district will disappear – buildings are being moved or demolished as the mine expands under the town.

Mining operations

However, we found the tourist board open which we thought good for a Sunday and collected some information and they have tables and chairs so ate our packed lunch there before walking to the Church which was voted Sweden’s favourite building in 2001.  It was built in 1912 and the altarpiece was painted by Prince Eugen.  The church was built to resemble a Lapp cot (or Sami hut) but I read that ‘is why it has a unique shape with light beaming in form above into an otherwise relatively dark interior’.  We were pleased to find the church open; they were preparing a stage for an evening concert.   

Kiruna Church

Bell Tower beside Church

Inside of Church and famous Altarpiece.

Had we been able to spend longer in Kiruna we could have taken a tour of the mine.  The sun came out for our return train trip and on arrival back in Narvik we saw mountains that we had not seen before because of the rain and very low lying mist that has dominated the last 48 hours.

View toward E10 bridge just before Narvik

View towards the Marina from the train as we returned to Narvik

Monday 6^th June 2011

View of Yacht Club at 3am

Fueling pontoon at 3 am

We awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and not a breath of wind – what a change.  Although I had already decided I like Narvik the sun improved it even more.  The morning was spent using the yacht club shower and washing machine and in the sunshine all the washing dried on the boat – once again we looked like the proverbial ‘Chinese Laundry’.  James replaced his loo pump which was giving cause for concern, the pump which he bought in Bodo cost three times as much here than in the UK!  The boat also got a wash and polish.  After lunch we walked up to Narvik’s town centre to take photos in the sunshine and stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables.  As has been the case for most of this trip so far we are too early for various tourist sites to open including of this occasion the cable car to the top of a mountain which I should have like to have taken for the view. 

Sculpture in the centre of Narvik: seen in the rain on Saturday

Marina info: cost NOK 100 + 50 for electricity per night.  Shower and washing machine in the club house are free, code for the door is required and the key to the rubbish bins is also hanging in the club house.  Guest berths: 1 pontoon about 14 metres with water on the pontoon.  The pontoons leading to the guest pontoon are a bit rickety, take care not to trip and there is a bit of a long stride over on to the steps leading up.  There is a ICA supermarket about 10 minutes walk away up the hill (left then right out of the marina) and a Rimi in the Stors Senter (shopping mall) which is just past the turning to the station and tourist office.

We left Narvik at 4 pm – high tide hoping to gain some tidal advantage on the trip back down the fjord.  We  motored 22 miles down the Ofoten fjord and found a bay with mooring buoys, so we picked one of these up for the night.