From the ferry to Lyngen landscapes
We woke up in the morning from wild camping without an alarm – just in time to catch the next ferry. We quickly got moving and decided to postpone breakfast to the next island. The ferry cost 100 NOK, and we made it to the queue just as the ship arrived. The trip wasn't long, and we spent it admiring the Lyngen Alps.
From the ferry it was a short drive to our next destination, the Blåisvatnet lake hike. We ate breakfast at the starting point in peace and prepared for the trek. Jessika stayed at the van to work during our hike.
On a rocky trail to the turquoise lake
The route up was easy but rocky. Our ankles were put to the test as we walked over thousands of stones. Although there weren't big elevation changes, the path steadily climbed upward. After just over an hour we reached the lake – and it was even more stunning than in photos.
Blåisvatnet gets its blue color from the glacier that grinds bedrock into fine rock flour. This "glacier flour" scatters sunlight so that the clear water reflects back blue and turquoise. We spent about twenty minutes at the shore eating snacks and enjoying the scenery – in a silence that felt magical.
On the way back, the same rocky path tested our ankles even more than the ascent. Once we got down, we felt relieved and agreed that Blåisvatnet's rocks were even tougher to walk on than the steep climb up Hesten.
Camping in Lyngen and a sauna evening in the mountains
After changing clothes, we headed to our next overnight spot. We wanted to wash up and relax, so we chose the LyngenTourist campsite about an hour and a half's drive away. The place was on the seaside with magnificent views, but the atmosphere was peculiar – the area was full of cabins and caravans, but everything seemed empty.
Check-in was handled by calling the number at the gate. The woman who answered surprisingly spoke Finnish, and shortly her husband, the area's owner, arrived. We parked the van by the sea and also fulfilled our long-wished sauna dream. The sauna was a massive trailer sauna, and its hot steam combined with the mountain views made for an unforgettable experience.
Return journey toward Finland
The next morning we continued toward Kilpisjärvi. We stopped at Rovijoki waterfall and admired Saana mountain from the shore. The weather in the fells was much colder and windier than in Norway.
We enjoyed a delicious meal at Restaurant Kilpis before continuing toward Levi. We decided to replace the Saana summit with a spa visit and spent the evening soaking. We ate dinner in the parking lot and drove a couple more hours. Salla found a wild camping spot by Marrasjärvi lake near Rovaniemi.
The final kilometers and bittersweet farewells
The next morning we left early, aiming to get home the same day. We had lunch at Pancho Villa in Oulu Ideapark. Along the way we stopped to photograph reindeer on the roadsides.
We finally arrived home at 23:50 – tired but happy. The trip had been full of experiences, and it felt unbelievable how much we got to see in just ten days.
