From the Ferry to the Lyngen Landscapes
We woke up this morning in our wild camping spot without an alarm clock – just in time to catch the next ferry. We quickly got moving and decided to postpone making breakfast until we reached the next island. The ferry ride cost 100 NOK, and we joined the queue just as the ship docked. The journey didn't take long, and we spent it admiring the alpine scenery of Lyngen.
From the ferry, it was a short drive to our next destination, the hike to Lake Blåisvatnet. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the starting point and prepared for our excursion. Jessika stayed by the car at a nearby outdoor table to work during our hike.
Along a Stony Path to a Turquoise Lake
The route upwards was easy but rocky. Our ankles were put to the test as we walked over thousands of stones. Although there weren't large elevation changes, the path consistently sloped upwards. After just over an hour, we reached the lake – and it was even more spectacular than in the pictures. Often, photos found online are so heavily edited that reality falls short, but this time, the opposite was true.
The water of Blåisvatnet gets its blue color from the glacier, which grinds the bedrock into fine rock flour. This 'glacial flour' scatters sunlight in such a way that blue and turquoise light reflects back from the clear water. We spent about twenty minutes on the shore, eating snacks and enjoying the scenery – in a silence that held a magical calm.
On the way back, the same rocky path tested our ankles even more than the ascent. Once we got back down, we felt relieved, and concluded that the rocky terrain of Blåisvatnet was even tougher to navigate than the steep climb to Hesten.
Camping in Lyngen and an Evening Sauna in the Mountain Scenery
After changing our clothes, we headed towards our next overnight spot. We wanted to wash up and relax, so we chose the LyngenTourist campsite, located an hour and a half's drive away. The place was by the sea with stunning views, but the atmosphere was peculiar – the area was full of cabins and caravans, but all seemed to be empty.
Check-in was handled by calling a number at the gate. The woman who answered the phone surprisingly spoke Finnish, and moments later, her husband, the owner of the area, arrived. He explained that most of the cabin-caravan combinations were summer homes for people from Tromsø, and the area would be bustling with life in the summer and winter. Now, we had the place almost to ourselves.
We parked the car by the sea and were also able to fulfill our long-desired sauna dream. The saunas in Senja had been expensive (80 € per session), but here we could enjoy a seaside sauna for 200 NOK. The sauna was a giant trailer sauna manufactured by Lahti Huvilat, and its hot steam combined with the mountain scenery was an unforgettable experience. Salla also took a dip in the cold sea; the rest of us skipped it. At the end of the evening, we ate in the car and went to sleep.
Journey Back Towards Finland
The next morning, we continued our journey towards Kilpisjärvi. Originally, we planned to climb Saana, but since Jessika couldn't walk, we decided to find alternative activities. We stopped at Rovijoki waterfall and by the shore of Lake Kilpisjärvi to admire Saana. The air in the fells was much colder and windier than in Norway.
We enjoyed a delicious meal at Restaurant Kilpis before continuing towards Levi. We decided to substitute the climb to Saana's peak with a spa visit, and spent the evening relaxing in the pools. Unfortunately, the spa closed at 8 PM, so we only managed to enjoy the pools for an hour and a half. We had dinner in the parking lot and then continued driving for another couple of hours. Salla found a wild camping spot by Lake Marrasjärvi near Rovaniemi. A small forest path in the dark made the last kilometers exciting, but upon arrival, a peaceful lake landscape, a starry sky, and the northern lights awaited us.
The Last Kilometers and Bittersweet Goodbyes
The next morning, we set off early, aiming to reach home by the end of the day. The navigator estimated an arrival time before 8 PM, but various stops stretched the schedule. We had lunch at Pancho Villa in Ideapark, Oulu, as a warm meal is important even on driving days. Along the way, we stopped to photograph reindeer by the roadside.
Finally, we arrived home at 11:50 PM – tired but happy. The trip had been full of experiences, and it felt incredible how much one could see in just ten days. Time spent in a small car with four adults required patience, but in the end, everything went surprisingly well.
After a few days of rest, looking at the pictures brought back the travel bug – and it's likely that one small adventurer will be joining us on the next trip.
