After our hike in Abisko, we pointed the car towards Norway and Senja. We had about a four-hour drive ahead of us, during which the rugged landscapes of the Swedish highlands gradually gave way to the Norwegian fjords and valleys.
In Bardufoss, we stopped to restock the fridge, as the evening was already getting dark. While searching for an overnight spot, we first found a parking area next to a military training ground. However, it didn't feel safe – cars were passing by on the adjacent road, and a sign indicated that military equipment occasionally moved through the area. Nevertheless, we decided to stay for a while to cook some tortillas so that dinner wouldn't be too late. After eating, we still had enough energy for another hour of driving, so we continued our journey all the way to the island of Senja.
In the middle of the island, next to a small church, we found a peaceful wild camping spot. The day's hike had taken its toll, so I wanted to wash up before going to bed. I first tried to shower outside so that the campervan's toilet wouldn't get wet. However, the cold air quickly made me shiver – and the situation wasn't helped by the approaching headlights that simultaneously appeared on the road. I ran to hide behind the car and gave up: the cold had seeped into my bones, so I decided to continue washing indoors.
Norwegian Wild – The perfect base for the slopes of the national park
The night passed peacefully, and after breakfast, we headed towards Ånderdalen National Park. We had decided that a good rhythm was to spend every other night at a campsite: that way, everyone could shower, have more space, and recharge their batteries. When it was raining and windy almost non-stop outside, the small interior spaces of the campervan felt even more cramped.
In the national park, we chose the Åndervatnet trail, which led to a lake in the middle of the park. Next to the start of the trail, we found the Norwegian Wild campsite, which immediately charmed us. The place was located right by the sea, the facilities were tip-top, and the peaceful autumn atmosphere made the experience perfect. During peak season, the area is probably bustling with people, but now we got to enjoy the space and quiet.
We parked the car, took care of the maintenance, and prepared tortillas in the area's kitchen. We ate outside under a canopy, and for the first time in a long while, the rain eased up slightly. The sun peeked out, which made preparing for the hike much more pleasant – changing clothes was finally possible outside the car.
Åndervatnet hike – boardwalks, bogs, and rocky terrain
The Åndervatnet hike was about 12 kilometers long and estimated to take 3–4 hours. We started our journey in the afternoon at 3 PM. The beginning wound through easily passable bog areas: first a gravel road, then a woodchip path and boardwalks. Along the trail, there were also fun, large wooden ant statues, on top of which we, of course, had to take a few pictures. At the three-kilometer mark, we encountered a grilling spot, a toilet, and a beautiful fern forest.
Halfway through the outbound journey of the hike, a sign warned us: the next three kilometers would be significantly more difficult to traverse. And so it was. The path became rocky and steep; instead of boardwalks, we walked along a path on the hillside by the edge of the bog. Jessica's back started to seize up early in the trip, and the pain worsened as we progressed. We stopped several times to massage out the stiffness, which slowed our pace. Still, the desire to reach the lake was so strong that we decided to continue.
Åndervatnet – the journey was finer than the destination
Finally, we reached Åndervatnet. On the shore, there was a charming wilderness hut where one could have stayed overnight. Two Finnish men were already there, having settled into the hut. However, we stuck to our plan and decided to return to the campsite. We ate snacks by the lake and filmed with a drone – but the lake itself was a bit underwhelming. This time, the journey was finer than the destination, and we could have easily skipped the last difficult three kilometers.
We also noticed that time had passed faster than we expected. Our headlamps had been left in the campervan, so we had to pick up the pace to avoid being caught by darkness. On the way back, we encountered a herd of reindeer, and the colors of the sunset painted the forest beautifully. We made it back to the easy gravel road section just before dusk. The cooling evening and rising wind made us dream of the warm campervan.
At the campsite, a shower cost 10 kroner for 4 minutes – eight minutes was perfectly sufficient. We even got free cinnamon buns from the reception, as it was just about to close and the buns would have otherwise gone to waste. We concluded that from now on, after every hiking day, a campsite is the best solution: daily evening routines are handled much faster there. For dinner, we prepared salmon and rice, after which we fell asleep, tired from the hike.
