Abisko National Park

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On to Abisko....a slower start today as our train didn't leave until 1.25pm. We caught up with emails and blog then left the hotel at 11am. We walked up to the Information Centre (Folkets Hus) and waited around until 12.30. It was warm inside and there were plenty of displays of the mine and town to look at as well as information boards to read. A bus took us to the railway station (no longer in the centre of town because of the mine subsidence) and our train arrived on time. The ride to Abisko was just over an hour and the train (night one from Stockholm) was full of hikers with large backpacks, all going to the same place as us... Abisko National Park. The scenery was mainly birch trees, later mountains with snow on top, then Lake Tornetrask, the 7th largest in Sweden. It did look a bit like Lake Wakatipu with mountains in the background, only these are quite rounded, and lake in the foreground. Our hotel is Abisko Mountain Lodge - very nice and cosy with friendly staff. We went for a walk to a nearby hill, from where there was a good view and thousands of large mosquitos !!! We had forgotten to bring our repellant with us, so kept moving to stop them biting. The bites we did get haven't caused any problems fortunately and we are mostly covered up anyway with long trousers and long-sleeved tops. We then went down to the lake edge.....the water was cold. On the way back we stopped at the supermarket and were surprised and horrified to find half the area taken up with sweets and bottled drinks.



Wednesday 9th August..... Abisko National Park. It was only 11 degrees outside so we dressed warmly - 4 layers including 1 merino and a thick polar-fleece jacket, and tights under my trousers - just like the mine tour day. We walked along the track to the Turiststation 3 kms away, had a look inside at the displays and found information about the Aurora Sky Station. Another short walk past the river with fast rapids and we were at the chairlift, then on it going up the mountain. Great views all around of the lake and mountains, although clouds came and went. At the top is a cafe and viewing area. It had been raining early morning and all the seats were wet - and we were too when we got off it - not a nice feeling. At least there was a roaring fire in the cafe and we could dry off. Temps up there were about 9 degrees but luckily hardly any wind, so not too cold outside. We enjoyed tomato soup and bread for lunch while looking out at the lake and mountains and chatting to the staff. Yesterday was a good day to go up and they'd had 200 visitors !!! We then went for walk higher up the mountain above the treeline to a plateau covered with rocks and tiny mountain flowers and thick moss. It was quite swampy in places. It's quite a popular area for cross country skiing in winter - Nov to June, and it's open at night for people wanting to see the Northern Lights in winter and the sun not setting in summer. We came down about 2.30pm and walked back via a reconstruction of a Sami village, used in spring and autumn. In winter they take their reindeer to lower areas and in summer they are back up on the mountains. In between they have other places to stay. They leave their camps set up as they return to the same places every year.

We bought some ryebread, cheese and ham for dinner as we weren't that hungry after a big breakfast and lunch, and finished off with a Swedish cinnamon bun.

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You say it was 11C over there . . .well it was 9C on Auckland North Shore this morning . .Friday 11 August . .!