A FEW PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS
North of Norway (Lyngen Alps)

(July 15 - August 5, 2015)

See here the practical informations about our 2014 trip

MAP

As in 2014, we landed in Kiruna, Sweden, and we spent one to three nights in each location :
- Abisko (Sweden)
- Furuflaten
- Russelv
- Lenangen
- Jægervatnet
- Fugldalen
- Skibotn
- Djupvik
- Rotsundelv
- Hærsletta Camping (1 night only)

A few practical comments about our trip :

As in 2014, we have chosen to fly to Sweden : Kiruna has many connections from Paris (as from Frankfurt). Return : 287 € each, with SAS, + 51 € (63 € for the return flight : we could not purchase the excess baggage ticket on line) - for the camping equipment. And SAS is an excellent company...
Hence : flight Paris - Stockholm (2 h), then flight Stockholm - Kiruna (1h30). (Be prepared : meals are not free...)

Note :
- In Norway (as in Sweden and Finland), everybody has a right to enjoy Nature freely, as guaranteed by law : you may camp where you wish. You only have to obey a few simple rules (more than 150 m from a house, leave the place clean, etc...). We had no problem in finding camping places, as the area is lightly populated, and as there are very few tourists.
- The temperature has always been between 10 and 18°C, during the night as during the day. It was noticeably cooler than during our first trip : probably because of a North wind, which brought us a fairly good weather...
- We were not bothered by the mosquitoes : was this because of the period of the year ? or because we were close to the ocean ?
- We took along our GPS (Garmin Nüvi 2597, with the maps of Europe) : very useful, to find the locations where we had camped the previous year !
- We easily found gas for our stove, in sport shops.

A lot of practical informations are to be found on the site Visit LyngenFjord (in english and german). Absolutely essential !

Walks :

The Tourism Office printed in 2015 an excellent walking guide (in english), including the description of 25 walks, most of them easy. The guide is free, and may be downloaded on line.
We also found a few more ideas in the excellent book "Images of the Lyngen Alps", by Jan R Olsen . The pictures are great, and the book very exhaustive : a must ! The book may be purchased in the Tourism Offices.

And we delighted in reading again "Mountaineering in the Land of the Midnight Sun" (Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond), a 1908 book, reprinted by Amazon as a facsimile. This is the story of an english woman who explored these mountains systematically, and who thoroughly enjoyed it. She came back several years in succession (with her swiss guides) and claimed first ascents of many mountains in the area. The book is very well written : a delight !

KIRUNA :
A tiny airport.
Not necessary to purchase a toll card : there are no tollroad in northern Norway.

Car rental : Europcar. 817 € for 21 days (brand new Skoda Octavia : super !). Prepaid rental. The cost is almost half what it would have cost from Tromsø...

   

ABISKO :

As in 2014, we made a reservation for our first night in the Abisko Fjällturer : new room, private toilets, shared kitchen and showers. Sauna available. Do not forget to bring your bedsheets. Price is a bit high (800 SEK) - but this is standard in that country...
WiFi in the room.

Abisko Park :

We did not stop this year...

 

FURUFLATEN

We camped on the same location as in 2014.

Still very quiet - this is where the local dogs walk their masters, in the evening... not very disturbing...
As a matter of fact, the walk on the hill behind is worth it. The path goes to the cute little hut of Sieddihytta, open to all.

Shower and toilets in the Svensby campgroud (close to the ferry wharf) : we used the facilities several times.

 

RUSSELV

Here again, we camped in the same location as last year, by a little dirt road branching from the village.

Showers and toilets in the Svensby campground.

LENANGEN

A small campground (Storgalten Ferie Camp), on the right just before reaching the bridge over the fjord. A small building with 4 bedrooms (two beds each), shared shower, toilets and kitchen. Sauna possible. Very clean. 600 NOK a night (per room). Verner Hansen tel 91585354. WiFi available (ask).

Grocery store about 2 km away, close to the fjord (ask Hansen).

JÆGERVATNET

At a short distance from the main road (road 91), an idyllic place, with a fantastic view on the mountains...

The place is located about 1 km south of the parking lot from which starts the walk to the Blåtvatnet lake. Next to the parking area, sites for camping cars, piquenique tables and new toilets.

FUGLDALEN (Southern peninsula of Lyngen Alps)

This area is very quiet : only one access road, a dead end.

We camped close to a parking area from where starts the path to the Fugldalen lake (point 5 on the map in J. Olsen's book). The place is not easily found : a narrow dirt road branching on the right of the main road, and reaching the parking area, about 100 meters further up. Another dream location ! No table or toilets, but a nice metal bench !

SKIBOTN (E6 to North Norway - East of the Lyngen Alps)

Several campgrounds in this tiny village. Olderelv is by far the best. 9 small cabins (590 NOK a night. Keep the change for the shower !). Showers and toilets in a brand new building, perfectly clean. The cabins are mostly rented to travelling tourists : plan not to arrive too late.

Actually, Olderelv is a campground where many caravans are parked semi-permanently. All have nice small lawns and flower beds, and have adjoining little huts which are used as family rooms. Very cosy...

Grocery store in the village - but no decent restaurant (the closest restaurant is in Oteren, Hotel-Restaurant Lyngskroa), nor wine shop (we had to drive to Storslett to purchase wine, 40 km away...). WiFi in the cabin.

 

DJUPVIK (E6 to North Norway - East of the Lyngen Alps)

A small road, right after the village of Djupvik. The first road goes to the cemetery : take the second road. Many camping places...

 

ROTSUNDELV (E6 to North Norway - East of the Lyngen Alps)

On a small road, a few km N of Djupvik. Small campground, very quiet. Clean small cabins (550 NOK). Shared toilets, showers and kitchen (but it is possible to cook in the cabin, if you hae a stove).

WiFi in a corner of the lawn (the access codes are written on a wooden post...).

 

HŒRSLETTA CAMPING

And again Hoersletta, before the swedish border (we asked for the same cabin we had in 2014 : habit...).

This campground is located a few km from Narvik, at the intersection of the road going to Sweden. No WiFi.

We rented a nice clean cabin (4 beds). Cooking stove and refrigerator. Cooking possible in shared building. Shared showers. Our cabin had private toilet. 760 NOK a night.