On the roads of Lapland

I was driving home one late one summer night, listening to the radio, happy that it was not as hot as during the day anymore, as my old car does not have air conditioning. I was driving a route that I quite often drive, so was not paying much attention to the surroundings, rather keeping my eyes on the road and trying not to speed too much. It is hard to keep to the limits on an empty road.

On this route there is a place where the road crosses a lake on its narrowest point; the large lake opens up on both sides of the road. Here I normally throw a glance on the landscape, as it is a very beautiful place. This particular night I had to stop. The sun was kind of setting the way it does late July, it hangs there just by the horizon and throws amazing golden and pastel colors on the landscape. This night there were some dark clouds that added some drama to the view – breathtaking. I got out of the car and took in this scenery with all senses. It was so silent and still, the lake was like a mirror and the night air fresh and smelled of pine forest. You could feel it had been a warm day and also that tomorrow would be warm. The cooler nights are a blessing on a hot summer like this one.

I was so taken by the scenery, that I did not even take a photo. But it looked very much like our main picture, which is taken on another shore of the same lake (Lake Kitka); just use your imagination to add the few dark clouds and some dramatic light effects.

I continued driving. On moments like this I can fully understand why travelers prefer to do Finland on fly & drive basis in the summer. Drive from town to town or cottage to cottage. Plan everything in advance or do a real road trip and take it as it comes. Traffic is non-existent compared to Central Europe and the roads are fine throughout the country. And like just stated; the landscapes are beautiful!

There are hazards on our roads too - the wildlife. Mostly reindeer come up on the roads and they can move around in herds, so this is what you are up against (picture taken by a friend of mine who drives the same route as I do just as often as I do):

I find the mighty elk scary when sighted from a car. Last summer I was driving late at night on this same route I had an encounter with an elk. It was by a large swamp, it was a bit foggy from the ground, as it gets when the air cools down at night and the moist swamp is warmer and evaporates. There he was, standing tall and mighty in the fog. Luckily he stayed there, as that is a huge animal and I am happy as long as they are not on the same roads as I am. That would also have been a photo-perfect moment; I have to start making photo stops to capture these moments when driving on the roads here in Lapland.

Among others, these European tour operators organize fly & drive tours to Lapland:

Voigt Travel, The Netherlands

fintouring, Germany

Kontiki Saga Reisen, Switzerland

Catai, Spain