Safe Return Doubtful

I’ve visited the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park twice before, two and four years ago, spending time at the two most popular destinations, Pallastunturi, and 

Pallastunturi is an area of seven mountains at the foot of which is a hotel that dates back to 1938, one of the first luxury mountain hotels outside of the Finnish cities. The highest peak is 809 metre Taivaskero, also the highest peak away from the mountains along the Norwegian border. I walked Taivaskero on both the last two occasions, and it would be too much for Rua at the moment, with a ten mile circular hike, we are working around about 90 minutes out at his age. We settled for Pallaskero at 755 metres, but a shorter circuit. 

On this visit my plan is to get to a couple of different places, though it is great to be here at this time of year with pleasant temperatures and no mosquitoes. I started at Hetta in the far north of the long skinny National Park. Many Finns, and visitors take in the trek along the whole park, of more than 100 kilometres, but the section from Hetta to Pallas is particularly popular, at 50 kilometres. The start of it involves a boat taxi across the lake south of Hetta. Hetta is more strict than most Finnish towns in allowing campervan stays. I looked at a couple of options, but they were unsuitable, and settled for the campsite which was just 20 euros, a rare site that charges per person, and a reduction if no electricity is required, most charge just for the pitch. 

The next day on a drizzly morning we hiked a short 4 kilometre circuit through the forest. Just as we were about to leave, a Swedish woman pulled in next to us with her dog. Our dogs got on well, and we walked some of the circuit together, she had less time than me, so took a short cut. 

Later in the day I drove south in the National Park to Pallastunturi which I mentioned above. Here, there is a large car park for campervan and motorhomes a few hundred metres from the hotel and visitors centre; it’s where I have stayed on my two previous visits. 

On Thursday I moved a few kilometres further south, to a more unfashionable destination, a small group of houses and a former hotel, now out of business, at Äkäskero. It involves taking a rough and potholed road for several kilometres, and that alone puts many off. There was the odd other hiker, but I was the only van. I met an older woman with crutches who was attempting some exercise. She called me over to meet Rua, and we were soon exchanging views on hip surgery. She had fallen ten months ago and broken her hip, and is still in recovery. She and her husband have a summer cabin in the community, and have had for 56 years. They live most of ten years in Espoo, but had been here this year since early May. We had both been teachers, so had a lot in common. She told me the hike I had planned for the following morning, to Linkukero summit, was her favourite walk anywhere, and that she had arranged for her ashes to be thrown up there, if, she said, she ever died. 

There were heavy showers around, but I thought I spotted a gap, and headed out for what I thought was a short walk just after 6 pm. To avoid some marsh, I took a path that led me towards the summit of another small peak, Äkäskero, with same name as the village. It was almost two hours out in the end, so much longer than I had planned, but the showers stayed away, and on the summit ridge above the treeline, it was particularly special. 

This morning we hiked Linkukero, a similar walk to Äkäskero, though the latter is steeper, but it also has a kilometre or so long ridge above the treeline that is a highlight. 

I then drove twenty kilometres into Äkäslompolo to stock up on groceries. I have moved slightly away, to a hiking car park in the forest for the night, but tomorrow I will need to use the campsite in town; it’s been cloudy all week, and the sun behind is low in the sky anyway, so I’m low on electric and water.