Camping in a Lavvu in Laponia

Our last day and night were spent in the open at Sápmi Nature Camp in the Laponia World Heritage Area, outside Gällivare and Jokkmokk. The temperature was around minus 20 degrees so not quite as cold as previous days. The Lavvu tents have stoves and with sleeping bags and duvets we were warm. When we arrived at 1pm, the sunlight was golden through the pine trees and, being an almost full moon night, was bright enough to walk and photograph with no problems throughout the evening. The Northern lights were not very active but enough to give atmosphere for the compositions.

Sápmi Nature Camp is operated by Lennart Pittja who grew up in a reindeer herding family in Unna This is grazing land that has been used by Unna Tjerusj for thousands of years. He told us all about the history of the Sami people including recent politics and all about reindeer - their winter life and migration to the mountains.

My Birthday in Swedish Lapland

I spent my birthday with a temperature of -34 degrees in the Arctic on a Husky sled trip with 'breakfast' in the forest, followed by watching birds come to a feeding station and ending with meeting (and eating!) reindeer in the company of a charming Sami. Mad perhaps but certainly unforgettable. I will be doing fuller posts on the activities when back in the UK. There will be a gap before this as today we start the final day- spending a night in a lavvu-style tent further up into the Arctic forests and there will be no electricity and therefore no internet etc.