Lapland

Lapland is the largest and northernmost region in Finland. The beautiful mountains of Lapland, space, easy-going people, relaxed atmosphere and many other things makes Lapland kind of a magical place. For me Lapland is all these things, but most important a place where I can listen to the holy silence on top of the Levitunturi, and look at the spacious view. There`s no time, no rush, no one bothering. Just me and a breathtaking scenery.

Instead of normal summer, autumn, winter and spring, there are 8 seasonal period in Lapland:  frosty winter, crusty snow, departure of ice, midnight sun, harvest season, colorful autumn, first snow and Christmas. In Lapland summer is summer and winter is a real cold and snowy winter. Snow comes to Lapland during September-November. Christmastime is the darkest time of Lapland`s seasons  when the sun doesn`t rise above the horizon and there are only few hours of sunlight. The winter is long, approximately seven months. During the winter Lapland gets snow from 50 cm to over a meter. Statistically the coldest month of the year is February, when it could be more than -35°C frost. In the beginning of March the sunshine starts appearing in the northern skies again after a long period of kaamos = polar night. The best things about the winter periods in Lapland are clean white and fresh powder snowy landscapes and the luminous northern lights dancing through the skies.

When the spring comes, snow cover starts to melt fast and nature awakens to it`s splendour. The thickest snow cover ever was measured in Kilpisjärvi in 19 April 1997 and it was 190 cm. There could still be some snow in early June, but by Midsummer the sun should provide some nice warmth. Summer  in Lapland is bright, actually so bright that if you go all the way to Utsjoki, the sun stays above the horizon from mid-May to mid-July. Hot days (over 25°C) are few in Lapland as the warmest times of the summer are July and its last weeks.

Autumn is colourful time. Ruska arrives in southern Lapland around a week later than in northern Lapland, usually after the first week of September. During the autumn days are slowly getting shorter again and the temperature gets below zero. Ruska prepares as well the nature as the people for wintertime. Autumn is a perfect time to come to Lapland and breathe the fresh north air, pick berries and mushrooms, enjoy the beautiful nature and do some trekking before the coming of snow.

 

There are plenty activities you can do, places to go and sights to see. The places I have visited in Lapland are Levi, Kittilä, Kuusamo, Ruka, Rovaniemi, Ivalo, Saariselkä and Utsjoki. For me none of these are better than another. Once you cross the Lapland border, you can feel the Lappish spirit and atmosphere. The rush and hurry are not welcome to Lapland. The northern you go the more you start seeing the pure nature, mountains, reindeer on roads and beautiful wilderness of Lapland.