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Máze to Joatkajávri Fjellstue. 60km 11hrs. Today I skied deep into the Finmarksvidda on windswept and silent scooter tracks. I’m back carrying all my gear so the rucksack is heavy but it’s impossible to worry too much about that when you have such amazing views! No mountains except in the far distance but more sky […]

Kautokeino to Máze. 72km 10hrs. One of my reasons for taking a rest day yesterday was what was coming up next… the Finmarksvidda. I needed to get to Máze first. With no accommodation options in between that meant a big leap of 72km on scooter trails. My eyes widened as I swallowed that thought… not

Kautokeino rest day. After two long days I reached my final resupply package. I’m now fully stocked for my journey across the Finmarksvidda to the north. There are no mountains as such, but a rolling, open arctic plateau which is often featureless and exposed to the elements. Through this journey I’ve been trying to raise

Hirvassvuopio to Kautokeino. 50km 10 1/2hrs. When I arrived at the forest hut I was not alone. A forest service worker speaking pigeon English was there. He was sceptical about my plan and called my holiday “extreme”. I was keenly aware that I could be skiing into a dead end. If I couldn’t break a

Kilpisjarvi to Hirvassvuopio. 61km 11 1/2hrs. Maps don’t lie. Well not good maps anyway. Over a hundred kilometres separated me from Kautokeino. Despite the growing strength of the sun the snowpack was still in winter condition; comprising of largely unconsolidated facets, making for exhausting, if not impossible trail breaking. Staying on the scooter trails allows

Kilpisjarvi rest and planning day. It’s over one hundred kms from here to my next resupply at Kautokeino, with only one cabin in between and a section where the snow is likely to be… troublesome. I wanted to be sure that my plan was as solid as possible before I launched into battle. So today,

Råstojaure to Kilpisjarvi. 50km 9 1/2hrs. Sunrise lights up Råstojaure and slowly lifts frozen mist from the lake surface. The metal door handle to my cabin is lined with a hard frost and almost sticks to my hand before I quickly put on mitts. Last night the clocks went forward. A little irrelevant up here

Kamasjaure to Råstojaure. 36km 7hrs. The day dawned dull, grey and flat. When I opened the door to the shelter opaque low cloud veiled the southern horizon. Fortunately I was heading north towards a remote fishing village run by Sami, and a narrow strip of blue separating two flat grey worlds hinted at better things…

Torneträsk to Kamasjaure. 45km 8hrs. Starting out further along Torneträsk lake with a big day ahead, and in new boots always had the potential for trouble. I was hoping my preventive taping would do the trick. Another 10km of lake (How long IS this lake…?) and I leap ashore next to a Volvo winter hibernation

Abisko to Torneträsk. 45km 7 1/2hrs. It felt a little strange to ski out along the same small path onto Torneträsk lake this morning and turn east instead of west. So far my second start from Abisko has gone more smoothly than the first. Faultless weather and good skiing conditions on the lake allowed me

Abisko – The weather was beautiful yesterday, whispering me frustration about this enforced stop. What to do… a solution clearly required flexibility and imagination. So many friends have stepped up with solid help and suggestions 🙏, focusing me on solving the problems now faced. I have a temporary repair to my boots (!) which will allow

Abisko to Abisko. 42km 12 1/2hrs. Today there have been some unforeseen problems… some setbacks. I’m not sure how long it’s going to take for me to find a solution and get back on track. It’s been a long day and ultimately I’ve gone nowhere, I’m back in Abisko. Tired, a little disappointed and trying

Rest day Abisko Mountain Lodge. I sit on my rucksack and hang forward, glad to have the weight off my shoulders and be off my feet. I’ve been skiing so many hours these last days, almost without pause that it feels strange to stop… like the pulse of time itself skips a beat. I look

Alesjaurestugorna to Abisko. 35km 5 1/2hr. By the morning the weather had changed. I heard the wind pick-up through the night and had to hope it wouldn’t reach the 20m/s predicted by the hut guardian. Thankfully it was barely half that, but as I set off across the lake northwards it really felt like the

Hukejaure to Allakasstugorna. 47km 9 1/2hrs. Last night I was the only guest at delightful, remote Hukejaure. Tired, but content the lovely couple who have managed the cabin for the last 20 years welcomed me with hot tea and homemade almond cakes. Under a cold, clear sky I watched the best display of the northern