Ukonkivi

Ukonkivi est une île consacré au dieu du tonnerre, Ukko, depuis un millénaire ou presque, par le peuple Sami. Elle se situe à 11 kilomètres à l'Est d'Inari, au milieu du lac.

Il m'a fallu dépenser beaucoup d'énergie lors de cette marche dans une neige épaisse et dense.

Je suis parti vers 8h30, et ne suis revenu que 7 heures plus tard.

Peu de clichés, sur le chemin, au final, le jour ne s'étant pas vraiment levé, et il fallait bien marcher.

L'île mesure 300 mètres de long, sur une centaine de large et une trentaine de hauteur. Sir Arthur Evans ("encore" lui, même s'il n'avait pas encore sévi à Knossos) y a découvert et documenté un superbe anneau (j'ai la photo pour ceux que cela intéresse) et le rite qui se tenait sur l'île. J'y suis resté près d'une heure, à grignoter et boire du thé bien chaud, à me remettre de l'aller. Je n'ai pas trouvé la grotte, même après avoir fait le tour complet du site...dommage.

 Il y a un lapin sur cette photo...à vous de le trouver.

Vue d'Inari, tout au fond...en gros à l'endroit où les deux monts se rejoignent. 

Vue du lac côté Nord 

 Vue du lac côté Est

 Vue du lac côté Ouest

 Difficile de faire une macro sur un flocon de neige

Sur le chemin du retour.

Ici, tout est blanc et nuances de blanc. L'œil doit s'y accoutumer. Tant de blancheur donne le vertige, lisse les perspectives – là réside tout notion de vertige : dans le lissage des contours – ne reste que la profondeur de champ. 

La nuit tombait alors que j'arrivais à peine. Il était 15h30.

Trekking to Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko

 Looks like a giant elbowed his way through these two big pine trees!

 Puntsijärvi

 A very comfortable, clean and dry shelter near the lake, stayed there for a while

 Pikku Pielpajärvi

 After a long trek through deep snow I reached the Erämaakirkko. This church was built in 1760, the original church (it has disappeared today) first stood there in 1646.

 'Twas already very dark when I arrived, too bad.

 The interior is modest, quiet...perhaps a little too quiet. No noise inside or outside.

Best moment of the trek: building a fire in the hearth in the refuge (a stone throw from the church).

I was getting cold by then, so I sat there, next to the fire, sipping hot tea and eating some of the food I had had the sense to bring.

There's nothing like watching and listening to the flickering flames. I made my way back in almost complete darkness...glad I was given back the frontal lamp I had lost the previous night!

Waiting for yesterday's Norther Lights...

...which didn't come.

Israeli dig uncovers ancient Judaean temple

AFP.com

Moonshines

 Taken during yesterday's Northern Lights spectacle

On the way to Mehamn

It is too difficult a task indeed to pinpoint exactly all the places here pictured.

On few occasions a signpost told me of a name, but more often than not only the beauty of the landscape is remembered.

Just so you know, here are the places I went through during this trip:

Finland: Inari - Kaamanen - Kevo - Utsjoki (road E6 - E75)

Norway: Sirma - Tana bru (road 970) - Rustefjelbma - Vestertana - Ifjord (road 98) -

Lebesby - Kalak - Mehamn (road 888)

The trip lasted 11 hours and 30 minutes and 770 km.

Almost certain this is Áitejohka (Finnmark), between Utsjoki (Finland) and Tana bru (Norway)

Áitejohka, other side

Áitejohka, a bit further down the road

Same as previous

Near Sirma

Same as previous

Between Sirma and Tana bru

Near Tana bru

Near Tana bru

I believe it is the Tanafjord

Between Tana bru and Rustefjelbma

 Ifjordjellet

Between Vestertana and Ifjord

Near Lebesby

Near Kalak

Near Kalak

A few kilometers south of the 71º parallel, the weather turned awry. Great gusts of wind swept across the road, jolting the car greatly. Apparently, the blizzard averaged 80km/h.

Lone house in the blizzard-battered wilderness

From bad to worse...

...to even worse.

Only decent picture of Mehamn I could muster. The road was impracticable and very slippery. I was too tired to drive down it and aim for the Barents Sea which I wouldn't have seen anyway.

I was mighty disappointed to have come this far and yet not to be able to see anything, but the trip as a whole was well worth it, as I witnessed the most spectacular landscapes ever.
Yet I think I will come back.

 On the way back home. Near Kalak, 'neath gentler climes.

Near Kalak