Padjelanta

Padjelanta is a national park in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Established in 1963 (the year after the Swedish Parliament voted yes to the proposal), it is the largest national park in Sweden with an area of 1,984 km², and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Laponia established in 1996.

Nature

The park, which borders to Norway in the west, is primarily comprised by a vast plateau around the two unusually large lakes Vastenjávrre and Virihávrre the latter of which is often referred to as "the most beautiful lake in Sweden". Consequently, the landscape is fairly flat and open, especially compared to the alpine Sarek National Park on its eastern border, and mainly consists of rolling hills with few peaks of the higher variety. Almost all of the park is situated above the tree line, but the diversity of the flora is extremely high nonetheless: over 400 different plant species have been catalogued in the area, which reportedly is a record in the Swedish fjelds. The fauna is rich as well.

Sámi presence

The name of the park derives from the Lule Sami word "Badjelánnda", which translates to "the higher land" a straightforward description of the region. Today the three Sámi villages Duorbun, Jåhkågasska and Sirges let their reindeer graze in Padjelanta in the summer, using the traditional settlements of Stáloluokta, Árasluokta and Sállohávrre.

Tourism

There is a well-known hiking trail called Padjelantaleden (Padjelanta Trail) that runs between Kvikkjokk in the southeast and either Vaisaluokta or Änonjalme beneath Áhkká in the north, and is about 160 km in length. All these endpoints lie outside the borders of the park, which means that hikers must travel for at least a day before entering Padjelanta itself, but in the summer there are also regular helicopter tours between Kvikkjokk, Stáloluokta and Ritsem.

Along this trail there are a number of cottage sites providing accommodation for visitors. Originally, the tourist buildings within the park proper were managed by the [http://www.naturvardsverket.se/ Swedish Environmental Protection Agency] , but they have since passed into the care of the aforementioned Sámi villages, under the name "Badjelánnda Laponia Turism" (BLT). The other cottages on the trail are maintained by the [http://www.stfturist.se/ Swedish Tourist Association] (STF). In Stáloluokta there is a sauna, and during the tourist season visitors can also buy provisions there.

Note that Padjelantaleden is a summer trail, so there are no markings visible when the land is covered in snow. Neither are the cottages manned in winter, but there is always at least one room open at all the cottage sites.

Another hiking trail called Nordkalottruta also passes through the park, although its path is the same as that of Padjelantaleden most of the way.

Another point of interest is that the Swedish center of inaccessibility (i.e. the point where one is at a maximum distance from civilization) lies in Padjelanta. It is reported [Grundsten, C: "Vandra Kungsleden och andra färdvägar. 2", page 74. Svenska Turistföreningen, 1991] that at the southeastern bay of the lake Rissájávrre close to the border of Sarek, it is approximately 47 km in either direction to the closest road. The isolation of this spot is, however, partially an illusion, since the much-trodden Padjelantaleden and specifically the "Tuottar" cottage site are actually less than 5 km away.

External links

* [http://www.naturvardsverket.se/en/In-English/Menu/Enjoying-nature/National-parks-and-other-places-worth-visiting/National-Parks-in-Sweden/Padjelanta-National-Park/ Padjelanta National Park] from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
* [http://www.padjelanta.com/ Badjelánnda Laponia Turism] Information about the cottage sites in the park (Swedish/German)
* [http://www.fjallen.nu/ Norbottensfjällen] from the County Administration of Norrbotten

Notes