Åsesletta

Field above the boligfeltet area of the village of Sandstrand in the municipality of Skånland, Troms, Norway.

Åsesletta is named for its dramatic location under the sheer cliffs of Åsen, a towering hill which reaches its summit at the majestic peak of Høgåsen. Trails starting at Åsesletta lead, among other places, to the picturesqe and serene lake of Bakåsvannet, known for its beautiful beach and reasonably warm water in the summer.

In the early eighties Åsesletta was scorched by a raging fire which threatened to spread to all surrounding areas, catching on with devastating speed in the forested hillside, fueled by dry brush and other vegetation. Though initially blame was cast on a couple of local male adolescents, the tragic event was in reality started by young local girls playing with matches under a pine tree. Luckily, the tiny creek above Åsesletta was flowing abnormally large this year, enabling the inhabitants of the boligfeltet area of Sandstrand to take the matter into their own hands and extinguish the fire in a great collective manifestation of human will, thus avoiding imminent catastrophe.

The flora and fauna of Åsesletta has now returned to its former state, leaving no evidence of the disaster that almost took place on this otherwise beautiful summer afternoon.

Åsesletta is also known as the home of the internationally acclaimed Åsesletta Kjærlighetsfestival (Åsesletta Love Festival), an immensely popular though sadly yet not annual event.

Åsesletta is one of the entry points of I.L. Santor's floodlit cross country ski track, which goes all the way to Tovik and has provided training facilities for some of the greatest skiing talent in this part of the country.