The Life of a Reindeer

To many people reindeer are a mysterious animal and even in Lapland where they roam freely they are still a very elusive creature. It is odd to some people to think of a reindeer as an animal that is farmed and a form of livestock but in Sami culture the reindeer is very important. In many countries Reindeer have magical and mythical powers that stem from the Christmas story and they place it higher than other animals.

But when they are not busy pulling Santa’s sleigh what is a reindeer’s life really like?

Life of a Reindeer

The Life of a Reindeer

A reindeer’s life begins in spring when the females have their calves. At this time the reindeer are free to roam wherever they please in the nature of Lapland. They live off what nature provides searching for mushrooms and berries throughout the summer.  At first their antlers grow soft, with the mature males growing the largest, and over the course of the summer they turn hard. The males will collect together a harem of females that they will then mate with.

During the autumn months the reindeer herders will collect up all their reindeer for counting and mark the years new born, each reindeer herder has heir own unique ear mark that identifies their reindeer. The herd will move very little during the winter as it is more difficult to travel and find food so the herders will provide additional food for them.

There are a few useful things to know about reindeer herding, one of those is that it is rude to ask a reindeer herder how many reindeer they have, its similar to asking how much money they earn. Though, you do have to have more than 100 reindeer in order to make a livelihood, which means many herders turn to tourism for additional income.

Since the introduction of motorised vehicles, especially the snowmobile, the herders no longer have to travel with the reindeer. Each herder is allocated an amount of reindeer they are allowed as reindeer numbers are monitored and controlled. As all reindeer have an owner you are not permitted to hunt them.

Reindeer herding is still very important in Lapland especially to Sami people and they have practiced reindeer husbandry for hundreds of years. Unlike traditional farming the animals are free to live in the wild for a majority of their lives with little human interaction and tampering.

It would be interesting to hear your opinions. Do you agree with eating reindeer?

Kvarken Archipelago

Kvarken Archipelago
Kvarken Archipelago, Finland

The reason to visit Vaasa was to take in the nearby Kvarken National park, an area where the landscape shows  signs of post glacial rebound. Since the compression of the last ice age the ground is now returning to its original position and that is happening here along the Finnish coast. In 2006 Kvarken National park became Finland’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

© Our Shadows Will Remain

A Quick Stop in Vaasa

Located on the west coast of Finland is Vaasa, a largely Swedish speaking area of Finland. Finland is a dual language country, meaning that they have two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. Swedish speaking Finns live throughout Finland but the city of Vaasa and its surrounding area is know for its large number of Swedish speaking inhabitants. In this area of the country you will see the road signs in Swedish first then Finnish!

Three Nations Border Point

The Three Nations Border Point can be reached by ferry or an 11 km one way walk from Kilpisjärvi. There are a few different ways it can be reached of varying difficulty, I chose to take the ferry one way and return on the Malla Trail to Kilpisjärvi Via Pikku Malla making the total distance 16 km.

From the ferry drop off point the Three nations Border Point is an easy 3 km walk along the fenced border between Finland and Sweden. The exact point is located 10 meters into lake Goldajärvi and can be reached by following a planked walkway to where the monument has stood since 1926. The idea is that you walk around the monument and visit each country by doing so, this allows you to see it from every angle and with a different country in the background.

Three Nations Border Point
Norway, Sweden, Finland

Once leaving the border point the trail takes you through the trees and up onto the mountains. Once up the walking is fairly easy and continues with beautiful scenery over Kilpisjarvi and Saana which is unlike any I have seen elsewhere in Finland.

Would you visit or have you visited the point where three borders meet?

Further reading:

Climbing the Stairway to Saana.

The Three Nations Border Point features on my post 5 Things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer.

Stairway to Saana

Stairway to Saana
KilpisJarvi, Finland

742 steps lead up the 1,029m tall Saana fell from KilpisJarvi in Finland. Once you have climbed one of Finland’s longest staircases you are only a third of the way to the top and magnificent views over the surrounding Finnish landscape, you can even see to Norway.

See my gallery below, Saana From Every Angle.

Further Reading:

Another great walk in the Kilpisjärvi area is that to the Three Nations Border Point, where Norway, Sweden and Finland meet.

If you are interested in other things to do in Lapland I complied a list of my favourite, 5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer.

I spent A Year in Living in Lapland and regularly took photos of my experience.

Saana

Saana
Kilpisjarvi, Finland

Saana and kilpisjarvi feature in my post 5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer

Lapland often refers to the northern parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway that are inside of the Arctic Circle. The area is mainly considered a winter destination with many international visitors coming to visit Santa Claus and experience other winter activities.

The area of Lapland also has a lot to offer during the summer, that’s right, even within the Arctic Circle there is a summer. The landscape is varied and breathtakingly beautiful with a history and culture unknown to most.

I have compiled a short list of 5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in the summer from what I have experienced during my time in the Arctic Circle.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Ylläs
Fell Walking

Finland has many superb National Parks with miles and miles of marked and maintained trails, fireplaces and overnight cabins. Among the best are Urho Kekkonen, Lemmonjoki, and on my doorstep Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.

Take a walk over the fells and enjoy a sausage cooked over an open wood fire in the Finnish nature. Be on the lookout for wildlife, Finnish Lapland is home to around 200,000 reindeer that are allowed to roam freely.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in summer
Aakenus
Visiting the Three Nations Border Point

The Three Nationals Border Point can been reached from Kilpisjärvi by a 11km one way walking trail, a ferry then a short walk, or a combination of the two. The monument marks the point where Norway, Sweden and Finland’s borders meet.

Even though the walk is long the terrain is fairly easy. Once elevated the route is flat, you are then presented with views in all directions and across three different countries. Using the ferry connections allows even the less able to visit the the Three Nation Border Point monument.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in summer
Three Nations Border Point

If you are visiting Kilpisjärvi it is also worth a walk to the top of Saana, a three hour walking route that consists of 742 steps! The Saana fell towers over Kilpisjärvi providing great views and its unique shape dominates the surrounding landscape.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in summer
Kilpisjärvi and Saana
Experiencing the Midnight Sun

The Midnight Sun can be experienced all over Finland with Midsummer celebrations being a large part of Finnish culture. Usually people will spend it at a cabin with friends and family while they watch the sun never completely set. In Lapland 24 hour daylight lasts for well over a month!

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in summer
Midnight in Lapland
Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church

From the town of Inari  Pielpajärvi Wilderness church is a 7km walk, but if you have access to a car you can park further up the trail, shortening your walk to 4km each way. The path winds through the forest littered with rocks then follows the lake until you come to an open area that was once the town center many, many years ago.

The first church was erected in this area in 1646, while the present church that still stands there today, after some restoration, was built in 1760. When the nearby town of Inari grew a new church was built there, leaving this church unused for many years. It wasn’t until after World War II, when the Inari church was destroyed, that Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church was used again.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Inari Wilderness Church

While you are in Inari the Siida Museum is well worth a visit, with exhibits that detail the history of Lapland centered on Sami culture. Sami culture is very important in the history of Lapland and it is impressive to see how people survived in this remote area with difficult weather conditions during those early years.

Berry Picking

Finland is a firm believer in the Everyman’s Right, this means that everyone is allow access to Finland’s beautiful and secluded nature with as little restrictions as possible. People are free to walk, camp and collect berries, mushrooms and other edible treats that grow from the forest floor.

During the summer months many people will be out collecting what nature has to offer, but you have to be quick as the herds of reindeer might beat you to it. Long sleeves are a must if you want to avoid the mosquitoes.

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Blueberry Fields Forever

There are still many other activities available in Finnish Lapland that I haven’t included in this list such as mountain biking, fishing, canoeing, bird watching, Frisbee golf and many others. Lapland is also home to many summer events and festivals including the Sodankylä Midnight Sun Film Festival, making Lapland well worth a visit any time of year.

Tell me what you think. Is there something that I have missed that you think is a must when visiting Lapland in the summer?

Further Reading:

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Sami of Lapland
5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
71° North

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Three Nations Border Point

5 things to do in Finnish Lapland in Summer
Life of a Reindeer

The Setting Sun

A Sunset in the Arctic Circle