A brief visit to my cabin

Last year I failed to reach my cabin during the winter because the snow was so deep and powdery, but this year I had no problem……..because my friend Erik (who has a cabin near to mine) was there to plough the track to our cabins with his Swedish Military Valp.  He has built an hydraulic plough attachment that fits on the front and is very effective at clearing the snow.

Erik ploughed to about 1km from our cabins and Erik’s family and I drove behind the plough

The final kilometre was not ploughed (making it impossible for others to drive there), we all climbed into the valp and drove through the snow to the cabins

There was 80cms of snow on the roof

and it was dark by the time I had finished removing snow.  I was working following morning so unfortunately could not stay at the cabin.

Solberget Vildmarksbyn

 

Yesterday I began working as a tourist guide at Solberget Vilmarksbyn as part of a work experience scheme with the local job centre.

Yesterday we took guests out on a ski tour around the local marshes.

We could not travel across the marshes because the ice was thin and there was water under the snow.

Water on skis freezes immediately and has to be removed.  Fortunately Dirk had a gas burner in his rucksack

We heard and found much evidence of Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus).  In the picture below they had been feeding on Birch buds

Willow Grouse have feathers on their feet so you cannot see toes in their tracks

In this picture a Willow Grouse has landed in the snow (you can see the wing pattern) and then run away.

We also saw many Red Squirrel tracks

After three hours, we returned to Solberget Wilderness Village

After the Reindeer had been fed this morning

we headed off into the forest on another ski tour to the top of Solberet (Sun Hill translated to English).

We skied uphill for about one hour until we reached a cabin and fire-watch tower

Once inside the cabin we made a fire

and had lunch

After lunch we returned to Solberget.

Guiding in Muddus National Park-2

We were up at 7am next morning and after breakfast I helped Dirk pack and weigh the bags for the Reindeer.

At 9am we began our next part of the journey to another cabin 9kms away.

shortly after I took this picture

one of the reindeer got away from the person leading it and ran off into the trees carrying our guests sleeping bags and food.  I ran after him but was unable to catch him and eventually he ran off across the marshes.

We decided to return to the cabin where we had stayed the previous night.  I would stay with the guests at the cabin and Dirk would take some reindeer pellets and try to find the reindeer.

Dirk disappeared into the forest (to return 4 hours later with the reindeer) and I made coffee for the guests.  After an hour or so the guests were a little bored so I decided to do a firelighting demonstration.  I began with flint and steel and because everything was so wet, it was a bit of a challenge to make fire.  I used Willow from the log store to make a bow-drill set and make fire, I demonstrated the firesteel and talked about how to make fire using the bottom of a drinks can and a condom.

Another method of firelighting I usually demonstrate is with wire-wool and a 9 volt battery, but although I always carry wire-wool in my tinder kit I do not carry a 9v battery.  However, it occurred to me to try a different method using two AA batteries and my knife

Here’s how I did it….

More soon…..

Guiding in Muddus National Park-1

Last week I was working for my friend Dirk from Solberget Wilderness Retreat as a wilderness guide in Muddus National Park for a rainy 4 days.  We had eight guests with us from Germany and three of Dirk’s reindeer to help carry food and equipment.  We unloaded the reindeer and equipment

Secured pack-saddles to the reindeer

and then the packs containing food and equipment

then we were on our way

We rested after a few kilometres

and the reindeer enjoyed eating reindeer lichen

We walked about 11kms to a cabin where we would be spending our first night

It was a really nice cabin with a woodburning stove 6 beds inside.

There was also a smaller cabin with 4 beds, and an observation tower which towered over the trees

with some fantastic views

The evening was spent reading and playing cards by oil lamp light

There was also a nice view of the moon over the lake briefly before the rain returned again

MORE SOON!!

A trip to the fjälls/mountains

On Thursday myself and my friend Tommy drove to the fjälls for a fishing trip.  Our destination was on the side of a river that flows into a large lake called Satihaure.  We drove to where the road ended, unloaded the boat

We packed our gear into the boat and were soon on our way

There was a strong westerly wind and heavy showers.  When the showers came, the wind increased and the boat was struggling in the head wind, so we decided to stop and fish for a while.

The weather did not improve and eventually we decided to make camp for the night and hope the weather improved in the morning

When we awoke the sun was shining and the wind had dropped, and so we packed our gear in the boat and headed off.  Once we were out in the lake the wind began to blow again and there came some heavy rain showers.  I was amazed to watch a flying Red-throated Diver carrying a fish, gradually climb in altitude and eventually disappear over a mountain top.

The water level in the lake was 5 – 6 metres below what it should normally be and Tommy was finding it not so easy to navigate avoiding the shallows and large bolders under the water.

As we left the lake and travelled up the river I had to sit at the front of the boat and give Tommy direction to stay in deep water, but eventually we could not go any further.

This trip was also my first chance to test my new Frisport lavvu (I will be writing more about it soon)

We made fire and boiled some water to make coffee (in the picture below you can see a very old Sámi fire sight in front of our fire wood)

My friend Dirk had given me a tin of Corned Beef from Germany just before I left and so with all the necessary indredients

I made corned beef hash for lunch

After lunch we began fishing and both caught several medium sized Grayling.  We our way up-river fishing for a couple of kilometres.

We caught some nice sized fish

and it was good to be able to make fire, cook some coffee and grill fresh fish at the same time

MORE SOON!

Birds, birds and more birds

Migration is well under-way here now.  Yesterday on the river in Nattavaara I had a male Smew (Mergellus albellus), a Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus), Wigeon, Teal and many Goldeneye

I found many fresh Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) tracks in the snow

but I have not yet found where they are displayin

There are many Common Cranes on the marshes now and here is a group that were flying over me calling

and a piece of video of them calling

There are many hundreds of Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) arriving now and we have had large flocks feeding on the garden

and there have also been up to three Red Squirrels feeding in the garden

Here is a Pine cone that one of the squirrels has eaten

Other bird species here in Nattavaara in the last few days have included; Greenshank, Woodsandpiper, Redwing, Redstart, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Lapland Bunting, Wheatear, Reed Bunting and Snipe.

Back from another visit to the UK

I arrived back yesterday from another visit to the UK.  Unfortunately I am still not feeling so well and so did not do all the things I had planned, but I did manage to meet up with all my green woodworking friends at Bradfield Woods.

It very quickly felt like I had not been away for one year.

Some of them were busy installing a second stove for cooking and heating,

everyone spent much time eating and talking, and some were even doing some green woodworking!!

I arrived back hereto find that spring has suddenly arrived.  When I left on 28th February the temperature was just above freezing, and it has been the same every day during my absence, with much sunshine also.  The trees have lost their thick white coating of snow and ice and are green again, the surface snow on the ground has melted and that makes it much easier to get around now.

Last night when I was out just after dark, I was treated to the most spectacular display of Northern Lights I have ever seen.  The whole sky from west to north to east was full of colour as the green, blue, yellow and red light danced across the sky.  Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me but you can see for yourself what it was like via Arctic Color.  Here are the images taken from webcam number 3 three yesterday and these images show particularly well what I was seeing!!

Failed to reach my cabin!!

Unfortunately it proved too difficult to reach my cabin.  I was warned by the locals that traveling in the current conditions would not be easy, and they were right.

Many people have commented on how bad this particular winter is.  Apparently during a normal winter, temperatures from time to time will reach above freezing and at this time the surface of the snow melts and when the temperature drops again the surface freezes hard, providing ideal traveling conditions.  However, this winter the temperature has not gone above freezing since the middle of October and so the snow is very light and powdery, making it very difficult to walk and ski (I thought it was just my lack of experience).

With my pulka (I’ll be writing more about that next time)  packed with my equipment and food

I headed off on skis towards the cabin

Immediately it was obvious that traveling with skis was going to be difficult.  The skis were sinking into the snow so deep that I had snow up to my thighs.  I could not slide with the skis, but instead had to lift them out of the snow each time and step forward.  And in the deep snow the pulka was difficult to drag (pulling me back each time I tried to move forward) and was on its side most of the time having slipped into the deep ruts left by my skis.  After 45 minutes I have traveled about 150 metres.

Eventually I gave up and made my way slowly back to my car.

Let’s hope the temperature rises soon but I think it’s unlikely as this morning it’s -35!!!

Back from the UK

Well we are back from our visit to the UK and although it was good to see family and friends (unfortunately there was not enough time to see everyone), I do not regret having made the move here.

For those of you who are not familiar with the area I grew up and lived in, here is a characteristic image

My grandmother once visited Wales and when asked if she enjoyed it she said; “it was ok but you couldn’t see anything for because of the mountains”!

Teres really enjoyed herself  shopping…shopping and more shopping!!  Here are my mum, dad and aunt helping to carry her bags in Kings Lynn

A lot has changed since we left Nattavaara on the 12th…

WINTER IS HERE!!!

Canoeing

Emma has been out with me birdwatching and looking for animals

and the other evening we found a Beaver (Castor fiber) so I decided the following day to take my canoe out on the river to get a closer look.

It was a calm day, but there was a strong water current making it difficult travelling up river,

however being carried back by the current was much more enjoyable.

I found a beavers lodge on a small island in the river

and a female Goosander and 3 Whooper Swans

Where the river widened I sat and listened too two Brown Bears fighting and chasing around in the trees

but I never managed to see them.

There was a beautiful sunset as I paddled along the river

and as my journey ended the moon came up over the trees