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| Lapland in Autumn : Muotkatunturi lies in the far north of Finlland. I hiked this area one autumn, a time the Finns call Ruska. A tractless wilderness where the only way to fully experience it is to sleep under the stars and awake as the sun appears over the fells or through the forest canopy. To read my article of this adventure, go to the Publications page where you will find the piece called Lapland.
The 2nd half, starting with an image of a cabin, was on a trip to North West Finnish Lapland, approxiamtely 4 hrs drive from Kittila, near the Swdish border. |
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| Milky Way. We had never seen a sky like it before or since. No light pollution. The stars were so numerous and big that it was if you were looking through some kind of magnifying glass! Oh, how rapidly you miss the silence and simplicity of cabin life when you retun. |
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copyright © 2013 robert canis photography |
 ') "At the very beginning of our week-long hike, myself and colleague, Markus Sirkka, had been walking in very poor conditions. After several hours we eventually reached the Laavu where we were to spend the night."){kind=small}
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 ') "The autumn coolours of Lapland, which are at their peak in the 2nd and 3rd week of September, are simply stunning! A photographers paradise. I tried as much as I could to keep my camera equipment down to a minimum to reduce weight. I took 2 cameras, 3 lenses, filters and a tripod. Still, the backpack weighed 70 lbs!"){kind=small}
 ') "River Kemi."){kind=small}
 ') "I carried a light-weight tent. Markus, on the other hand, took a piece of tent fabric which, when stretched out across 3 poles, provided a fantastic shelter and a warm nights sleep, since it was located just a few feet away from the fire."){kind=small}
 ') "Silver birch growing alongside the River Kemi."){kind=small}
, wolverine and woken by a thunderous noise as an elk ran across the nearby river, late one night. The "Travellers Friend," a siberian jay, kept us company for much of the week.','Lapland in Autumn Img: 1223 (Given the season, wi) ') "Given the season, wildlife was very thin on the ground since most birds had already flown south to warmer climes. We saw tracks of brown bear (it had walked around my tent in the night), wolverine and woken by a thunderous noise as an elk ran across the nearby river, late one night. The \"Travellers Friend,\" a siberian jay, kept us company for much of the week."){kind=small}
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 ') "Silver birch and autumn colour."){kind=small}
 ') "Although daytime temperatures were a very mild 12-15 degress celsius, as night drew in, it dropped rapidly to almost minus 10. Frost formed on the tent within moments of the sun disappearing."){kind=small}
 ') "Reindeer were frequently seen as were their shed antlers."){kind=small}
 ') "Aspen Vallley. Late afternoon."){kind=small}
 ') "Our final evening was spent on the banks of the River Kemi."){kind=small}
 ') "We were fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights on 2 occasions. An experience never to be forgotten."){kind=small}
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 so in 2009 I organised a trip to Finnish Lapland whee along with my brother and brother-in-law, we stayed in such a cabin for a week. We decided upon autumn to experience the colours and possibly the Northern Lights. The cabin was perfect. Basic but comfortable, 1km away from the nearest road, no neighbours, an outdoor fire-place and river with rapids just 50m away.','Lapland in Autumn Img: 1832 (My father had always) ') "My father had always wanted to stay in a cabin in the wildnerness somewhere (too many Ray Mears programmes!) so in 2009 I organised a trip to Finnish Lapland whee along with my brother and brother-in-law, we stayed in such a cabin for a week. We decided upon autumn to experience the colours and possibly the Northern Lights. The cabin was perfect. Basic but comfortable, 1km away from the nearest road, no neighbours, an outdoor fire-place and river with rapids just 50m away."){kind=small}
 ') "Me enjoying the fire. This a typical Finnish set-up. To have such a fire-place where you can relax and talk under the stars while cooking a sausage and drinking coffee, or beer!"){kind=small}
 ') "I didnt have to walk far for fantasic views! This is the River Konkamaeno, a mere 30 seconds from the cabin"){kind=small}
 ') "Frosty morning"){kind=small}
 ') "Northern bilberry on rocky hillside"){kind=small}
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 ') "Walking through Pallas Yllastunturi National Park"){kind=small}
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 ') "River Konkamaeno at dusk."){kind=small}
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 ') "Seeing as the Norwegian Fjords were just 90 minutes away, we decided to take a trip there. Wow! What a sight. The colour of the silver birch and enormity of the mountains was just awesome."){kind=small}
![Each night we headed outdoors to check the sky and on one of those we saw the Northern Lights for a full 45 minutes. This wasnt the first time i had seen them but it still gave you that "hair standing up on the back of your neck" feeling!](javascript:changeImage(28,'images/g5a1311343916.jpg','Each night we headed outdoors to check the sky and on one of those we saw the Northern Lights for a full 45 minutes. This wasnt the first time i had seen them but it still gave you that "hair standing up on the back of your neck" feeling!','Lapland in Autumn Img: 1845 (Each night we headed) ') "Each night we headed outdoors to check the sky and on one of those we saw the Northern Lights for a full 45 minutes. This wasnt the first time i had seen them but it still gave you that \"hair standing up on the back of your neck\" feeling!"){kind=small}
 ') "Milky Way. We had never seen a sky like it before or since. No light pollution. The stars were so numerous and big that it was if you were looking through some kind of magnifying glass! Oh, how rapidly you miss the silence and simplicity of cabin life when you retun."){kind=small}
