We travelled from Rovaniemi to Pyhätunturi today. It took about three horus by bus. The more we travelled North the higher the snow. It feels we are in a different country. Of course this is still Finland and we are quite above the Polar Circle but the difference with Southern Finland where we live is quite striking. This winter we had almost no snow. It has not been really cold. It is only up here, 6-700km more north where we find the real Scandinavian winter.

We arrived in Pyhätunturi at about 4pm. Went to the supermarket with the cross country skis and now prepare dinner. Today I have the photos I took from the bus.

Here a brief text from Wikipedia about Pyhä National Park which is nearby. Pyhä-Luosto National Park (Pyhä-Luoston kansallispuisto) was established in 2005 when Finland’s oldest national park, Pyhätunturi National Park (established in 1938) was joined to Luosto. This makes Pyhä-Luosto Finland’s oldest but at the same time newest national park. The new park covers 142 square kilometres (55 sq mi). The most important features are geological specialities, old forests and wetlands. The park’s base is formed by Finland’s southernmost, 12-peak tunturi line. The tunturis are remnants of Alp-like mountains of 2 billion years of age. 200-year-old or older pine tree forests grow on the hills. The highest tunturis are Noitatunturi, 540 m (1,772 ft), and Ukko-Luosto, 514 m (1,686 ft).

At least one photo a day