Thursday 28/8

I slept really well and did not arise until 07:45, and I was comfortably warm all the time. The morning was a fine one – especially compared to the extremely gloomy preceding day – with the clouds just splitting up and allowing both sun and sky to come out. It was, however, rather windy, which is to be expected at this place given its name (biegga = "wind"), and east of the lake bearing said name everything was still grey. I had breakfast inside while the sun started breaking through, and now the sky was clearing fully from the west. Afterwards I packed up calmly and then went out for a short walk in the growing sunlight, and still there was no movement in (out of) the tepee. I therefore left without parting words around 10:30, wearing an extra layer of clothing against the ceaselessly and rapidly moving air.

Less cloudy...

...and lighter

Ádnji freeing itself...

...like Miesákčohkka

Fluffy things

All of Miesákčohkka

The shelter beneath

Wide expanses to the northwest

Mini-panorama of Bieggaluoppal under solar influence

I followed the cairn-marked path that leads back up to the trail, and not too long after landing on the latter the osier reappeared – but here progress was much easier due to a wider path, and everything had had time to dry as well. As I progressed towards Kungsleden I wavered back and forth between feeling a bit warm when the wind was lessened, and just right when it struck in full force. Across the waters of Áhpparjávri Godučohkka was emerging in full from the clouds, but back east visibility was still poor even though it seemed to be very slowly improving; further off to the northwest things were also worse.

I passed some boggy areas and when I reached the low hill just west of which Kungsleden runs I turned off the trail, cutting across the near slopes of this hill northwards. This still involved some going up and down, as the slope was far from a smooth one, and behind me the clouds were now descending over Godučohkka once more, gradually diminishing the power of the sun. As soon as Kungsleden entered visual range I started spotting people moving in both directions upon it, and as soon as I reached it I left it again, heading for a large rock a short distance on the side where I sat down for lunch around 12:30.

Moving out

In search of the trail

Áhpparjávri and Várddut

Áhpparjávri and more distant fjelds

Bieggaluoppal and Bieggačohkka

More of the osier

Gahčahakriehppi flanked by Godučohkka and Miesákčohkka

Pleasing background

Another look at Godučohkka and Miesákčohkka across the water

Better path here

Gárddenvárri

Reindeer-watching hut beneath a cleft in Ádnji

Another look back

Giron edging into view

Trail of many tracks

This offered ample protection from the wind, and I remained there taking things very easy while all the time groups of different sizes and configurations passed by out on the trail. When I eventually got going again the sun was hidden and the clouds over the massifs to the south lower still, but I did away with the thermal underwear trousers. Ironically, I found it a bit more difficult to walk now that I was on the Trail of Trails, simply because it is so worn down that a great many stones have surfaced, which stood out in stark contrast to the nice heathland (osier-ridden or not) previously encountered – and the size of the path (or paths) per se really drove home the point that the solitude was at an end.

Indeed, I met several people already during the short passage through Gárddenvággi, and I passed a couple of others too. The wind had all but died down, but just before the land started slanting downwards a light headwind appeared in its stead. Ahead the vista grew all the while, and at one of the "meditation points" with quotes from Dag Hammarskjöld engraved in polished rocks in both Swedish and North Sámi I stopped for a short break, taking off the wind jacket and looking out over the valley below. After that followed a sandy slope on the crest of a little ridge just beside the ravine of Šiellajohka before the woodland took by, shortly after which I came to the bridge over said stream.

Here I passed a quartet with a dog, and on the other side there were a large number of campsites among the trees, which is hardly surprising given that there is a general ban on tenting in Abisko National Park the border of which was only about a kilometer off. Soon the trees parted, restoring much of the views as I (finally!) walked on pleasant heath once more; the sky had grown completely overcast by then, but now I could see that far away, north of the great lake Torneträsk the sun was still shining. Then it was back into the forest again for the last few kilometers to the suspension bridge over Gamaeatnu, upon which I arrived at the Abiskojaure cottages around 15:15.

Going to Giron

Cloudier

Čoamohas appearing

Turning around Gárddenvárri

More of Čoamohas

Broadening view

Ábeskojávri

Green Gárddenvárri

Šiellavággi

Satnjarasčorru

Šiellavággi once more

The vale of Gamaeatnu

Šiellajohka

Waterfall up Giron

Gárddenvárri from below

The waterfall straight on

Towards Unna Allakas

The bridge over Gamaeatnu

Fini

There were some people about, and soon enough also one of the wardens came out to greet me. I walked around a bit, checking out how the place looks without snow, and then moved inside. Having done so I walked over to the building which houses the wardens' living quarters and the local shop, and had a look in the latter, eventually settling on just a cookie. I also spoke some with the present warden, and then Hillevi whom I have met several times in Alesjuare entered, for she was the other warden currently employed at Abiskojaure. I embarked upon a long conversation with her upon the conclusion of which I went to Abiskojaure's number one summer feature – a true beach – to have a needed wash.

It was fairly cold and windy, but still felt good, and the sun even made a brief visit, bringing some color. On my way to the beach (it lies a few hundred meters from the cottage site) I had noticed a couple of dogs I immediately recognized as belonging to the woman I had encountered twice in Nallo, and when I returned I also spotted their human master, so I hailed her and chatted briefly. Back inside, where the guest number was steadily growing, I relaxed with some dried reindeer meat, speaking some with a couple of guys who were just having their dinner. I too turned to such matters soon enough, reading a few issues of Utemagasinet meanwhile.

The wardens' cottage

The outflow of Gamaeatnu

Beach!

Godučohkka through Gárddenvággi

Later on the clouds started breaking up anew, and the setting sun could make its presence known for a little bit. It was already getting fairly cold, and with the disappearing cloud cover it was sure to be a cold night as well, so I did not particularly envy the four small groups of people who were to spend the night in tents just outside. I read some more Utemagasinet and then entered into a card-playing session with some of the other guests as the light faded. After the game was finished the northern sky was entirely clear, but to the south clouds remained – but these clouds had lifted far enough to stay clear of all the peaks within eyeshot.

I had an evening snack while most of the others drifted off to bed, but I did the opposite and went out in the dead calm evening to breathe the fresh and invigorating air. I went down to the shore of Ábeskojávri where the profound serenity of dusk-over-calm-water-with-mountains-above put its claws deep into me, and besides taking it all in I did my best to capture at least some of the atmosphere with the camera. Now all the clouds had moved on further southwards, and the temperature was approaching freezing, but inside the cottage it was warm enough when I entered for the last time with the intention of going to sleep at 22.