Padjelanta
Encyclopedia
Padjelanta is a national park
in Norrbotten County
in northern Sweden
. Established in 1963 (the year after the Swedish Parliament
voted yes to the proposal), it is the largest national park in Sweden with an area of 1,984 km2, and part of the UNESCO
World Heritage Site
Laponia
established in 1996.
The park, which borders to Norway
in the west, is primarily comprised by a vast plateau around the two unusually large lakes Vastenjávrre and Virihávrre – the latter of which is often referred to as "the most beautiful lake in Sweden". Consequently, the landscape is fairly flat and open, especially compared to the alpine Sarek National Park
on its eastern border, and mainly consists of rolling hills with few peaks of the higher variety. Almost all of the park is situated above the tree line, but the diversity
of the flora
is extremely high nonetheless: over 400 different plant species have been catalogued in the area, which reportedly is a record in the Swedish fjälls. The fauna
is rich as well.
Sámi
The name of the park derives from the Lule Sami
word Badjelánnda, which translates to the higher land – a straightforward description of the region. Today the three Sámi villages
Duorbun, Jåhkågasska and Sirges let their reindeer
graze in Padjelanta in the summer, using the traditional settlements of Stáloluokta, Árasluokta and Sállohávrre.
in the southeast and either Vaisaluokta or Änonjalme beneath Áhkká
in the north, and is about 160 km in length. All these endpoints lie outside the borders of the park, which means that hikers must travel for at least a day before entering Padjelanta itself, but in the summer there are also regular helicopter tours between Kvikkjokk, Stáloluokta and Ritsem
.
Along this trail there are a number of cottage sites providing accommodation for visitors. Originally, the tourist buildings within the park proper were managed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, but they have since passed into the care of the aforementioned Sámi villages, under the name Badjelánnda Laponia Turism (BLT). The other cottages on the trail are maintained by the Swedish Tourist Association (STF). In Stáloluokta there is a sauna
, and during the tourist season visitors can also buy provisions there.
Note that Padjelantaleden is a summer trail, so there are no markings visible when the land is covered in snow. Neither are the cottages manned in winter, but there is always at least one room open at all the cottage sites.
Another hiking trail called Nordkalottruta
also passes through the park, although its path is the same as that of Padjelantaleden most of the way.
Another point of interest is that the Swedish center of inaccessibility (i.e. the point where one is at a maximum distance from civilization) lies in Padjelanta. It is reported that at the southeastern bay of the lake Rissájávrre close to the border of Sarek, it is approximately 47 km in either direction to the closest road. The isolation of this spot is, however, partially an illusion, since the much-trodden Padjelantaleden and specifically the Tuottar cottage site are actually less than 5 km away.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Norrbotten County
Norrbotten County
Norrbotten County is the northernmost county or län of Sweden. It borders Västerbotten County to the southwest, the Gulf of Bothnia to the southeast. It also borders the counties of Nordland and Troms in Norway to the northwest, and Lapland Province in Finland to the northeast.The name...
in northern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Established in 1963 (the year after the Swedish Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
voted yes to the proposal), it is the largest national park in Sweden with an area of 1,984 km2, and part of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Laponia
Laponian area
The Laponian area is a large mountainous wildlife area in the Lapland province in Northern Sweden, more precisely in the Gällivare Municipality, Arjeplog Municipality and Jokkmokk Municipality...
established in 1996.
Nature
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in the west, is primarily comprised by a vast plateau around the two unusually large lakes Vastenjávrre and Virihávrre – the latter of which is often referred to as "the most beautiful lake in Sweden". Consequently, the landscape is fairly flat and open, especially compared to the alpine Sarek National Park
Sarek National Park
Sarek National Park is a national park in Jokkmokk Municipality, in the province Lapland in northern Sweden. Sarek borders the national parks Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta...
on its eastern border, and mainly consists of rolling hills with few peaks of the higher variety. Almost all of the park is situated above the tree line, but the diversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
of the flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
is extremely high nonetheless: over 400 different plant species have been catalogued in the area, which reportedly is a record in the Swedish fjälls. The fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
is rich as well.
SámiSAMISAMI is a Microsoft accessibility initiative released in 1998. The structured markup language is designed to simplify creating captions for media playback on a PC, i.e. not for broadcast purposes....
presence
The name of the park derives from the Lule SamiLule Sami
Lule Sami is a Uralic, Sami language spoken in Lule Lappmark, i.e., around Luleå, Sweden and in the northern parts of Nordland county in Norway, especially Tysfjord municipality, where Lule Sami is an official language...
word Badjelánnda, which translates to the higher land – a straightforward description of the region. Today the three Sámi villages
Siida
The siida is a Sami local community that has existed from time immemorial. A siida , or a "reindeer pastoralistic district," is a Sami reindeer foraging area, a group for reindeer herding and a corporation working for the economic benefit of its members...
Duorbun, Jåhkågasska and Sirges let their reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
graze in Padjelanta in the summer, using the traditional settlements of Stáloluokta, Árasluokta and Sállohávrre.
Tourism
There is a well-known hiking trail called Padjelantaleden (Padjelanta Trail) that runs between KvikkjokkKvikkjokk
Kvikkjokk is a small village situated in Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden. It is located 120 km northwest of Jokkmokk. Several hiking trails start in Kvikkjokk. Kungsleden passes through it....
in the southeast and either Vaisaluokta or Änonjalme beneath Áhkká
Áhkká
Áhkká , also known in its "Swedified" form Akka, is a massif in the southwestern corner of Stora Sjöfallet National Park in northern Sweden....
in the north, and is about 160 km in length. All these endpoints lie outside the borders of the park, which means that hikers must travel for at least a day before entering Padjelanta itself, but in the summer there are also regular helicopter tours between Kvikkjokk, Stáloluokta and Ritsem
Ritsem
Ritsem, among other things has a hydroelectric plant which is located where the lake Sitasjaure falls into Akkajaure. The location also has a camp used by the Sami people, and there is even a mountain cabin run by the Svenska Turistföreningen...
.
Along this trail there are a number of cottage sites providing accommodation for visitors. Originally, the tourist buildings within the park proper were managed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, but they have since passed into the care of the aforementioned Sámi villages, under the name Badjelánnda Laponia Turism (BLT). The other cottages on the trail are maintained by the Swedish Tourist Association (STF). In Stáloluokta there is a sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, and during the tourist season visitors can also buy provisions there.
Note that Padjelantaleden is a summer trail, so there are no markings visible when the land is covered in snow. Neither are the cottages manned in winter, but there is always at least one room open at all the cottage sites.
Another hiking trail called Nordkalottruta
Nordkalottruta
- External links :* *...
also passes through the park, although its path is the same as that of Padjelantaleden most of the way.
Another point of interest is that the Swedish center of inaccessibility (i.e. the point where one is at a maximum distance from civilization) lies in Padjelanta. It is reported that at the southeastern bay of the lake Rissájávrre close to the border of Sarek, it is approximately 47 km in either direction to the closest road. The isolation of this spot is, however, partially an illusion, since the much-trodden Padjelantaleden and specifically the Tuottar cottage site are actually less than 5 km away.
External links
- Padjelanta National Park from the Swedish Environmental Protection AgencySwedish Environmental Protection AgencyThe Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is a Swedish government agency responsible for proposing and implementing environmental policies...
- Badjelánnda Laponia Turism Information about the cottage sites in the park (Swedish/German)
- Norbottensfjällen from the County Administration of Norrbotten