Test cycling from Teno to Arctic Ocean 6.-9.9.2022
During the STIL project, travelling across borders has brought its own challenges, but finally I was able to test a pilot cycling route between two countries Norway and Finland. The test trip was also intended to observe how public transportation works. Accessibility with a bicycle without using your own car brings its own difficulties, especially when there are no train connections to the destination. Improving public transportation in a more cycling-friendly direction requires a desire from various parties to develop services for cyclists.
The first day - Nuorgam-Vadsø (85 km)
The first stage of my trip was a bus trip from Rovaniemi to Ivalo, where there was a changeover connection to Nuorgam. For a bicycle, you could book a ticket from Matkahuolto between Rovaniemi and Ivalo, but it was not possible to buy a ticket in advance for the Ivalo-Nuorgam connection. I called the bus operator, JBus Oy, to ask if it would be possible to travel with a bike. The answer I got was that it would work, and no need to do any arrangements in advance. The autumn season was just about to start, and the bus connection was almost full. The driver just managed to fit the bike among the hikers' big backpacks. The driver told that it is possible to use a trailer which capacity is for approximately 10 bicycles.
When I arrived in Nuorgam, I ate a late lunch, from which I started cycling towards Vadsø. Until Skiippagurra, the road followed the Teno River beautifully. The road section was quiet and there were hardly any cars. Before Varangerbotn, a gentle downhill brought me to the shore of the Varangerfjord, from where the fairly flat road continued following the coastline to Vadsø. Along the way, there were rain showers, sun and the weather of a cooling autumn evening, but the beautiful scenery and rainbow rewarded the sometimes chilly cyclist. I arrived until late in the evening at the inn 43 Oscargate, in the kitchen of which I made dinner by myself before going to the bed.
The second day – Ferry trip Vadsø-Kirkkoniemi & Kirkkoniemi-Sevettijärvi (87 km)
The next morning was an early wake-up call because the ferry trip from Vadsø to Kirkkoniemi already left the port around seven in the morning. For Hurtigruten, it was not possible to buy a ticket for the bike in advance, but the bike was conveniently put on the ferry from the same door where the cars board (ferry ticket 206 kr). During the two-hour ferry ride, it was nice to rest on the deck and eat breakfast while enjoying the scenery of the Barents Sea. Upon reaching Kirkkoniemi, disembarking was just as convenient as getting there. I walked and cycled around Kirkkoniemi for a couple of hours and visited, among other things, the Varanger Grenselandmuseet museum. I still had a light lunch before I really started cycling for the day towards Sevettijärvi.
There were not many services along the way until the Näätämö border shops. However, the road was nice to ride, even if there were a few more challenging up and down hills along the way. Compared to the roads in Finland, the Norwegian side has many rest stops, where you can find benches and tables. On the Norwegian side, there are also toilets along the roads. At the Rajamotelli in Näätämö, I ate a tasty reindeer pizza, from where I continued to the Sevetin Rautu where I stayed overnight. There was nice to go to the sauna to wash off the day's dust. In the same apartment stayed a person who had hiked for two weeks in the wilderness of Lapland, so it was nice to listen to his stories about his past trip. The border shops in Näätämö are the only shops before Inari, so it was good to shop there with the next day in mind.
The third day – Sevettijärvi-Inari (115 km)
The last cycling day started in the cloud-washed weather. I was aware that there are no services along the way, so I prepared the day's meals at the accommodation before leaving. The route from Sevettijärvi to Inari is mainly a flat winding road that is easy to ride. The traffic was pretty quiet on the road. While arriving to Inari, I went to eat a large meal at the Papana restaurant, since I had used up quite a lot of energy during the day. I stayed at the Wilderness Hotel Inari, where it was nice to go to the igloo sauna and take a dip in Lake Inari at the end of the test trip. The next morning I had had only a short trip to the Inari bus station, from where the bus journey back to Rovaniemi began. I had bought a ticket for myself and the bike in advance for the connection Inari-Rovaniemi at Matkahuolto.
All in all, I feel that the route I cycled is a very potential tour cycling route. The ferry ride and the cross-border route add nice value to the route. The scenery is beautiful almost throughout the route. Even though the route partly runs along main roads, I still don't think the traffic is too busy based on my own experiences. This route should definitely be developed from the point of view of bicycle tourism.
Author: Esa Inkilä
email: esa.inkila@luke.fi
photos: Esa Inkilä
Slow travel in northern rural landscapes
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Routes for leisure biking -project
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