Njakajaure
About this walk
Walk alongside the Abiskojokk River through the canyon, explore the birch forest, and cross mires rich in biodiversity. Follow orange trail markers around a 5-kilometer loop, and put headphones in to learn about the history and geology of the village, find out more about the scientific research taking place here in the Arctic. This scenic and gentle route is popular with visitors in winter and summer, and is full of opportunities to see and photograph specialist alpine plants and to become a citizen scientist with iNaturalist when the snow has melted. Wildlife such as moose and rock ptarmigan can also often be spotted along this route in the winter months.
Distance: 5km
Starts: Naturum/STF Tourist Station
Ends: Naturum/STF Tourist Station
Tour highlights
Some of the things you’ll hear about on this audio-guided tour.
The Dam
In 1883, construction began on a railway to transport the iron ore to Narvik in Norway, from which it is shipped all around the world. A hydroelectric power plant was built, to power electric drills and help railway workers tunnel through Nuolja mountain. The proposed route around the mountain was often buried under avalanches, so a mountain tunnel was needed. Here you can see the remnants of the dam that was built across the river, funneling some of the water into a wooden tube and through turbines to generate electricity.
The moving tree line
During the walk, you will have a good view of the tree line on the mountain. This is the highest point where the habitat is suitable for the trees to grow. Using the two photos here, taken in 1925 and 2017, you can see that the treeline has moved up the mountain. This is partly because of increased temperatures. Warmer winters and longer summers mean that the higher parts of the mountain are less harsh for trees, and there are fewer pressures limiting how, where, or how much they can grow.
Reindeer’s winter eyes
Did you know that the colour of part of a reindeer’s eye will change with the seasons? In the summer, the back surface of a reindeer’s eyeball is often a golden yellow, but in the winter, it will turn bright blue. In the winter this far north, the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for months. Winter twilight is faint and has lots of blue in it. Turning this part of their eye blue too makes their retina far more sensitive and improves their vision in the dark winter conditions, helping them to survive.
Image: Elisa Ferrari
