Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are many campsites and good-value cabin villages catering to fishing parties
scattered by the river between Nuorgam and Utsjoki, and several more on the Karigas-
niemi road. The Utsjoki website (
www.utsjoki.fi
)
has a full list: click on 'Majoituspalve-
lut' under the 'Matkailu' menu.
Nuorgam is the northern end of a great trekking route from Sevettijärvi (
Click here
)
.
There's a daily bus from Ivalo to Nuorgam via Inari and Utsjoki. A late-evening bus
travels from Rovaniemi and on to Tana bru in Norway daily in summer and four times
weekly in winter.
Sevettijärvi
The road east from Kaamanen heads along the shore of spectacularly beautiful Inarijärvi to
the village of Sevettijärvi (Skolt Sámi: Ce'vetjäu'rr), in the far northeast of Finland. It's a
remote area that merits exploration.
Sevettijärvi is a major village of the Skolt Sámi, who resettled here when Finland was
forced to cede the Petsamo area to the USSR in 1944. About 300 Skolt live in and around
Sevettijärvi, which has a church (Orthodox, as the Skolt were evangelised by the Russians
back in the 15th century), a shop and bar (Sevetin Baari), and a school, whose dozen-odd
pupils are taught in the Skolt language. There's also
Kolttien Perinnetalo
( 10am-6pm
Jun-late Sep)
, a delightful little museum with photos, crafts and explanations of the
poignant Skolt history.
Sevettijärvi's namesake lake offers good fishing, as does the Näätämöjoki and, of
course, Inarijärvi. Sevettijärvi also has some excellent, remote, long-distance hiking trails.
The Orthodox
festival
of St Triphon is celebrated by the Skolt Sámi on the last weekend
of August. It starts in Nellim on the Friday, then moves to Sevettijärvi, with celebrations
and dances on the Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Visitors are welcome. As far as
the Skolt are concerned, Lapp-dancing is the
katrilli
(quadrille).
There are a couple of good cabin options in and near town but
Porotila Toini Sanila
(
016-672-509;
www.sanila.fi
;Sanilantie 36;r without bathroom €35-57, 2-/4-person cottages €160/
200; )
is the area's most inviting place to stay. The family has reindeer and taught at
the local school: it's a good place to learn about the Skolt way of life. A series of rooms
across a few central buildings offer simple, attractive comfort with shared bathrooms. Self-
contained cottages sleeping up to eight are also available. The cafe does home baking and
delicious reindeer and fish meals (three-course meals €18 to €28); the sauna is always on.
