Fantastic nature
Mountains, sea, plains and forrests… No matter what kind of wilderness you wish for, you may find it in Finnmark. Some say Finnmark is wild and exotic. Wast, beautiful nature that takes your breath away and reminds you that you are alive.
Nice winter weather gives you the opportunity to go cross country skiing in the mountains and on the plains, or more adrenaline filled activities such as snowboarding, alpine skiing or driving a snowmobile. Polar nights? Well – it is that time of the year when we have that blue light outside which underlines the drama of our fantastic nature. And even at the darkest time of the year we have a few hours of full daylight.
In the summer when the sun never sets you may go for a swim in the Barents Sea, or go fishing in salmon rich rivers, mountain lakes or in the sea.
The nature in Finnmark is as generous as the people living here. You will quickly be welcomed in the community, and asked to join in on big and small events going on. All the cities and villages have their own festivals, cultural events and exciting meeting places, creating lush activities all year round. And if you feel the need to kick back and enjoy some peace and quiet, nature welcomes you – right next to you. There are several national parks in the county, excellent conditions for hunting and fishing, and of course the special light.
Here are some nice photographs from Finnmark.
The weather chat is inescapable
No doubt Finnmark is associated with cold winters and chilly summers. True, in Karasjok in Finnmark there has been measured a minimum temperature of -51.4oC. That was on 1. January 1886. Then again, on 23 June 1920 it measured +34.3oC not so far from Karasjok.
Air temperature in Finnmark varies a lot from the coast to the inland. At the coast the middle temperature varies between -2 and -7 in the winter, while in the winter the middle temperature on the inland is between -10 and -15. However, the mountain plains of Finnmark are very cold during the winter. Several weather stations have measured between -40 and -45.
During the summer middle temperatures at the coast varies between 10-12oC and on the inland up to 14oC. Maximum temperatures may reach 25-30o at the coast and above 30o in the central valleys. Tropical nights do occur on the inland, but more rarely at the coast.
There is a lot wind on the coast, but no so much inland.
Finnmark is the county with least precipitation in Norway. At the coast it is more precipitation during the autumn and early winter. Inland it is more precipitation during the summer.
It is also true that during winter we have a lot of snow, but not more than we need to go skiing or do other forms of winter activities. Some snow storms during the winter are also common, but they rarely last more than a couple of hours, and don’t come by every day.
More about the weather here.
Flora, fauna and insects
Both the landscape and the nature in Finnmark are magnanimous, magnificent, meager and special. In other words it is very varied. Along the coast the landscape often have an arctic look. There are lots of different seabirds on the sea. The peninsulas in the east, and especially Varangerhalvøya, have vast vegetation free areas, truly what may be referred to as stone deserts. In the west the landscape is more alpine, with peaks, valleys and some glaciers.
Because of the Gulf Stream the fjords are ice free throughout the winter. We may find several places with arctic vegetation and these areas attract many species of wetland birds. Innermost in the fjords the characteristic mountain birch grows, and mountain plants grow all the way down to the beach, quite often together with beach plants. The beach vegetation also has a strong element of eastern species of plants.
Finnmark has some of the most important salmon rivers in Europe. The most important agricultural areas are found in the valleys of Tana, Alta and Pasvik. Stabbursdalen National Park has the worlds northernmost pine forrest.
The pine forest along the upper part of the Tana, Karasjok and Anárjohka rivers, are connected to the great Finnish forest plains, while the pine forest in the Pasvik valley are connected to the Russian taiga. In these areas the moose has its most important winter habitat, and are also core areas for bears.
The Finnmarksvidda (the Finnmark plateau) has dry, wavy hills with lichen, heath and glistening birch forest, in good company of many lakes and moors. In the wetlands many species of waders, ducks, goose and swans nests. The southern lakes are filled with fish such as pike, common whitefish and perch, while arctic char and trout are common throughout the county. The Finnmarksvidda is also the winter habitat of the reindeer. There are no herds of wild reindeer in Finnmark.
Because of the climate there are no snakes or ticks in Finnmark, but the mosquitoes here are famous. It is rumoured to be huge and that it gathers in swarms that appear as black walls. It is almost true. Some parts of the county have lots of mosquitoes – especially where there are wetlands, and on the inland. At the coast there is usually a breeze or light wind which keeps the mosquitoes at bay. Mosquito season usually starts at the end of June and ends at the end of August. In the forests there are also horseflies.
We also have bears, wolverines, wolfs and mountain lions in Finnmark. But it is not true that they wander around just outside your doorstep. Neither is it true that polar bears are wandering the streets. The last confirmed polar bear sighting in Finnmark was on the island of Lille Ekkerøy in the Varangerfjorden in 1953, where it was shot.
Pictures
Top: Kiting is a growing sport in Finnmark. (Picture: Trond Magne Henriksen)
Middle: You may swim in the ocean in Finnmark too. (Picture: Lotte Ruge)
Bottom: The light and the sky frames the nature of Finnmark and provides for many spectacular pictures. (Picture: Trond Magne Henriksen)
