Kittila, Finland

Day Four 87 miles 1567 ft

Today was always going to be a good day. The route had taken me down from the high Arctic plateau and there was actually a choice in getting off a main road to a quieter cycle friendly route that I always search for. 

As well as that the route was overall downhill and one of the shorter days of the tour. 

It also meant no pressure on an early start which in fact became a late 10 am start as we had not realised that Finnish time is 2 hours different to the UKs. 

The countryside had changed too from dwarf Birch to mixed pine and Birch forest interspersed occasionally with small farms. 

  
The church spire was the stand out feature on Leaving our overnight stop in Enontekio. As everywhere else in Finnmark it was new as the Nazis raised all buildings to the ground when they left in 1944. 

   
 
The occasional views along the river and over farms from the odd hill were superb especially as the sun has continued to shine. 

Most of today’s route has been through a National Park and although I did see a couple of Reindeer and a Red Squirrel the Wolves, Bears and Lynx remained elusive, much to Monica’s chagrin or was that relief. 

The fun started at the next turn which although a marked and numbered road, became a dirt and gravel road after 500 metres

  
I could not turn back now and apart from a few gravel and washboard sections the road was better than many of ours back in Kent,  so I pressed on not really losing any time or speed – fab. 

   
 
After 30 miles on the the dirt road passing through a couple of small villages and stopping for lunch, setting up in a field, we finally hit the Tarmac and sadly a bit busier road, the only upside being the lack of dust which had meant keeping my mouth shut for a while after a car passed, not a bad idea round here anyway as otherwise you may swallow a fly or midge. 

  
Passing the ski resort of Mt Levi just outside Sirkka I was able to run for many miles on really good cycle paths – we have such a long way to catch up in the UK as every town or even village seems to have them here. 

  
Coming into our overnight stay in Kittila I passed the airport just after which Nigel had got his motorcycle out and escorted me the last 2 miles to the campsite where we immediately jumped in the river to cool down,  a la Jess Ennis ice bath before once again setting up to dine Al fresco with a cool beer, after having showered and cleaned the bikes of dust. A great day.