Scandinavia… Not a country, but a beautiful area. Scandinavia is the collective name for the following Northern countries; Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Looking at history, Finland and Iceland also belong to Scandinavia: according to the Norwegian council, they also belong. All in all, Scandinavia is huge (more than a million square kilometers) while about 24 million people live there. For comparison; The Netherlands is over 41,000 square kilometers with about 17 million inhabitants.

Of all western European countries, the Scandinavian countries probably have the most more or less untouched nature. In addition, they are countries that are easily accessible from the Netherlands. Norway is characterized by, among other things, the fjords and the Trollstigen known to many motorcyclists. And where Sweden is known as wide and peaceful, everyone knows Finland as the land of 1000 lakes. All in all, legitimate reasons to traverse this beautiful nature in the north of Europe by means of a number of routes.

The route starts at the hotel in Repvåg, a small fishing village located on the western shore of the Porsangerfjorden. The village has about 15 inhabitants, but historically it was one of the most important port and trading places in the province of Finnmark, especially during the Pomor trade with Russia.

The water of the Porsangerfjorden largely determines your view of the first 110 kilometers of the route. This fjord, with a length of 123 kilometers, is Norway's fourth longest fjord.

Only a short while ago you will come to the Karvbergtunnel, a tunnel of 2,920 meters long. The current Skarvberg Tunnel is a single-tube tunnel along the Porsangerfjord and runs through a 300-meter-high ridge, about 18 kilometers north of the junction between the E6 and E69. The tunnel is part of the E69 to / from the North Cape and is now toll-free.
The Skarvberg Tunnel opened to traffic in 1970 and enabled the first fixed connection to the north of the peninsula. The road took on more significance from 1999 when the Nordkapptunnel opened and traffic no longer needed a ferry service to reach the North Cape.

If you drive out of the Skarvbergtunnels you will pass a silversmith, who has a summer shop along the E69, next to his silversmith in the nearby town of Tana.
What we call 'Sami silver' today is a modern expression for silver jewelry that was first produced at Juhl's Silver Workshop in Katokeino in the mid-1960s.
In the beginning, this jewelry consisted only of rings, molds (pilgrim marks), silver balls and other accessories for the national Sami dress, called 'kofte' in Norwegian. Later, new models were added, based on excavations of old bronze and silver jewelery from the Middle Ages.
In addition to Sami silver, jewelery with motifs of old Sami shaman drums, rock paintings and copies of museum collections is produced here.
Nice to pay a visit here and see if there is something nice for you.

A little further south you will pass Sjøsamisk Tun in Smørfjord, a small village on the west side of the Porsangerfjord. The approximately 100 inhabitants largely belong to the Sami people on the coast. Smørfjord has been a Sami settlement for centuries, and you can find cultural remains dating back to the Stone Age.
Built by local enthusiasts, Sjøsamisk Tun was officially opened in 2004. It is a reconstruction of a traditional Sami coastal settlement as seen around 1900. On the site you can see buildings made of peat and also a boathouse with traditional boats etc. In the kiosk they have local products and some souvenirs and refreshments. In connection with Sjøsamisk Tun you can also follow a well-marked path that leads through the village and the surrounding countryside, giving you a good impression of the Arctic nature.
In addition to welcoming tourists as visitors, Sjøsamisk Tun is also a meeting place for locals and anyone who wants to learn more about the local history, customs and traditions.

In Olderfjord you have the option to refuel if necessary. In the shop of this gas station you can also buy some snacks for on the road, it is always wise to have something to eat and drink with you in the area you drive through if a catering establishment is unexpectedly closed.

Ten kilometers further you will pass the Kistrand Kirke. This church is a tall church from 1856 and has 194 seats. It was inaugurated in 1856 and underwent a first restoration in 1928. In the period 2002 to 2006, a further restoration was carried out. The architect of the church was Christian Heinrich Grosch.
The current church replaced the old church on the site that was built in 1719. According to data, it should consist of a veranda and a nave, as well as a choir or sacristy. Two side wings were added in 1763 at the suggestion of Johan Ernst Gunnerus, who was Bishop of Nidaros. A further upgrade was made in 1803 due to the fact that Porsanger became the main parish. Nice to stop and take a look at this church.

You will pass the exit to Trollholmsund, a landmark consisting of an area consisting of dolomite (limestone) that was created about 700 million years ago. The rock formation in Trollholmsund is linked to an ancient Sami legend. Legend has it that a walking troll came across the plateau. Some trolls apparently came north from Lakselv. They had a chest of gold and silver with them. They came to the sea and could not go any further. It was just before dawn and they were looking for holes big enough to hide. They failed and turned to stone when the sun rose.
Here we find, among other things, lap rose (Rhododendron Lapponicum), which must have lime, unlike other rhododendrons that want acidic soil.
It's a short distance from the route, about 3 miles drive and a mile or two walk, but well worth checking out.

After driving almost 100 kilometers you will find the Stabbursnes Nature House and Museum. This is a nature and culture information center in Finnmark and a visitor center for Stabbursdalen National Park. The center offers, among other things, a permanent exhibition of the nature and culture in Finnmark.
It is also possible to take a walk, which starts at the parking lot, through the beautiful nature of the park. The trail partly follows the Stabbursnes nature reserve. It is approximately 2.8 km one way and upon return you will return to the starting place. It takes approximately 45 minutes each way. The path is well marked and easy to follow. you walk through forests, along the river and on top of the Stabbursnes plateau there is a beautiful view of the inner Porsangerfjord. You can buy a small booklet describing nature at the Nature House.

After the coffee break and just before the refueling stop, drive along the exit to the Sámisk museum, which was founded in 1972 as Sámi's first cultural institution in Norway. The museum has more than 5,000 objects in its collections. This is the largest museum collection representing the cultural history of Sámi in Norway. The museum consists of a main building with exhibitions and magazines and an open-air museum.
The unique collection includes objects representing the household, livelihoods, traditional Sámi clothing, religion, duodji (arts and crafts) and art from all over the Sámi area across national borders.

Hardly in Finland do you immediately turn off for the lunch break at Kalastajan Majatalo. After this lunch you are barely in the saddle before the first Finnish attraction comes into view. It concerns Kevo Strict Nature Reserve. Here you can experience the landscape of Lapland in its most wonderful way. There are two marked hiking trails where hikers can explore the area. Both routes are quite demanding.
The 40 km long and in some places almost 80 meters deep canyon-like valley of the Kevojoki River forms the core of the area. The rest of the nature reserve is upland crisscrossed by gentle slopes of ravines. There are also large tundra-like open swamps.
The purpose of the creation of the nature reserve was to protect the Kevo Gorge and the delicate fall landscape that surrounds it. The Kevo area is scientifically valuable. The University of Turku subarctic research station is conducting varied research in Kevo. Within the strict nature reserve, visitors are only allowed to move on marked trails.
The walk might be a bit too much, but it is certainly worth it to walk to the viewpoint, a walk of 350 meters up and back. That's easy to do and well worth it.

The route ends at a fairly remote location called Kaamasen Kievari, an apart hotel with good reviews. Equipped with all conveniences such as a bar and a restaurant, so that the route can be evaluated again while enjoying a beer. There is also a sauna, but a small fee is charged for this.
Two campsites are indicated for campers in the vicinity of the end point: Neljän Tuulen Tupa and Jokitörmä.

Have fun driving this route!