Page 275 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

NOR THERN NORRLAND  273

0 Boden
Norrbotten. 35 km NW of Luleå, Road
97. £ ~ Kallax. @ n Kungsgatan
40, 0921-624 10. _ Boden Alive
Festival (weekend after Midsummer),
Harvest Festival (Aug).
∑ experienceboden.nu
Its strategic location on the
Luleälven river, at the intersection
of two main train lines, has made Kalixälven river, one of Europe’s few entirely unregulated large rivers
Boden a centre for Sweden’s
northerly defences. It became During the 1809 war, it served tracks, is a legacy from its time
the country’s largest garrison as a stable for Russian horses. as a Russian border town.
town at the beginning of the Englundsgården Cultural Fishing is an important part
last century and countless Heritage Centre is a good of life on the Torne. Whitefish
young men from across the example of Norrland’s beautiful has been caught in the Kukkola
country have completed their wooden architecture. rapids 15 km (9 miles) upstream
military service here. Five since the 13th century, using
artillery forts circled the town. Environs large nets fixed to piers. The
The nuclear bunker deep in the The Kalixälven is one of Sweden’s best fishing is to be had in
rock was top secret until only few unregulated rivers, late July, when the whitefish
a few years ago. Now ensuring good festival is held.
Rödbergsfortet is a catches of Övertorneå, 70 km (43 miles)
national monument salmon trout and north of Haparanda, is a fertile
open to the public salmon. The archi- horticultural area. The long light
who can experience pelago offers pike and summer nights help berries, fruit
life in the fort and whitefish and the oppor- and vegetables to develop an
even stay in rooms tunity for seine fishing. exceptional flavour. There is a
carved out of the rock. Of the islands which can church dating from the 17th
The central Björknäs be reached by tour boat, century and a good view from
area is also worth a Malören has a tim ber the top of the mountain,
visit for its open-air Cannon from chapel dating from Luppioberget, where Father
heated swimming Boden fort 1769, an old lighthouse Christmas is said to live.
pool and to see and a pilot station. Pajala is the centre of northern
historic Norrbotten farms. Tornedalen. The area is popular
About 3 km (2 miles) north for fishing and wilderness camps
of the centre, a Wild West ranch w Tornedalen and it is possible to shoot the
has been built which offers a Norrbotten. Road 99. @ rapids on the Torne and Tärendö
taste of pioneering life in the n Haparanda-Tornio Tourist Office, rivers. The latter is a 50-km
19th century. 0922-120 10. _ Pajala Market (end (31-mile) long natural link
Jun), Whitefish Festival in Kukkola (last between the Torne and Kalix
E Rödbergsfortet weekend in Jul). rivers. Laestadius Pörte and
5 km (3 miles) W of the centre. Tel 0921- museum attract Laestadian
48 30 60. Open 3rd week in Jun–1st The Torne river and its tributary, Lutherans on a pilgrimage to
week in Aug; other times by appoint- Muonio, form the border with the simple cabin of the revivalist
ment. & 8 - 7 limited access. Finland, but culturally the areas preacher and botanist Lars Levi
along both shores are united. Laestadius (1800–61).
Place names are in Finnish, and
q Kalix many of the inhabitants speak E Laestadius Pörte
a local form of Finnish. Pajala. Tel 0981-202 05. Open May–
Norrbotten. E4, 50 km (31 miles) W of Aug: Mon–Sat. & 8 -
Haparanda. £ @ ~ Kallax.  Haparanda, at the mouth
n Strandgatan 10, 0923-129 79. of the river, was created
_ Grayling Day (end Jul), National as a border town when
River Festival (mid-Aug). ∑ kalix.se Torneå became part of
Finland in the peace
The Kalix area to the north of treaty of 1809. A bridge
the Gulf of Bothnia has been links the sister towns
inhabited since Stone Age and they share a
times. Nederkalix became a tourist office.
parish in the 15th century, but The disproportion ately
its church has had a turbulent large train station, which
history, with devastating fires has both normal and Octagonal church in Övertorneå, the Tornedalen
and plundering by the Russians. Russian wider gauge valley’s main town

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