Sleeping in Södra Kilpisjärvi and not somewhere in my tent has its advantages; even though my clothes are still wet from yesterdays laundry…! After a long sleep i enjoy another proper shower at the campsite, eat a chocolate pudding and some veggies for breakfast before heading out along the road E8 in the direction of Norra Kilpisjärvi.
I pass the K-Market grocery store and follow the road half way to Norra Kilpisjärvi before entering a path leading away from the street to the right to rejoin the Nordkalottleden. The path ends at a large commercial campground and to rejoin the street I have to go through it. The campground seems nicer to me than the one i stayed at last night. Here i meet again the German hiker who’s following the E1. Since I had a late start which set the tone for not taking it too fast today I have a second breakfast with him and we chat about hiking gear and maps for the region.
From there it is just a few kilometers down E8 to a trail start.
It is quite overcrowded here with tourists following the track to the close by Three-Country Cairn (Treriksröset) , where the boarders of Finland, Sweden and Norway meet. Right at the start I meet a father & son duo, who draw my attention by being incredible overloaded with gear and very heavy backpacks. During a short conversation I find out that they will meet up with family and friends who are hiking the Norge på langs to have a feast in a rented hut. Their heavy looking backpacks were not containing ludicrous amounts of gear but food. A bit jealous but excited to maybe bump into some other thru-hikers I overtake many day tourists.
After an initial climb i see some restored WWII remains. From here the path till Kitsiputous Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in Finland, is very easy. Many day tourists rest here.
WWII Remains 
Kitsiputous Falls 
Kitsiputous Falls view
The Nordkalottleden then leads me along the green hills to then decent to the point at which the international borders of Sweden, Norway and Finland meet.
This is also the place where on the 2nd of September 1993 the Nordkalottleden was officially opened and a stone reminds of that.
Really not far from this is the very cosy Guohkkemajarvi hut, which I use to eat my lunch but which can also serve as a place for spending the night.
Surprisingly I meet quite a few hikers on the way. This includes three Norwegian guys who are hiking the Norge på langs, a elderly Finish couple and a German.
The three Norwegians get really excited about being expected by their father and seem to look forward to a proper feast!
While hiking through the green grassy hills I am offered some coffee by an elderly couple who regardless of their age plan to travel quite far by foot. I thankfully accept the coffee and cookies they provided but don’t rest all too long!
The German I find soon after crossing the second bridge between Guohkkemajarvi and Pältsastugan. He is pitching up his tent at the moment and is also following the Nordkalottleden! We share some of our experiences we had so far and shortly consider to hike together for the next fews days, but after realising that we walk in a very different pace I move on.
I arrive at the first Swedish hut on this trip very late and its already dusky. I enter the hut to check out the amenities and I am greeted by the snoring of a fellow hiker. After seeing the prices for overnighting in Pälsta mountain cabin I decide to stay in my tent tonight. I knock at the wardens hut, which is situated not far from the main hut, to ask him about the swedish hut system. He explains me that I can not tent in the proximity of the hut for without charge and gives me some recommendations for locations to camp.
Pälsta Mountain Cabin 
Bridge across Bealcanjohka
After refilling my water supplies I find a wind protected place to overnight shortly after crossing the bridge over Bealcanjohka just a few meters off trail.
