Autumn at Sven Hörnell - Kiruna Lappland

Autumn is creeping up on Kiruna. This is how autumn enters nature, it creeps up in the form of colder nights and colour changes in the birches. First a birch gets yellow leaves and suddenly the whole forest is in a yellow-red fire of beautiful colours. Sometimes it can be difficult to shift between one season and another. Apart from having to start dressing warmer, what should you do in Kiruna when the summer is coming to an end?

On a fresh autumn day at the end of August, we wander along the streets of the city center in search of inspiration for how to enjoy autumn in the best way. We enter the Sven Hörnell store and are met by nature, but indoors. Is it possible? Yes, despite the fact that the fresh air from outside is not inside the store, a strong feeling spreads that you are in the magic that is nature.

The seller Joakim meets us and shows crafts in different forms and by different artists. There are Sámi cups that are so beautiful that you can’t imagine pouring anything into them. It’s jewelry, all locally rooted. There are hand-blown ptarmigans in various shapes. Photos by the legendary Sven Hörnell hang on the walls.

So who is Sven Hörnell? Either you know exactly who it is, or you will soon fall in love with his photographs. He spent over 50 years photographing the Swedish mountain range from, among other things, his Piper Super Cub aircraft. He settled in Riksgränsen at the beginning of 1940 after falling in love with northern Lapland. Hörnell has, among other things, published the photo books “Mitt Lappland” (1981) and “Subarctic Land” (1991). He is not alive today, but his legacy lives on and is managed by his daughter Gudrun Hörnell, who runs the store in Kiruna. Sven’s books, photo paintings, postcards, souvenirs and Sámi handicrafts are sold here.

On this autumn day, it is Joakim who talks about Hörnell and his incomparable photographs. He himself is also a passionate photographer and devoted to nature.

Why do you like autumn in Kiruna?
– Hiking is the best thing about autumn, says Joakim. There are no mosquitoes and the colours are amazing. You feel a calmness from the autumn colours and you need that in your life.

Where do you prefer to hike?
– My favourite places are here nearby, in the local community. Either I hike along the midnight sun trail which goes up the Luossavaara mountain, where the view is fantastic. Or I actually take the electric light track at Lombolo. You can choose the distance. Just walking around in all the colours is the best.

We thank Joakim for the cultural visit and go out into the street again, take deep breaths of the fresh air and already start planning the afternoon’s hike. No, it wasn’t something we planned before but now after talking to Joakim we realize that yes, the Lombolo trail is very close and what he said about needing the colours in your life to feel calm, that’s exactly what we want have. Maybe we even bring the camera and take some nature pictures in true Sven Hörnell spirit?

Are you also interested in the places Joakim recommends?
The electric light track Lombolo, is a ski track during the winter and during the snow-free months it is perfect for walking, running, cycling and beautiful nature experiences. The track is divided into four distances; 2.5km, 4.2km, 6.6km and 8.7km. You can start your walk on the track in several different places, the easiest is to park at Kiruna Brukshundsklubb.