In Ylläs, the year is made up of eight seasons. Each has its own rhythm, its own light, its own special thing. In this series, we journey through the year one fellrich moment at a time.
“That’s usually when the autumn colours are at their best,” someone said, and that was all the convincing we needed. We booked train tickets for early September and began planning everything we wanted to experience during our holiday.
The air feels noticeably crisper than it did just a few days ago back home. And yellow is no longer just yellow. It is bright, almost radiant, and beside it the reds seem deeper than I remember. Could this autumn be even more beautiful than the last one? As I walk quietly on our first day hike, I find myself thinking that this is something difficult to put into words. The trail climbs gently uphill. Every now and then we stop for no particular reason. Or rather, there is a reason: the scenery keeps changing all the time.
The air somehow carries the same essence as the landscape before my eyes. Pure nature, damp shrubs and moss-covered ground, lingonberries and mushrooms. Dewdrops glitter as beams of sunlight find their way through clouds and branches.
“Look at that hillside,” I say out loud. It almost seems unreal. As we climb higher, our pace slows. Not because the hike is difficult, but because nobody wants to rush. Every bend in the trail reveals a new view. Before long, I realise I am looking more at the landscape than the path itself and nearly trip.
A cool breeze catches loose strands of hair beneath my cap. I zip my jacket a little higher. The fell slopes ripple with shades of yellow, orange and red. Beside me, my friend sighs and says, “It really is beautiful here.” I nod. There is really nothing more to add.
On the way down, some of us sit on a fallen tree trunk while others settle onto a soft patch of moss. We unpack our snacks and pour coffee from a thermos. The steam rises into the cool air. Someone comments that this must be the best cup of coffee they’ve had in a long time. What is it about a hike that always makes food and coffee taste better?
My gaze wanders across the distance. The autumn colours speckle the landscape in every direction. The pine-dominated forests remain green, but here and there the golden leaves and vibrant ground vegetation create a striking contrast.
As we start making our way back towards the car, I find myself looking over my shoulder again and again. The colours do not disappear. They simply blend gradually into one another.
And perhaps that is when it becomes clear.
True richness is not only found in what you see. It is found in taking the time to experience it. The most meaningful moments are often the small ones that pass by before we even realised they are there.