We take the train from AbiskoTurist to Björkliden. Since the ticket office is closed do we have to buy the tickets on the train. The train is full, and the guard is not seen before the train arrive to Björkliden, i.e. we do not need to pay anything. Our goal is the grave yard in Tornehamn, but we will on the way make a small excursion up on the mountain slope. We find the track that lead to the Låktatjåkka hut, and walk slowly up the hill, passing the Hotel Fjället. Shortly after the hotel is there another track leading west, this track is passing the new golf course. Since we are not interested in golf, and in addition think that the nature at a golf course is rather boring, do we quickly pass it.
Since it is in the middle of July, are the flowers showing their beauty. We are now walking on a flat part along the slope, on a comfortable track to the small lake Kratersjön "the Craterlake" a few kilometers away. Why it is called that I do not know, perhaps due the craterlike shore. We find a shelter, against the rather irritating contrary wind, at the shore of the lake. Here we enjoy our coffee and gingerbread biscuits with cheese on.
From the Craterlake is it to start with steep downhill, until one return into the birch forest. After a few hundred meters do one arrive at the railway. In the other side of the railway is the Tornehamn grave yard. The railway Luleå - Kiruna - Narvik was built around 1900 to transport the ore from the ore fields in Kiruna, to the harbour in Luleå, and the ice-free harbour in Narvik. It was a hard work to build the railway and many died. They are burried here in the beautiful and peaceful Tornehamn grave yard. Many without a name. Tornehamn was the "capital" during the construction of the part Kiruna - Narvik.
The simple white crosses fit well into the verdure. On one of them is it written "Anna Norge". This is assumed to be the grave of the female cook Svarta Björn ("Black Bear"), but nobody knows for sure. She got he nickname because she was dark and strong. She was killed in a crime passionnel by a rival, only 22 years old. Today has her nickname become the principal person in films and novels, a beer, a boat, a restaurant and other things. A well known person. Many become that first after their death. Fresh flowers are placed at her cross, put there by somebody each day during summertime.
We walk back to Björkliden through the birch forest. Along the track is it flowery. The track follows what was the material road during the construction of the railway, used to transport things to the railway while it was built. Tornehamn was a central place for this, with its "harbour" at Torneträsk and the material road further in to Norway. Back in Björkliden do we buy supplies in the shop, before entering the train "Edvard Persson". Edvard Persson was an actor from our own part and very south of Sweden, Skåne. Why a train with his name up here? It is normally a "pågatåg" (local trains) in Skåne, but has temporarily been placed here during the summer.
The evening is spent in "Storstugan" at the tourist station, it has become an habit to have cheese and red wine in the evening. We notice a man, a german visitor, order beer for ten kronor. For that price do one get the almost alcohol free "light beer". He tastes it, and looks very surprised at the glass. He seems to ask himself, can this be beer?
