The Torne River, Sweden and Finland.

We crossed from Sweden into Finland and parked up for the night. Here is the Torne River in three different moods during the time we spent with her.

The Torne / Tornio is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. For approximately half its length it defines the border between these two countries.

Length: 522km

Source: Torntrask

Mouth: Gulf of Bothnia

It is the largest free flowimg river in Europe as it has not been exploited for hydropower production.

Leaving the road side park up, we then met up with this mighty river again at Kukkolforsen. A river filled with rushing, gurgling, foam capped waves. A place where dip net fishing of white fish has been done since Medieval times. The  white fish come up the rapids to spawn, a journey requiring rest stops. They find  shallow calm places, but  the fishermen know them too, and here is where they scoop them out of the water.

A dip net fisherman is really trying . They say early morning and  evening are best because otherwise the fish see the net. It is light all the time, so I guess he was trying anyway.

A quaint exhibition space of an old mill for the artists and craft people to display their unique creations.

Old boats nets and a full-size salmon glare at one in the Fishing Museum.

All with the background effects of a rushing, mighty river.

I don’t  make a particular distinction between ‘ high art’ and ‘low art’ . Music ( Sandy says painting, writing…) is there for everybody .

It’s a river we can all put our cups into and drink it and be sustained by it.

John Williams (1932 American Composer, conductor, and pianist.) A Norwegian Composer Marcus Paus said: ” Williams’ satisfying way of embodying dissonance and avant- garde technique within a larger tonal framework  makes him one of the great composers of any century.” Press on The River by John Williams if you would like to hear some of his music.

Have a great weekend.

Sandy 🙂