I find I’m at an age where I no longer get quite so angry at other people’s carelessness and thoughtlessness. The Arctic Circle Trail is a walk through a pristine landscape one that most people will never see or appreciate. There are rumblings in the jungle both on the official website and Facebook pages of the amount of rubbish and excrement left by thoughtless trekkers.
Before I go into those rumblings, I think it wise to maybe put over a point of view that I know will offend the purist, that is, those that want to keep the trail selfishly to the chosen few, the hardy multi day backpackers that maybe are just a little elitist in their thoughts. Greenland, like many other up and coming tourist destinations are advertising themselves as a unique place to travel to. It is in many ways similar to Spitsbergen, with its wildlife and culture. Both Spitsbergen and Greenland have European Overlords and from talking to the locals, Greenland would very much like to slowly release their reliance on Denmark.
This piece, however, is specifically about the Arctic Circle Trail. In recent years a track has been built called the ATV track that runs from Kangerlussauq to Sisimiut, following the same line as the ACT track for some distance and like for example the road that now connects many parts of the Annapurna Circuit, has caused uproar amongst many in the trekking community. In answer to this apparent ‘intrusion’ there is now a suggested Southern Route that bypasses where these two collide, which ultimately gives walkers a choice. Is the path set in stone? Not in my mind, a trail is what the individual want’s to make of it. We chose to do the northern route and found that the ATV was in no way an eye saw most of the time, even where running parallel it was hardly noticeable. Another couple we ran into along the trail did the southern route and they too, loved the experience as did we. Who’s right… it’s a choice!
Who am I to object when the local people want to improve their infrastructure, and in doing so improving their way of life. Who are we, just visitors to the country, to tell them otherwise.
Most of the discussion, though, on the Facebook pages are about rubbish and the state of some of the huts along the trail. I 100% agree some are disgusting, sometimes with rubbish thrown away without a care and worse toilet paper and excrement that is so obvious around some of the huts. The Official Arctic Circle website has been extremely successful in advertising this unique trail, which creates a double edged sword. If you attract more people the trail looses its lofty statues as an elite walk, for only those that are prepared to stick to the code of ‘leave no trace’. It is, unfortunately, human nature, I’m not condoning it, it’s what happens.
With the success that the website has had in attracting more visitors then maybe the responsibility needs to shift slightly from the individual to the Greenland tourist board. I can hear my ears burning now, disgusted at the thought. People should take responsibility for their own actions and I absolutely agree, but time and time again it’s proved that they either aren’t willing to or just don’t understand the concept of ‘leave no trace’. If you provide bins people will use them, if you provide compost toilets again people will use them and probably abuse them. I’m going to mention an extreme example of where a trail has become so popular that limits are placed on the number of people that are allowed in any one season to walk it. Both the ‘O’ Trek and ‘W’ Trek in Torres del Paine have limits and those limits are set by the number of camping places and Refugio beds that are available at any one time. Those of you that have walked either of these treks will know how far in advance you need to book. A fee is paid to the National Park Service, which is basically a permit and you have to stay at the designated Refugio and camping areas. As I said an extreme example, but one that works as does the permit system in the USA and many other country’s that have long distance trails in them.
Yes, I’m suggesting a permit system and coming from the UK, that whole concept of a permit is alien to me. However, the money raised could be used to help clear up the debris, provide bins that are regularly emptied and compost toilet facilities that are useable. As I said at the beginning I know that this solution will not be popular with those walkers that truly want to wild camp and are diligent in the way they go about it. But ultimately Greenland wants to attract more visitors and quite rightly so, but in doing so has to take on some of the responsibility in keeping the trail in a pristine condition and those that walk the trail need to pay for that privilege.
After saying all of that, the walk from Point 660 to Sisimiut is up there as one of my favourites. I don’t think it’ll be long before the Arctic Circle Trail starts officially at Point 660 keeping to the ridges that run parallel with the dirt track, bypassing Kangerlussuaq and running all the way to the coast. What ever route the individual decides to take it is their decision and theirs alone and no one should be judged for what ever route they decide to take.
We didn’t meet many people along the trail as we did it in late September and we were also blessed with wonderful weather. Uncle Les, one of my mentors, would have loved this trail as that, in the whole of the 11 days of walking we encountered only five other people actually on the trail and a number of hunters at the end of their season. It was a pleasure to talk to them and get first hand knowledge of the area and its wildlife. I know at the height of the season it can be a problem finding any room in the small huts… isn’t that why we all carry tents? However, we were lucky enough to share a hut only twice.
