Trekking in Greenland - The Arctic Circle Trail

Pages 44 & 45

These pages mention the possibility of a dirt road being constructed across the tundra to link Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. This project was completed late in the summer of 2021 and there are changes to the Arctic Circle Trail that trekkers need to be aware of. First of all, the 'road' has been designed for ATV (quad bike) use, so it is narrow and has a very rough surface. It is unlikely to be busy, but of course it is visually intrusive. It remains to be seen whether the small huts that were once in remote locations suddenly become busier once they can be reached by vehicles.

Leaving Kangerlussuaq on Day 1, the ACT used to run onto the tundra from a road-end beyond Kelly Ville. This road has now been extended to distant Sisimiut, so it is important to leave it in order to stay on the ACT and head for Hundesø. The new road stays well clear of the ACT until Day 6, when it suddenly reappears. The new road either runs close to the ACT, or is actually built on top of it, throughout Day 6, 7, 8 & 9. While some trekkers might welcome the provision of the new road in order to make rapid progress, others will want to avoid it as much as possible.

In order to avoid as much as possible of the road, a new southern trail has been established in order to avoid the trail, and this will be walked, checked and described in a future edition of the guidebook. It is already marked with cairns, with some parts already featuring a trodden path, and huts are due to be established. In short, the new trail leaves Eqalugaarniarfik in the direction of Sarfannguit, where there is a small settlement on an island separated from the mainland by a narrow channel. The idea is to attract the attention of a boatman in order to visit the village, otherwise continue high across a slope, well above the sea, descending to pass an inlet at Utoqqaat. The trail climbs and descends again to reach Kangerluarsuk Tulleq, at the end of Day 8. There is no way to avoid the road on Day 9 to finish at Sisimiut.