APPENDIX C
Useful contacts
TOURISM
If spending any time exploring in Copenhagen, see www.copenhagen.com or obtain a copy of Copenhagen This Week, www.ctw.dk.
Good portals for tourism in Greenland include www.greenland.com and www.greenland-guide.gl.
LOCAL INFORMATION
Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq both belonged to the Sisimiut municipality, whose website provides abundant information about local businesses and facilities, including accommodation, www.sisimiut.gl. However, the Sisimiut municipality merged with the Maniitsoq municipality in 2009 to form the Qeqqata municipality, and a new website is planned, www.qeqqata.gl.
MUSEUMS
Kangerlussuaq Museum, tel 84 13 00. Sisimiut Museum, tel 85 25 50, www.museum.gl/sisimiut.
TOUR OPERATORS
World of Greenland – Arctic Circle (WOGAC) is based at Polar Lodge in Kangerlussuaq, tel 84 10 16, www.wogac.com. They also have an office in Sisimiut, tel 86 55 00. They provide accommodation and tours, and also handle the needs of cruise ship passengers.
ARCTIC CIRCLE TRAIL MAPS
Three ‘Hiking Maps’ cover the trail, published by Greenland Tourism, at a scale of 1:100,000. The relevant sheets are ‘Kangerlussuaq’, ‘Pingu’ and ‘Sisimiut’. Buy them in advance of travel if possible, though they are on sale in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. Stockists include Harvey Map Services, 12–22 Main Street, Doune, FK16 6BJ, tel 01786 841202, www.harveymaps.co.uk; Stanfords, 12–14 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9LP, tel 020 78361321, www.stanfords.co.uk; The Map Shop, 15 High Street, Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, WR8 0HJ, tel 01684 593146, www.themapshop.co.uk; and Cordee, 11 Jacknell Road, Dodwells Bridge Industrial Estate, Hinckley, LE10 3BS, tel 01455 611185, www.cordee.co.uk.
Saga Maps, www.sagamaps.com, publish a single 1:25,000 sheet covering this part of Greenland, but it lacks detail and does not show the course of the Arctic Circle Trail. However, Sheet number 8, ‘Sisimiut Kangerlussuaq’, offers a useful overview of the whole area between the ice cap and the coast.
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
To Copenhagen
By air
Flights from Britain to Copenhagen are operated by Scandinavian Airways (SAS), www.flysas.com; British Airways, www.britishairways.com; BMI, www.flybmi.com; Cimber Air, www.cimber.com; and EasyJet, www.easyjet.com.
By train
From Britain, via the Channel Tunnel, France, Belgium and Germany, check options with the ‘Man in Seat 61’, www.seat61.com.
By coach
From London to Brussels and Brussels to Copenhagen, using Eurolines coaches, www.eurolines.com
By ferry
Sailing from Harwich to Esbjerg with DFDS Seaways, www.dfdsseaways.co.uk. Onward rail transport to Copenhagen.
To Greenland
Flights
Flights from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, and between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, are operated by Air Greenland. They have offices at the airport at Kangerlussuaq, tel 84 11 42, and at Kaaleeqqap Aqq in Sisimiut, tel 86 75 30, www.airgreenland.com.
Local transport
Buses
The Kangerlussuaq Bybus and Sisimiut Bybus provide regular town services at either end of the Arctic Circle Trail. There are abundant bus shelters and bus stops where timetables are posted. Towns in Greenland do not have bus links with each other as there are no roads linking them.
Taxis
For taxis around Kangerlussuaq, tel 48 71 88 or 48 71 98. For taxis around Sisimiut, tel 86 55 33.
Ships
The harbour near Kangerlussuaq is served only by cruise ships. The harbour at Sisimiut is visited by a ship on Saturday, which proceeds to Ilulissat, returning on Tuesday to sail to Nuuk. This is operated by Arctic Umiaq Line, tel 34 91 90, www.aul.gl.
LANGUAGE
Most online translation websites help with English/Danish translations. For English/Danish/Greenlandic translation, see www.oqaasileriffik.gl.
STOVE FUEL
Fuel cannot be carried on flights to Greenland, but can be purchased in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. A variety of pierceable and resealable gas canisters are available. Flammable liquids include methylated spirit (husholdnings sprit), paraffin or kerosene (lampeolie), and petroleum, white gas or naphtha (benzin). These are all bottled by Borup, www.borup.info. Instructions for the safe operation of the ‘Refleks’ paraffin heaters in most of the huts along the trail can be obtained from www.refleks-olieovne.dk.
ARCTIC CIRCLE EVENTS
The Polar Circle Marathon takes place over a single day in October, between the ice cap and Kangerlussuaq. Details at www.polar-circle-marathon.com. The Arctic Circle Race is a skiing event that takes place over three days in March from Sisimiut. Details at www.acr.gl.
GUIDED WALKS
Most walkers on the Arctic Circle Trail are completely self-sufficient. However, there are very occasinal opportunities to join or organise a guided walk along the trail, using the knowledge and expertise of people who already know the trail. Two people with particular experience of treking in Greenland are: Mike Laing, of Snowdonia Climbing, wwww.snowdoniaclimbing.co.uk, and multi-lingual Silke Schwedler, silkeschwedler@web.de.
COMMUNICATIONS
The country code for Greenland is +299 and there are no area codes. Inside Greenland, simply dial the six-figure telephone number. Bear in mind that telephones and signals for mobile phones are only available in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. The only options while following the Arctic Circle Trail are VHS radio sets or satellite phones, but only carry these if able to operate them.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
For mountain/wilderness rescue in Greenland, the first point of contact is the police (politi). In Kangerlussuaq, tel 84 12 22 or mobile 52 41 22. In Sisimiut, tel 86 42 22. In case of illness or injury, there is a nursing station at the airport in Kangerlussuaq, tel 84 12 11. For the hospital in Sisimiut, tel 86 42 11.
Colourful buildings reflect in the sea water at the head of the narrow natural harbour at Sisimiut