Suggestions for long distance trails in Scandinavia

[Watertank]

This summer I'm heading to Europe for a couple of months to hike a few trails. I'd love some suggestions for trails in Scandinavia - up to a week or ten days long, not necessarily hut only trails. I don't want to do anything I need to have mountaineering skills but I am used to doing 2-3 week hikes in Australia.
Thanks

[rogergb]

There area many options, I assume you are speaking about Norway, Sweden and Finland, and less about Denmark.
At that time of the year there are several options in northern Sweden into Norway. Including the very popular Kungsleden. The Nordkalotteleden (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordkalottruta ). There is a network of track up north of Sweden and in Norway it is the DNT trails (Norwegian Trekking Association https://english.dnt.no ) see there map at http://www.ut.no/kart/

In Norway you also have Jotunheimen and Hardangervidda and many many more.

It really depends on where you want to start from and finish along with the time you have.

Also take a look at this thread
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=20320

[nickthetasmaniac]

This summer I'm heading to Europe for a couple of months to hike a few trails. I'd love some suggestions for trails in Scandinavia - up to a week or ten days long, not necessarily hut only trails. I don't want to do anything I need to have mountaineering skills but I am used to doing 2-3 week hikes in Australia.
Thanks

Hard to go wrong in Scandinavia Here's just a couple of areas I've done.

I've done an 8 day circuit through Sarek National Park in the Swedish Arctic, part of the Laponian World Heritage Area and accessible from the Kungsleden trail near STF Saltoluokta (nearest transport hub is Gallivare)- amazing area and one of the last real 'wilderness' places in Europe. There's basic routes through the National Park but for the most part you will have to be self-reliant and comfortable with back-country nav. There's also a few river crossings you'll have to deal with depending on which route you chose (there's only a couple of footbridges in the whole NP.)


The Sarek Massif


Somewhere up above the Rapadalen

A few years ago I also did a section of the Rondanestein in central Norway, finishing with a lap of Rondane National Park. This route was a mix of quite remote back-country moors, and stunning glaciated alpine country. Less challenging that Sarek but you're still very much on your own...


Ramsjønnet


Kaldbekkbotn in Rondane

[Suz]

This summer I'm heading to Europe for a couple of months to hike a few trails. I'd love some suggestions for trails in Scandinavia - up to a week or ten days long, not necessarily hut only trails. I don't want to do anything I need to have mountaineering skills but I am used to doing 2-3 week hikes in Australia.
Thanks

There are SOOO many options The only long hike I did there was part of the Kungsleden (in arctic Sweden), from Abisko to Kvikkjokk. It was good albeit VERY rocky at times. Flattish, scenic and fairly accessible.

You should think about what kind of scenery you want tho - Norway and Iceland are dramatic and Sweden and Finland are flatter and more forested and more bucolic. People really rave about Iceland but I haven't been so can't comment.

[GammaDei]

Hi,
We are planning a 10 day walk in Sarek National Park in August. We are wondering about PLBs. Who do you register them with in Sweden?

[nickthetasmaniac]

We are planning a 10 day walk in Sarek National Park in August. We are wondering about PLBs. Who do you register them with in Sweden?

Trying emailing Svenska Turistföreningen (STF): info@stfturist.se

[Suz]

i don't think you do have to register them in Sweden? I think you put a trip plan in the Aus one that your beacon is registered to? and then if it pings while you're in sweden it all gets fed thru the system that yes you are there and that's your little beacon going off.

Look up the AMSA website, there's probably FAQs on that.

[GammaDei]

Thanks Suz for your advice about PLBs. I will follow up with AMSA. just curious did you go right through Sarek from Aktse to Staloluockta and how many days did it take you? Did you ford many rivers? What was your experience like? Any suggestions of things to take or places to visit?

[Suz]

no, stayed on the kungsleden from aktse down to kvikkjokk, decided not to brave sarek on my own. get the sark bd10 map off ebay delivered to you here in oz for about $25 and it will help you plan oh, and try to make time to walk from Aktse up Skierfe to look over the rapadalen valley - choose a day with good weather if you can.

[nickthetasmaniac]

Thanks Suz for your advice about PLBs. I will follow up with AMSA. just curious did you go right through Sarek from Aktse to Staloluockta and how many days did it take you? Did you ford many rivers? What was your experience like? Any suggestions of things to take or places to visit?

G'day, I went through Sarek to get from Aktse to Saltoluokta. I spent five nights in the Park, including the first on top of the Skierfe (a far more interesting place to camp than Aktse...).

The route that I used had two fairly significant river crossings, which were fine, but you really want to know what you're doing (very cold and zero visibility through the water due to the cloudy glacial melt). Looking over the BD10 map, the only route I can see that would avoid any serious crossings would be Aktse - Rapadalen - Basstavágge - Rinim - then catch a ferry across Sítojaure and walk a day up the Kungsleden to Saltoluokta. This would give you 3-4 days in Sarek.

Some general trips:
- Take mossie repellent, especially in August.
- Take an eye-mask, especially in August.
- Try and camp above the tree line (the mossies are less horrific).
- The Rapadalen is beautiful to look down on but not very nice to be in - It's muddy, scrubby and has many, many mossies (notice a trend?)... If you can, do the whole valley in a day.
- Take cash. The local Sami people run ferries on all the big lakes, and they usually have stuff to sell (including smoked trout and reindeer, both of which are amazing).
- If you're using a butane stove, most service stations carry canisters.
- Be prepared for wet weather.
- Get up a mountain if you can. Låddebákte is a good option, as it looks down on the confluence of the Rapadalen and Sarvesvagge valleys and Rapaselet delta, and looks over three major alpine massifs and a whole bunch of glaciers.
- Enjoy it. Seriously, this is a truly remarkable landscape

[GammaDei]

Thank you so much Suz and Nicthetasmaniac for all your advice. We received the map last week and have been pouring over it since. We are planning to go to Gallivare and get the bus to near Vietas so we can see the new naturum there. Then we plan to walk over the dam at Suorva and then up the valley with Sluggajåhkå and then on to Vierikjåhkå then we will come down the Rappa valley. We think this should be a fairly simple route but still see and experience some fantastic country. We are planning to go at the beginning of August and hope to carry about 10 days food. We prefer to take our time so we can enjoy the atmosphere and views. We may do a side trip or two if weather permits. We have taken on board all your advice and will pack accordingly. We are also planning to walk in Norway in July. These will be shorter and possibly simpler walks. We plan to walk in Rondane and Jottunheimen NPs. Its been great to get all your opinions. Thanks again.

[Watertank]

G'day GammaDei,
we might bump into each other - I am still making plans but it will be the Coast to Coast in the Uk (second time) for me in July, then possibly Iceland or the Faroe Islands then Norway and then possibly Sweden - if I am still looking for a stroll...I might head to Scotland. Lots of exciting plans ahead. Thank you everyone for replies to my post.

[keithy]

Thanks Suz for your advice about PLBs. I will follow up with AMSA.

Just FYI about PLBs. Some countries require it to be licensed for use. When I had a look, Norway needed a license, but I never asked them what happened if a foreign (Australian registered) PLB was set off http://eng.nkom.no/technical/equipment/ ... or-beacons

Sweden was ok from recollection, and didn't need a license - Finland was ok to use but you needed a license. Some other countries like Czech Rep and Denmark, I remember you could carry it, but could not use it, and others like Iceland had some issues with their use. I'm currently checking out Slovenia and can't find details on the legality of using 406Mhz PLBs there.

[GammaDei]

I have been investigating using Australian registered PLBs in Norway and Sweden.

The Norwegian authority told me "It is allowed to use other than Norwegian-registered PLBs in Norway.
If you activate your PLB in Norway will Norwegian Search and Rescue Center cooperate with that SAR you beacon is registered, Australian in your case. They will help with your personal data and contacts while Norway will provide search and rescue.
The only restriction is that is has to be an emergency when sending a distress message on 406 MHz."

I enquired with AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority) about the use of a PLB in Sweden. They said "The 406 MHz PLB’s are detected world-wide by the international Cospas-Sarsat satellite system, http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/. Some countries consider PLB carriage and usage on land illegal, however Sweden does accept them. You will need to check with the airlines if you are able to travel with the PLB as they are a product containing a hazardous lithium battery. In particular, packing in your check-in luggage or carry-on luggage.

If the beacon antenna is positioned in a clear line of site of the sky (satellite) vertically with no obstruction then the first distress message of an Australian coded 406 MHz PLB will be received by the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) within a few minutes. The initial message will contain your HEX ID. If the beacon is registered the Australian RCC will attempt to contact the registered owner and/or emergency contacts to confirm if it is a distress situation or an inadvertent activation. If the PLB has GPS then the latitude and longitude to an accuracy of 120mtrs can take up to 20 minutes to be received. Once the position of distress is resolved by the satellite the RCC in Sweden will be notified of the beacon distress message and they will coordinate the search & rescue response. The Australian RCC will forward your registration details to Sweden to assist them with coordination.

Please note the search & rescue time and availability of assets and resources will vary in each country. The rescue could take several hours and you will have to prepare to survive. To understand the search & rescue process in each country you’re travelling, the contact details for the ‘Search & Rescue Point of Contact’ (SPOC) are available at http://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en/contact ... etails-all.

All this information is very good to know.

Thanks everyone for your advice.



Prior to your departure to Sweden, AMSA recommends you update your trip details i.e. dates of travel, location of travel, activities you will be participating in etc. You can update your trip details online at http://www.amsa.gov.au/beacons.

[GammaDei]

Well we successfully walked for 13 days with most of the time in Sarek NP Sweden. The walk was not extremely hard but our packs were heavy at the start. Fortunately the water levels were not too high so we had no major problem with creek/river crossings. The scenery was beautiful. I can highly recommend going to Sarek NP - a truly wonderful landscape.