Because the approaching dawn paints pastel shades on the sky, our purple tent shines within the snow.
The snow has fallen in a single day, quietly and unexpectedly – and due to this fact all of the extra lovely. It’s chilly sufficient for it to stay on the branches and needles of the timber. Solely often does the dry pine tree subsequent to us give means a little bit and the white powder trickles down. It’s so quiet round us that I believe I can hear the snowflakes hitting the bottom. After they hit my jacket or the tent, I really do. It crackles briefly, for a fraction of a second, and my ears ring.
Freedom on the doorstep
I can’t get sufficient of the silence, the vastness, the white panorama throughout us. I let my eye drift, I might do that for hours. From the big pine tree subsequent to our tent down the hill into the ocean of timber. Over the frozen and snow-covered lakes, that are barely recognizable as such proper now, however kind a labyrinth of water in summer season.
A woodpecker knocks on the trunk of one of many timber behind me and I do know that it gained’t be lengthy earlier than the solar’s rays attain our hilltop. It gained’t rise excessive sufficient to remain for lengthy – however on lately it at the least flashes briefly between the treetops.
I do know the panorama right here solely too nicely. As a result of though the sight of my tent and backpack and the tenting range in entrance of me makes me really feel far-off, I’m very near dwelling. Our Swedish dwelling in the course of the forest. It’s a couple of hundred meters down the hill, on the opposite aspect of the dawn.
And this right here – this isn’t a long-distance hike for which I’ve ready lengthy and meticulously, however a fairly spontaneous weekend tour.
The eager for a life in nature
My gaze wanders down the hill and I think about our little purple cottage shining within the snow within the clearing in the back of the hill. My coronary heart turns into very mild – as a result of I really feel a lot at this second that I’m in the best place on the proper time.
This freedom is precisely what we’re in search of in Sweden. The liberty the place we not solely have countless nature proper on our doorstep, however the place packing up the tent and heading out is a part of the approach to life.
The magic phrase: allemansrätt. The everyman’s proper that permits us to pitch our tent in the course of nature on this area, for instance. We don’t must do a lot planning, we don’t want a protracted lead time, we simply look out of the window and determine earlier than we’ve even thrown again the comforter.
That’s the way it was this morning. On the first blink of an eye fixed, I might hardly consider my eyes: The timber I might see by way of the bed room window had been sporting little white hats, the sky was pastel grey and even the window pane was snowed in.
After days of thawing climate, we had been ready for winter to reach like this – and we couldn’t pack our backpacks quick sufficient. Particularly as we knew that this fairytale could be a brief one: The following temperature excessive was already heading our means. Lengthy planning and lengthy journeys: That might have been a waste of time.
An extended-distance climbing path on the doorstep
And so right here I’m: just some hundred timber away from our entrance door. On the sting of a long-distance climbing path.
The Tjustleden runs for round 200 kilometers by way of idyllic Småland. That is the place Astrid Lindgren’s tales discovered their setting, that is the place a lot of the Bullerbü pictures had been taken, which we have now all related to Sweden since childhood.
The Tjustleden winds its means by way of this very panorama – its route passes a couple of kilometers away from our property and is built-in right into a branching community of paths.
Once we set off on this quick journey on a long-distance climbing path, it began to snow once more in thick flakes from the sky. We had simply walked by way of our backyard in our climbing boots with our backpacks and disturbed the 2 deer that collect their breakfast between our currant bushes each morning.
Then we turned onto the small forest path that connects our home with the following official highway, left, proper, left once more and we had been already standing in entrance of the primary orange marker on a tree trunk.
Not many hikers go by right here, however those that do have been strolling alongside the Tjustleden for a number of days – and within the meantime have immersed themselves in a world of timber, lakes and clearings. We’ll do the identical with our subsequent steps – however not for fairly as lengthy.
Welcome to a winter wonderland
For the following few hours, for the following few kilometers, we sink into this Swedish winter fairy story. We don’t speak a lot. As a result of solely silence would protect this fragile world. At the least that’s our widespread feeling.
Now we have discovered an excellent rhythm to make good progress within the untracked snow. Generally we cease on the identical time, rooted to the spot, as a result of an excited household of deer crosses the trail in entrance of us or a hare peeks by way of the bushes on the fringe of the trail. Generally we don’t observe the orange climbing path markings for a couple of hundred meters, however elk tracks the dimensions of plates.
We don’t get to see the moose themselves on this hike. And but we really feel as near them and this sea of timber as we probably can.
Though it shortly will get chilly with out train, we take lengthy breaks. We drink steaming tea and eventually determine to not pitch our tent as far-off as potential, however in the identical spot the place we generally marveled on the sundown in summer season. On these lengthy days, the solar was even increased within the sky at 9 o’clock within the night than it’s now in winter, when it reaches its peak within the morning.
However for a couple of magical moments, the solar does make it by way of the timber. In weeks like these, when its presence is so uncommon within the Nordic winter, its rays tingle all of the extra on the pores and skin. And when it sinks once more, it bathes the countless panorama in delicate pastel colours.
The sky glows mild blue and pink.
And we – we have now discovered nice freedom in a small journey on our doorstep.
Trekking in southern Sweden – my ideas:
Finest time to go: In precept, the climbing trails in southern Sweden are accessible all 12 months spherical – nonetheless, they aren’t maintained in winter. Relying on the snow situations, snowshoes and applicable tools could also be crucial. The very best temperatures happen between Could and August. And, in fact, endless days.
How you can get there: Sweden has a well-functioning rail community that spans your complete nation. Buses run at common intervals from the rail community to smaller cities and villages.
Tools: Firstly, in fact, a rucksack that sits nicely in your again. My selection for multi-day hikes is both the Tatonka Pyrox or my Yukon 50+10, relying on whether or not I wish to carry all my tenting tools or not. Along with the usual tools for such excursions, mosquito and tick safety is certainly really useful in Sweden.
Spend the evening: Alongside Swedish long-distance trails and in nature reserves, there are normally designated locations to spend the evening. We will pitch our tent there or use the prevailing infrastructure. This typically features a easy picket shelter (a hut that’s open on one aspect), a hearth pit and infrequently even a bathroom.
The Tjustleden: The Tjustleden runs for round 200 kilometers from Mörtfors to Falerum. Its route is marked (as is common in Sweden) with orange rings round tree trunks or picket stakes. Alongside the best way, wind shelters provide easy lodging, many in picturesque lakeside places. The official route advice includes 9 phases between 16 and 21 kilometers.
