Are you going hiking? Have you planned exactly where to go? Hold on with that thought and check out this little article first. When going camping, there are many ways to approach the whole idea. You can choose to go for a 2-4 day hike/camp in the summer and bring a knife, but you could also try a more hardcore hiking trip – The King’s Trail, 440km (273 miles) in the ice-cold winter of the Swedish north. There are also Via Ferrata trails, paths where metal parts and strings are assisting you throughout the hiking trip. Here I have listed 6 of the best hiking experiences, but it’s worth mentioning that I am a nature lover who appreciate a majestic obstacle of nature more than a physically heavy hiking trip. It’s all about having a great experience. A great thing about the Scandinavian countries is that they have a law called Allemansrätten; Every Man’s Right – which allow people to camp at the same place in the woods for up to 24 hours. Anyway, here are 6 of the top camping/hiking trails in Scandinavia (randomly listed).
Höga Kusten
Höga Kusten means The High Coast in Swedish and the hiking is taking place in an area where one of Sweden’s highest bridges is located. This hiking trip takes 3 days, but it is possible to stay behind and do your own hiking/camping as long as you’re prepared with equipment and did your homework on the weather. The Every Man’s Right law allows you to move around in the woods and seeking shelter in different locations as you please. Taking a hike at the Höga Kusten will offer some grand views over a massive river and beautiful green pine & spruce woods.
Trolltunga
Trolltunga translates to Troll Tongue in Norwegian. Trolltunga got its name from its looks! A picture of Trolltunga shows a rocky tongue pointing out from the mountain rocks, 700m above the Ringedalsvatnet – a lake in the Bergen area, a rocky landscape of the southern Norway. You can actually do this mountain hike up and down in one day, I’d say that it takes you around 10-12 hours on a regular summer day. But don’t get me wrong, you can do this hike in winter too! There are guided tours in both winter and summer time. There is even a Trolltunga zip line, visit Trolltunga-active.com for more information.
The King’s Trail
This old trail has earned its name by its length, a 440km trail starting from Abisko going all the way down to Nikkaluokta after passing through Kebnekaise – Sweden’s highest mountain top (~2100m). As you start off from Abisko, you can see the majestic Lapponian Gate. It consists of two mountain tops merging together as a u-shaped gate for all animals in the Scandinavian lands. If you have lots of hiking experience and don’t mind spending time on your own, you can do the King’s Trail on your own but you need to be prepared with the right equipment and a good attitude. There are tours to take too and they can be a wise choice for someone who lacks hiking experience but is thirsty for a long walk with a ton of massive views along the way.
https://www.keadventure.com/
North Cape
The North Cape is a plateau in the most northern part of the whole Scandinavia. It’s a lookout post which offers panoramic views over the Barents sea, 307 meters above sea level. It is the perfect place to watch the midsummer sun but also the incredible Aurora Borealis. Although Nordkapp offers marvelous views in a stunning landscape, it is a limited experience. I do recommend travelers to go here at some point in life, but mainly to see the views rather than to have a hiking experience. Maybe a weekend at North Cape would be interesting?
Storforsen
Storforsen is a Swedish name of one of the biggest rapids in Europe, the name translates to Big Rapids and is an incredible thing to witness. On average, 250 cubic meters of water is passing through the rapids per second. The number is however increased to 900 cubic meters during Midsummer, an annual Swedish tradition taking place in the middle of June. There are several mountains in this part of Sweden and you can walk from mountain to mountain in hours while the massive Storforsen is shaking the grounds in the near area. You can stay how long you want, as long as you continuously move your tent every day. In most cases, however, you can keep your tent at the same spot for a longer period unless someone tells you to get going. A tent might be wise to have and more important – something to fight off the mosquitos with! If the weather gets crazier than what you can handle, check out Hotel Storforsen.
Rovaniemi – The Heart of Lapland
Rovaniemi is a historical place where many things were settled throughout the history of Scandinavia. The Sami people are recognized as the most indigenous people of Lapland but there is proof that Karelian tribes came from the east as well as Häme from the south. Rovaniemi is a hiking resort with many historical highlights, so it offers more than natural views over majestic sights. Rovaniemi had its natural resources extracted in the 1800s, allowing the city to grow quite a lot over a short period of time. The second world war affected the city as well, 90% of the town burned down from Finnish troops in attempts to blow up enemy forces by exploding a train. The city of Rovaniemi provides a huge amount of history and should definitely be visited during the winter when the Aurora Borealis can be seen painting the sky. Rovaniemi is also accepted worldwide as the home of Santa Claus.