Getting to Grips with Ski Touring in the Swedish Mountains

In March 2013, Bob from Nature Travels joined our Discover Mountain Ski Touring in Lapland experience…

(you can also see more pictures from the tour on the Nature Travels Facebook page)

As I reclined on my bunk, the night train from Stockholm to Gällivare rattled its way soothingly through the endless miles of forest, making its way steadily north. I’d recommend anyone travelling to the north of Sweden to choose the train above flying – not only for the environmental benefit and often a considerable cost saving, but also because it gives a much better impression of just how far you are travelling and the vast areas of wilderness that make up northern Sweden. From embarking at the station at Stockholm Arlanda airport to being disgorged blinking into the early afternoon sunshine 15 hours later at the regional town of Gällivare, the vista of forest and frozen lakes was virtually unbroken.

I was here to join our Discover Mountain Ski Touring in Lapland experience for a week’s introduction to ski touring in the Swedish fjäll chain. Intended for participants with some previous cross country or downhill experience, this tour bridges the gap between the comfort of the pistes and prepared cross country trails and the wild expanses accessible by point-to-point touring.

After the bus to Kebnats and transfer by snowmobile across the frozen lake to Saltoluokta Mountain Station, we were met by our guide, Conny, who exuded calm and gentle authority from the outset and an instant sense that we were in good hands. There were to be five participants in total in this group: Philip from the UK, not hugely experienced in cross country skiing but with plenty of additional fitness as a runner to make up for it, Maurice from Holland, an experienced cross country skier on prepared tracks, two Swedes – Petter, who would shortly be revealing his passion for retro outdoor clothing, and Gunilla, a seasoned hiker on trips worldwide and veteran of the “Tjej Vasaloppet”, a 30km cross country skiing race held annually in Sweden – and myself. Aware that my skiing would win no prizes for style or technique, I’d been preparing for the trip by upping my cycling days to the Nature Travels office in the weeks beforehand in an attempt to reduce the spare tyre that had been stubbornly sticking around since Christmas.

Following our long journey, we were starting gently. We collected our equipment and had a run-through of the days ahead. We would be using the next day to test out our gear on a trip around the local area before heading off into the wilds the following day. After briefing, we retired to the station sauna with its stunning view out over the lakes and surrounding mountains followed by an enormous three-course dinner at the station restaurant. Salto may be remote, but in the small station kitchen culinary wonders are conjured, mostly using organic and local ingredients. At this rate, I was going to have to do some serious exercise to work this lot off.

The next day, with the sun shining and a light wind blowing, we headed out across the lake to practise our “on-the-flat” skills and up the hill to try our climbing skins, for our first long-distance mountain view and for instruction in how to use the safety equipment that we would be carrying for the tour.

Windsacks and snow shovels are carried both as an emergency precaution and also to make lunch-stops more comfortable in windy or cold conditions.

After another sauna, another enormous dinner and fortified by a good night’s sleep and the extensive Salto breakfast buffet, we were packed and ready next morning to begin our adventure proper. It is around 20km from Salto across the bare mountain plains to the cabin at Sitojaure, where we would be spending the next three nights. Being an introductory tour, this leg is normally done by snowmobile transfer, with the option for hardy types to choose to ski the last half or so of the route. The sun shining and a cold wind was biting at our cheeks as we sped out above the treeline and into the stunning expanse of the “kallfjäll”. Eager to be moving under our own steam, after about 9km we hopped enthusiastically out of the trailer, shouldered our packs and equipment and watched as the snowmobile disappeared over the peak and out of view.

As the wind whipped across the open mountains and the warmth drained out of me, I quickly realised I’d underestimated how cold it was today and hadn’t put enough layers on for this part of the trip. Time to get moving! With my skis and equipment still feeling rather new and unfamiliar, I set off clumsily along the trail behind Conny, who was effortlessly gliding along at the front.

A lunch stop with our windsacks and a few hours later, we started the descent down through the treeline and were soon at the Sitojaure cabin. Although simple (no electricity, outside toilets, water from a hole in the lake ice), our cabin was very cosy and warm once heated and would provide a perfect base for the coming days.

After dinner, Conny got the map out to discuss the plan for the following day. One of the great advantages of having a fixed base for a few days is the freedom to plan each day as you wish, varying the distance covered and level of challenge depending on the weather and the level of the group. With clear skies and light winds forecast for the following day, we opted to go high and picked a likely-looking hilltop a few hours to the north.

Sure enough, next day we were greeted with bright blue skies and we headed for the hills. Although the going was hard work at times and I still felt more like a drunken penguin on my skis than a seasoned tourer, as soon as we left the trail and struck out into virgin snow, I found myself energised and uplifted both by the stark beauty of the landscape and the thrill of the adventure. When the soft powder gave way to hard packed icy snow, we dug our edges in furiously to keep from sliding back. When the terrain became too steep to use skis, we left our equipment and hiked the last few minutes to the top.

As we came over the rise, the world opened into a truly breathtaking panorama, with the mighty mountains of Sarek National Park to our west and the limitless forested lowlands stretching away to the east. With not a breath of wind and a cloudless sky, I felt literally on top of the world. We may have only been three hours from the comforting warmth of the cabin, but there was a real expedition feeling to this day. Philip celebrated by demonstrating his yoga skills with a flawless headstand!

On the way down we were very excited to cross the tracks of a wolverine, with the clearest prints I’d ever seen. We didn’t know then what was waiting for us the next day!

We took a different route down with a chance to try new techniques, picking our way down through the birch forest through icing-sugar snow. This was hugely enjoyable but also very tricky from a skiing point of view – we all fell regularly and with the deep snow refusing to support even the slightest pressure it often took several minutes to get ourselves back on our feet again. With the constant effort of hauling ourselves out of deep holes of snow following yet another wipe-out and laughing hysterically watching others trying to do the same, most of us were feeling it by the time we arrived back at the cabins. But we were happy. And double helpings of everything for dinner helped to soothe the aches and pains…

Like most visitors to the far north, we’d hoped that our time in the Arctic might also give us a display of the Northern Lights. The problem with seeing the Aurora on tours such as this is that after a long day in the fresh air, bedtime tends to come early – sometimes as early as 9 o’clock! – and later in the evening the heavens may blaze away spectacularly above on sleeping bodies blissfully unaware below! But tonight we were lucky that clear skies and some early activity coincided. We forced ourselves to stay up to the daring late hour of 10 o’clock and were greeted with luminescent fingers of green stabbing down through the dark and shifting curtains of light moving mysteriously above. A perfect end to what had been a memorable day.

For contrast, the next day Conny planned to take us along a ravine to set our skis into Sarek National Park itself. A couple of hours across the lake and though a lovely stretch of birch forest with delicious soft snow beneath our skis brought us into the ravine, with its twisting sculptures of snow and ice decorating the frozen river and valley sides. A little cloudier today, but still with some tantalizing glimpses of sunshine.

Quite by chance I looked up and saw, a couple of hundred metres away, a large brown animal clearly silhouetted against the shining white of the snow. Unmistakable – a wolverine! These elusive predators are one of Sweden’s rarest large mammals and I’d contented myself that tracks were all I would ever see of a wolverine outside Sweden’s animal parks. We were all stunned to see one in the wild – our shouts of excitement and surprise caused the wolverine to pause. He stopped, looked at us and sniffed the air before turning and loping effortlessly away over the hill and out of view. Amazing, and a true brush with the wild. Conny, who has been guiding tours in the area since the mid-70s, confirmed the privilege of the occasion by saying that this was only the fifth wolverine he had seen in 40 years in the mountains.

We reached Sarek for a tantalising view into its untamed heart before turning for home for the gentle ski back down the ravine, through the forest and home once more. An evening of cards and double helpings of everything rounded off another great day which had given us a different perspective on the Lapland wilderness and a great opportunity to improve the fluidity of our skiing over quite easy but varied terrain.

We’d had a climbing day and a ravine day. Today was distance day, as we prepared to ski the 21km back across the mountain plains to Salto. Conny estimated it would take us around 7 hours, so we started early to allow a buffer for bad weather or extra time if we went a little slower than expected. Once again the sun was shining today, but there was a cold headwind up on the hills which would make the going difficult at times.

The improvement in everyone’s skiing technique compared to the beginning of the week was marked. I myself, while still feeling that I had a lot to learn, noticed a marked increase in the ease with which I now moved along, covering more distance with each step and using less energy. We were clearly all show our guide, who had looked after us so well during the week, each other, and ourselves what we had learned, and we fairly flew along the first few kilometres. Maurice had kindly offered to treat the whole group to waffles when we got back, and the imagined smell of the waffle iron and the taste of succulent cloudberry jam spurred us on when we started to flag.

In the end, Conny had to slow us down with an extra long lunch break and some stops to just take a moment and enjoy some last looks at the beautiful mountain landscape before starting our descent. Coming down through the trees after the long trek across the mountains was joyous and gave us a chance to try out our new downhill skills (something I’ve never found easy on cross country skis). We eventually made it back to the station well in time for afternoon waffles, having completed the distance in about 6.5 hours.

Back in the sauna, looking out once more across the mountains, it seemed in some ways just yesterday and in others a lifetime ago since we had sat there last. Tours like this are wonderful bonding experiences, and we’d come to know each other well over the last few days. I’d also learned something about myself and certainly a fair bit about skiing.

A final meal of epic proportions in the station restaurant, some sharing of photos and memories and a bit of packing, and the next morning we started our long return journey south. Across the lake by snowmobile, onto the bus from Kebnats to Gällivare and then the night train to Stockholm. As I lay once more on my bunk on the train, my mind full of impressions from the week, I knew I’d caught the ski touring bug and would be back for more as soon as possible. I have my eye on the King’s Trail tour for next year!

Best regards

Bob from the Nature Travels Team

Kayaking in West Sweden – Stroking the Cliffs Around Fjallbacka

Stroking the Cliffs Around Fjällbacka

Sofia from Nature travels went sea kayaking in Fjällbacka in the end of September 2012. Here is her story:

It was towards the end of September and already an autumn chill in the air, I had been keenly looking at the weather forecast for the coming days as we were off paddling for 3 days/ 2 nights in the archipelago around Fjällbacka as a part of this year’s Outdoor Academy.

The Outdoor Academy is an academy for tour operators, journalist and outdoor retailers, to get a chance to get to know the Swedish outdoors and test Scandinavian-made outdoor equipment in its natural environment.

Photo: Sofia Carter

On the first day we got divided into smaller groups of around 10 people of mixed levels and mixed professional background. The mixed level groups were mostly for safety, as if you put all the beginners in one group the guides for that group will have difficulty giving appropriate help to all the beginners. We now had a few beginners, some more advanced paddlers and a few at a medium level. We had two guides per group, our guides were Nigel and Christina. Christina was the local guide, while Nigel was from Seattle but has kayaked a lot in these waters.

Photo: Sofia Carter

The first thing we did was to load our kayaks. As part of this trip also is to try out equipment, there were a lot of things to fit into our Point 65 Kayaks, if you add to that all the nice food Christina had brought, our kayaks were fully stuffed when it was time to launch!

Photo: Sofia Carter

Before leaving the shore Nigel gave us some quick tips on good paddling techniques. Then we all helped out to get everyone out on the water. Once on the water we started with Nigel teaching us some different kayaking techniques, how to work with the kayak when paddling and not against it, how leaning in the kayak in different directions can help you turn from or towards the wind, that is, how the construction of the kayak can help to make your paddling easier.

After everyone had mastered the tip for the day, we then slowly headed off. The weather was cloudy, but hardly any wind at all. Perfect conditions for the beginners we had with us.

We paddled for an hour before we stopped for a short lunch break and then continued to our night spot. During my time on the water I took a chance to get to know the other participants in the group a little better. We were a mix of nationalities, two from France, three from Sweden, three from the UK, one from Russia, one from China and one from Seattle.

Photo: Sofia Carter

For our night camp Christina had chosen a beautiful bay where we unpacked our Tentipis and pitched the three of them on the shore next to the kayaks. We now were all hungry for dinner and Christina had planned a festive dinner for us.

We also lit a fire to warm us when the evening chill started to roll in…

After dinner we did the washing up and sat around chatting around the fire until we slowly drifted away, one by one disappearing into the warmth of our sleeping bags.

Photo: Sofia Carter

The next morning we woke up to sunshine, the wind had picked up a bit but the sun was shining from a clear blue sky.

After breakfast we quickly took down our Tentipis and loaded the kayaks, soon we were back on the water. We soon got back into the rhythm of the paddles and even the beginners were picking up a bit of speed. At one point we could see the Väderöarna (Weather Islands) in a distance and they looked like a mirage where the islands where floating in the middle of the air…..

We continued our journey gliding past cliffs, small red cottages and lighthouses.  At one point, Christina asked if there was something special anyone would like to see, and I said seals. Her reply was she couldn’t promise anything, but we could always hope. And after an hour’s paddling suddenly the others called – “Sofia! Look!” and there in the middle between our kayaks a seal head had popped up, looking at us inquisitively.

At one point during the tour we passed Fjällbacka, the village where the author Camilla Läckerberg was born and grow up and where her books are set. So suddenly this was the topic in between us. I have never read one of her books myself, but after this trip I certainly will!

Photo: Sofia Carter

We continued on to our lunch spot, a nice bay where we could sit in the sunshine sheltered from the wind under the beautiful rocks.

In the afternoon we had a longer distance to cover to get to the night spot Christina had chosen for us. It needed to be close to the start/end point as we needed to be back for 09.00 the next morning.

We paddled and paddled and as the light slowly started to fade the wind picked up. Tomorrow was going to get rough. We made it to our night camp just as the dark fell. We quickly set up our Tentipis and starting cooking our dinner. This night the temperature had dropped and with the wind it was really quite cold. We finished our dinner and did the washing up together…and even though we sat around talking for a while, we didn’t linger…The warmth of our sleeping bags was calling…

The next morning was an early start, we were up before the sun… Packing up in the dark in our tents and then quickly putting it all in our kayaks before it all got too wet. ‘Cause it was wet and windy out there!

Photo: Sofia Carter

We then took the tent down and ate a quick breakfast and were off back on the water. It was harder paddling today, mainly because of the wind and I was glad for the beginners’ sake that we didn’t have this weather on the first day. They had by now managed ready to get a few hours’ ‘ paddling under their belts, so even if it was a bit of a struggle they manages. The more experienced of us doubled up with one beginner each to help, if only with moral support…

After 1.5 hour’s paddling we reached the end of our trip…Time to unload the equipment and hit the warm showers. It was a great few days with some amazing paddling.

Nature Travels offers both guided and self-guided sea kayaking in the Fjällbacka region, as well as a variety of options for kayaking on Sweden’s east coast.

Review of Exped Drypack Pro25

Bob from Nature Travels reviews a simple solution to a common problem from Exped

I love drybags. I love packs. And I own large numbers of both in various shapes and sizes. Some might even say too many, but I consider the phrase “too many packs” to be a contradiction in terms. Mind you, I would say the same about “too much garlic”, so perhaps there are issues to be addressed here.

Anyway, when I discovered that Exped made a drybag which is ALSO a daypack – which is such a blindingly good idea that I’m amazed everyone isn’t doing it – it was a (argh…can’t stand this expression…) real no-brainer (ouch, sorry…) that I was going to buy one.

I’ve had a Drybag Pro 25 for about 4 years now. It’s been trampled on by huskies while dog sledding in the Arctic, bounced about in the bottom of canoes and kayaks, scraped along rocks, dunked in Highland streams and – by far the most hazardous of all – survived countless shavings by overtaking cars on the A351 on my morning cycle ride to the Nature Travels office. And it still keeps out the rain. Maybe I could blow it up – dynamite, anyone?

Two great things about this little pack, apart from the obvious that it’s completely waterproof (provided you seal it properly), are that it’s very light and very squashable, making it perfect for taking as a day bag stuffed down in your main pack on long hikes or as an “I think I’ll come home with more than I left with” bag for going on holiday. And being completely waterproof means that you can drop in your camera, phone, interstellar-navigation-device, etc, and then splash about with impunity.

Photo: Danitza Hill

The other two great things about the Drypacks are that they are very sensibly priced (my 25 litre version should be £33, but can currently be found online for under £20) and very durable. Admittedly, I have a hillwalking/bothy-trip buddy in Scotland who managed to put a hole in his after a couple of years, but that’s not a fair comparison. Outdoor kit audibly begins to whimper on the racks when he walks into the store (yes, Euan, I mean you). This is a man who regular manages to snap Light My Fire sporks in half and separate trekking poles irreparably into their component parts, while mine endure years of regular use with barely a scratch.

It’s hard to find anything bad to say about my little Exped bag, given its price and what it’s intended for. I love it so much I really should give it a name. I have no information about the company’s eco-credentials or the nature of the materials used in the pack or manufacturing process, and I’m not aware that the company has an explicit eco-focus, but I can say that buying kit that lasts is a good environmental choice.

True, it’s not the most comfortable or supportive daypack there is, but I’ve managed to carry quite a bit in it without problems (though be careful to load it so there are no hard edges next to your back). True, as effectively just a plastic bag with straps, it doesn’t provide any ventilation down the back and can get you quite sweaty. And, true, it’s now beginning to look a bit grubby and has several stains that refuse to come out despite vigorous scrubbing. But then so do I. And, come on, it’s a dry bag AND it’s a daypack! What’s not to love?

Husky Breeds for Dog Sledding – the difference between Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Huskies?

At Nature Travels, we regularly receive questions from our guests regarding the huskies used on our dogsled tours. Typical questions include:

• What’s the difference between a Siberian Husky and an Alaskan Husky?
• What kind of huskies will I have on my tour?
• Will the huskies in my team be “pure-bred”?

Siberian Husky (along with Alaskan Malamute, Greenland dogs and Samoyeds) is a recognised breed (and can therefore be registered), while Alaskan Husky is not recognised as a distinct breed and the term is often used more generally to describe dogs suitable for and used in dog sledding. Alaskan Huskies can therefore be quite varied in terms of their size, build, colouring, etc.

The characteristics that make a good show dog are not necessarily the same as those which make a good working sled dog. Working dogs are bred and selected for qualities such as tolerance to low temperatures, stamina, good metabolism, strong paws, ease of training and (one of the most important qualities) sociability, both with other dogs and with humans. Show qualities are therefore not prioritised in the selecting and breeding of working huskies and the dogs most successful in competition sledding will almost never been completely “pure-bred”.

In short-distance sled racing, it is common that other breeds (especially bird-dog breeds) are mixed in with the husky genes to produce the best dogs. For dogs suitable for longer distances (such as the dogsled tours we offer and for distance competition), mixed-breed dogs are much less common.

Nature Travels offer a very wide range of dog sledding holidays in both Sweden and Norway, from 4-day family-friendly husky tours to challenging 12-day mountain dog sledding expeditions. The characteristics of the dogs chosen for these tours will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the kind of sledding they will be doing (shorter vs longer tours), the climate and weather conditions of the area in which the tours take place, which dogs work well together in particular teams or in particular roles, and of course the personal preference of the musher!

For example:

• Our Discover Dog Sledding in Lapland, Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland and Northern Lights Dog Sledding in Lapland tours use mostly pure-breed Siberian Huskies.
• For our Aurora Husky Adventure in Finnmark and Husky Sledding in the Arctic Tundra tours, Alaskan Huskies (that is, polar dogs that have their origin in Alaska) are used. All the dogs used are pure Husky without the involvement of any other blood. They are polar dogs that are bred exclusively for sled dog characteristics in general, but long distance/expeditions in particular, so will have blue or brown eyes, mixed colouring, etc.
• For our Siberian Husky Dogsled Adventure, Mushing in the Mountains and Dog Sledding Across Jämtland experiences, pure Siberian huskies are used almost exclusively, with a small number of dogs at the kennels being mixed Alaskan/Greenland dogs.

Dog sledding is very much a partnership of human and animal – you will be an integral part of the team (though the only one with two legs!) – and whatever huskies make up the team used for your dogsled tour, you will be overwhelmed by their affection and trusting nature and the joy they derive from their work. It’s very common for the tears to flow when it’s time to say goodbye at the end of your trip!

Late summer getaway ideas for a holiday in Sweden

Need something to take your mind off the British rain and cheer yourself up?  How about booking one of our experiences in Sweden for late August or early September before it’s time to start the school term?

Photo: Kate Bohn

The latter part of August is often a lovely time to be in Sweden – as the Swedish schools start back around the 3rd week of August, it’s an exceptionally quiet period to visit, with temperatures normally still  feeling summery and the waters of the lakes and archipelagos at their warmest for swimming, having had the whole summer to hear up!

We’ve got plenty of ideas to choose from:

What about taking the children on a self-guided canoe trip down the Klarälven river? Our Canoe Tour on Klarälven is the perfect family adventure. The Klarälven is a wide, meandering river which flows at a stately 2km per hour – a wonderful way to experience the beautiful landscape of rural Sweden and watch the world go by!  Accommodation is wild camping so you can spend your nights round the camp fire cooking the fish you have caught along the way.  There’s plenty of time for exploring the area and going on day hikes etc.  What better way for the kids to experience the outdoors!

We also have a wide range of other canoe tours suitable for different levels of experience. If you are looking for a “lads’ trip” away from the kids and are happy with a challenge, how about Discover Wilderness Canoeing in Rogen, which is suitable for those comfortable with travelling independently in a remote wilderness environment.  It’s a real get-away-from-it-all experience. If you’re not sure which tour is right for you, read this article comparing our different canoe tours in Sweden.

Photo: John Hartshorn

For families with older children who are into their cycling and paddling, try our Hike, Bike & Paddle Stockholm’s Lakes & Islands experience.  It gives you the chance to explore the clear lakes, cool forests and shimmering islands of Stockholm with comfortable overnight accommodation along the way.

We also have a number of log cabin holidays to choose from – such as Back to Basics in Cosy Cabin,s where you stay in a grass-roofed cabin in a secluded forest location, there’s no electricity and cooking is over an open fire.  The children can bathe in the cool clear lakes and drink ice-cold water from the well.  There’s even a tree house called the ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ that’s suitable for couples – a romantic getaway with a difference with the other half?

Photo: Ben Irons

If you like things a bit more advanced and up-to-date, then one of our log cabins in the beautiful area of Värmland could be just the thing your looking for.  With a sauna and your own boat included as standard,you can explore the area by day and relax by night.

So let’s not be beaten by the weather, make some plans to enjoy the later part of the summer with a visit to Sweden – there’s something for everyone!  We can’t promise perfect weather but we can promise something different. We’re here to help if you have any questions…

Best regards

The Nature Travels Team

Olympic Escapes: Escape the Olympics with a Holiday in Sweden

Are the Olympics not really your thing?  Not got tickets and not enthralled with the prospect of watching it on the TV?  Just not interested in sport?  Or do you want to get away from the hordes that will be arriving in the UK between 27^th July – 12^th August?  Then get away from it all…

How about a break in Sweden?  Do something different, where the only flame you’ll see is the flicker of your campfire and the only thing to compete for is who gets the last marsmallow!  Can you imagine the peace and tranquility of being in a canoe in the middle of the wilderness with just the wildlife and your fellow like-minded adventurers for company? – try one of our canoe tours, with a wide range of tours available for both adults and families for both novice canoeists and experienced paddlers, there’s one to suit everyone. With tours running in cultural, rural, remote and wilderness areas, the hard bit will be choosing.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Or, for the Huckleberry Finn in you – how about a timber rafting trip! Build your own raft using nothing but ropes and logs and drift down the river for 5 or 8 days, camping wild along the riverbank.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

What about swapping your four walls in the UK for four very different walls in Sweden? – we’ve got various types of options for a log cabin holiday, from traditional forest cabins (where you can even stay in a tree house) to more luxurious styles (some even have satellite TV if you happen to want to take a peek at what’s going on).  Or how about staying in a traditional tipi where those loads of exciting activities to book? There really is a great choice, with options to suit couples, families, or larger groups of friends travelling together.

Photo: Kate Bohn

We also have various sea kayaking tours (both guided and non-guided) from 1 – 7 days.  After a peaceful day’s paddling in some of the beautiful archipelago areas in Sweden, imagine pulling your kayak up onto your own private island for an overnight stay.

Photo: Sofia Carter Nature Travels

There’s also horse riding and bushcraft or how about a guided tour to listen for the wild wolves? – there really is something for everyone.

Photo: John Hartshorn

So, what are you waiting for? If you would like nothing more than to be away from the Olympics, then Sweden has just what you’re looking for – more in fact!

Happy travelling!

Best regards

The Nature Travels Team

What is a smorgasbord?

The Smörgåsbord is a 300-year-old tradition in Sweden. It’s a meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of different foods on the table. It’s normally a celebratory meal where guests help themselves from a range of dishes.

The actual word Smörgåsbord is made up of the words smörgås (open faced sandwich) and bord (table), and in Swedish is pronounced like “smurgossboard”. The word has passed into common usage in English to mean a wide ranging and wonderful selection of almost anything, as in the phrase “a smorgasbord of delights”.

A typical Swedish Smörgåsbord consists of both hot and cold dishes, always with bread, butter, and cheese. It is customary to start with cold fish dishes , then a second course of other cold dishes, then a third course of hot dishes and finally desert.

The standard Christmas dinner in Sweden is a special type of Smörgåsbord, a  Julbord (“Christmas Table”). As with the Smörgåsbord, a Julbord is usually eaten in three courses. The dishes would include local and family specialties.

The first course on the Julbord would typically be a variety of fish, particularly pickled herring and gravlax (cured salmon). It is customary to eat certain types of foods together. The first course is usually accompanied by strong spirits like snaps, bränvin or akvavit. Other traditional dishes are smoked eel, rollmops, herring salad, baked herring, smoked salmon and crab canapés, usually accompanied by sauces and dips.

The second course is usually a selection of cold meats, the most important one of all being the Christmas ham (Julskinka) served with mustard. Other traditional cuts may include homemade sausages, leverpastej (liver paté) and several types of brawn. The cold meats are usually served with sliced cheese, pickled cucumbers and different types of bread.

The third course will be hot dishes. Traditionally, the third course would begin with soaking bread in the stock of the Christmas ham. The hot dishes may include Swedish meatballs (köttbullar, small fried hot dog sausages (prinskorv), roasted pork ribs (revbenspjäll), potato casserole and matchstick potatoes layered with cream, onion and anhovies (Janssons Frestelse – literally translated “Jansson’s Temptation”).

In addition to the order in which the meal is eaten, each course always requires a clean plate.

From beginning to end – the Smörgåsbord is a total work of art which is lovingly created and then even more lovingly consumed!

Want to try Swedish cuisine for yourself? Experiences such as our Discover Bushcraft for Families or Winter Wonderland on a Forest Farm feature organic, home-cooked meals prepared from local ingredients.

Best regards

The Nature Travels Team

Into the Wild – Canoeing in Rogen Nature Reserve in Sweden

The Rogen Nature Reserve is an area of wilderness in north-west Sweden, bordering Norway where it is contiguous with the Femundsmarka National Park. As well as being famed for its excellent fishing, Rogen is one of Sweden’s top areas for canoe tours, ideal for those looking for a real wilderness paddling experience. The article below describes our Discover Wilderness Canoeing in Rogen self-guided canoe tour (4-8 or more days). A longer and more challenging canoe tour in the Rogen area, Rogen Wilderness Canoe Expedition (8-14 or more days) is also available.

Together with three friends from Scotland (Adam, Craig and Euan our official photographer for the trip), I spent six days paddling in the area in mid-June 2011 – six glorious days of fresh air, clear water and stunning views, all served up with a healthy dose of boys’ trip cameraderie, and of course the occasional mosquito!

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

The night train from Stockholm disgorged us blinking into the morning sunshine at Östersund at a most uncivilised 6am. Fortunately the station staff is used to early morning passengers and the kiosk already had the coffee machine on and cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. This, plus the fact that it was midsummer when sleep feels like a shameful waste of daylight, meant that we were relatively awake and ready for action.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

A couple of hours later and we were the only passengers on the bus to the wild and woolly outreaches of Funäsdalen, chatting to the driver about the local sights and his passion for Scottish whisky. Euan got very excited when we stopped for a rest break near an outdoor store – he disappeared inside and emerged five minutes later proudly clutching a full-length net mosquito jacket, which he’d always wanted for those Scottish hillwalking trips but couldn’t find at home.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

I’d visited the area a number of times in winter, but this was my first time in Funäsdalen, and it turned out to be a perfect jumping off point for the outdoor activities in the area. We had an instruction meeting with Kalle from the canoe centre, who advised us sagely to “take it easy”, especially when making land transports – wise words, as even a simple twisted ankle can be very serious in such a remote area.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

A question often asked by clients considering a tour in Rogen is “How far will we paddle each day?”, but in Rogen this question has little meaning. Depending on the particular area of the reserve you are exploring and other factors such as the terrain, wind and weather conditions, as well as of course your own energy levels day-to-day, you could find that you munch through the miles with a full day’s paddling, cover just a handful of kilometres on a day requiring a challenging land transport, or decide to take a day or more off the water completely to climb one of the peaks for an unparalleled view over the surrounding wilderness. Kalle was right – “take it easy” and you will have a more enjoyable, safer and more rewarding experience than if you focus on setting too many goals for your trip.

We dropped our bags at the canoe centre and headed for the supermarket to stock up. Unexpectedly, we were spoiled for choice and it took us rather longer than expected to negotiate a menu we were all happy with, but after quick repack we were ready for the off, rattling our way out of Funäsdalen along gravel forest roads to the start point.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

With a cheery wave, Kalle disappeared in a cloud of dust, our last sight of civilisation for the next week. The silence closed in around us and we gazed out across the water for the first time with a mixture of great excitement and just a flutter of trepidation.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

We had chosen to start the tour at Käringsjön ending at Käringsjövallen (one of a number of possible start/end point combinations), which would take us at minimum through a series of small, interconnected lakes, out into the large lake of Rogen itself, and through another labyrinth of smaller lakes to the pick-up point six days later. How much further we would get would depend on the weather and our own inclination.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

For our first day, we paddled in light rain through a beautiful maze of quiet, forest fringed lakes with some short land transports connecting them. The edges of the reserve are particularly good fishing waters, and occasionally we would spot a local sat quietly in his rowing boat and staring into the middle distance, contemplating the greater mysteries of life as only a lone fisherman can.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Land transports in Rogen are a challenging business. The more commonly used transport points between the lakes do have basic paths worn by previous paddlers, but the terrain can be steep and rocky and at times it feels more like you are climbing with the canoe than walking with it. In these early days before our canoe carrying technique had been honed to perfection, we did each transport twice, once with the canoes balanced on our shoulders (advantage: efficient weight bearing; disadvantage: limited visibility, leading to increased likelihood of walking into a tree!) and once with our gear. By the end of the trip, we had developed shoulders of Kevlar and calf muscles of steel and managed most of the land transports with gear and canoe combined.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Camping in Rogen is possible anywhere, but fires are permitted only at the designated wind shelters, where wood is provided for your use and is the only wood that should be used for fire making. The forests of Rogen are ancient and rates of decay very slow. A beautiful knarled tree stump or log you see lying on the ground may be hundreds of years old, and such rich natural heritage simply does not deserve to be turned into firewood. In places when travelling through the reserve you will come across the remnants of fireplaces made by visitors who have not observed the rules – please do not use these for your own fires, or even better, dismantle them where you find them and remove any traces of the fireplace to discourage others and preserve the pristine nature of the reserve.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Over the next few days we explored a good portion of the Swedish side of the reserve and generally had an utterly wonderful time. We had our fair share of sunshine, and when the clouds parted and the sun streamed down onto the water and the forest the effect was magical. We crossed over the wide expanse of Lake Rogen (choosing our timing and crossing point carefully for safety) to find our “paradise campsite” for the trip near Bredasjön, a lovely spot which opened magically before us as the reeds parted and where we could have stayed forever. We frightened ourselves silly one day trying to round a peninsula at the northern end of the lake during a particularly choppy spell before common sense took over and we made for land and carried the canoes to calmer waters. We took time off from paddling to climb one of the many peaks for a stunning 360 degree view over the surrounding middle-earth-like wilderness and across the border into Norway. We battled early-season mosquitoes for the night at one particularly marshy camping spot and had a real “Cast Away” moment (the Tom Hanks one, not Oliver Reed/Amanda Donohoe!) next morning trying to paddle out from the bay but getting washed back repeatedly by the waves. And through it all we quietly bonded during our daily ups and downs of energy levels and mood, each of us fulfilling the roles that came naturally to us – Euan producing fantastic meals to lift the spirits conjured from a single pot using the humblest of ingredients; Craig, our tea and coffee guru, producing mysterious packets from the depths of his rucksack and concocting a succession of heavenly brews just when they were needed; Adam demonstrating intellectual superiority at the Guardian cryptic crossword and waxing lyrical on everything from music to psychology, and me, well, I mostly admired the scenery and did the washing up.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Navigating on the water can be tricky at the best of times and in an area like Rogen can be very tricky indeed, especially in the more maze-like lake areas. One headland can look very much like another, a gap could be a space between islands or just an inlet, and it’s essential to be constantly monitoring your position to make sure where you think you are and where you actually are is the same thing! Navigation in Rogen is like the essential rule for DIY – “measure twice, cut once”. Amazingly, we managed to make reality and expectation match up pretty much all of the time, apart from a brief episode on the last day when with great reluctance we resorted to turning on the GPS for the definitive answer.

Finally, after a period which in some ways felt like years and in others like the merest heartbeat, we emerged from the depths of the Swedish wilderness like Livingstone from the African rainforest to wait for our pick-up. Our saviour, Jan, arrived to rescue us right on time and we bumped our way home, slightly shell-shocked at the sight of tarmac roads and streetlights.

Photo: Euan Turner DMh Photo

Another bus and night train journey later and we were back in Stockholm, hugging our goodbyes at the airport – hairier, muddier and undoubtedly smellier than we had been a week before (apologies to the poor unknown souls who had to share a plane with the other three on the flight home – I was off to the Stockholm Archipelago for a few days and a hot shower), but with a song in our hearts.

Best regards

Bob from The Nature Travels Team

Dog Sledding Tour on King’s Trail in Lapland

Trip report by Bob from Nature Travels from our 8-day Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland tour in early March 2010, a dogsled tour on the King’s Trail in the far north of Sweden. Note that since the tour below, the itinerary has been slightly revised to cover a greater total distance, and now includes sledding to Abisko at the start of the tour.

I had done a 7-day mountain dog sledding tour in the Vålådalen area of Jämtland in north-west Sweden a couple of seasons earlier (see our previous blog article “Born to Run – a Musher’s Diary). That tour had been extraordinary, and so I started the trip expectant and excited, but thinking that it would have to be special indeed to top my Jämtland experience.

We gathered at the base camp cabin on the Wednesday – a disparate mix of nationalities including British, German, Dutch and an American living in Columbia, united by a common interest in the beauty of the winter wilderness and the far north. Most of us had arrived by train or plane to Kiruna, but the German couple had undertaken a mammoth road trip, driving 2500km up through the endless Swedish forests, where you can drive for hours without meeting another soul, sleeping in the back of their converted estate car along the way.

The next morning was a flurry of activity and excitement and tripping over each other, as we hopped around in the equipment room trying on boots and snowmobile overalls until we were happy with our choices. We would be starting our tour 90km to the north-east at Abisko, and the huskies were yapping and jumping excitedly as we loaded them into the kennel boxes for transport. Those new to mushing are often surprised by how incredibly affectionate, loving and gentle the dogs are. Curled up two-to-a-box with their noses poking out into the chill winter air, they looked adorable and the urge to hug one was overpowering – but there would be plenty of time for that!

All participants drive their own sleds for the tour, which adds up to a lot of dogs. Six participants with four dogs per team, plus our guide Marcus’ sled with his six dogs (carrying more packing and breaking the trail through the heavy snow ahead of the others) – that’s thirty dogs in total. That’s a lot of fur, a lot of barking, a lot of food and, ummm, a lot of what comes out the other end.

A relatively easy stretch through birch forest and flattish terrain was ideal for our first day’s sledding. After a couple of squeals of alarm and minor spills, everyone slipped smoothly into their new mushing roles, finding their balance and confidence quickly, their shoulders dropping and the tight lines of concentration on their faces relaxing as everyone really began to enjoy themselves.

Our first stretch took us to Abiskojaure, simple but comfortable cabins nestling in the forest, where we had our first lesson in staking out the lines, unharnessing the dogs and clipping them onto the lines for the night. Our first attempts were not exactly streamlined – there was much falling into snowdrifts and getting tangled up in ropes while being smothered in warm furry husky kisses before the teams were all in order. But by the end of the trip this would all be running like clockwork.

The dogs always come first, and by the time the teams were fed and watered for the night, the light was almost gone and it was time to settle down for our first night on the trail.

By Day 4 we had reached the foot of the Tjäkkta pass and were really beginning to feel like proper mountain adventurers. We knew this day was going to be a toughie, so we filled up on extra porridge at the breakfast table in preparation. The Tjäkkta pass is the highest point on the route at 1100m, and as we snaked through the approach we could see the incline rising ahead of us. What’s more, this was the first mountain trip of the season and only a handful of ski tourers had been this way before us in recent days. Snowfall just before we had arrived and relatively mild temperatures meant the snow was heavy and trailblazing particularly tough for Marcus and his team at the front (and not that easy for the rest of us following behind!), and we had to backtrack and wind our way around before finding the best route up the hill.

Dog sledding, especially in the mountains and especially when gaining altitude, is not just a question of standing on the sled and admiring the scenery while the dogs do all the work. The success of a sled team depends on both its four-footed and two-footed members. Fail to (literally) pull (or push) your weight and the dogs will turn their heads and give you a “come-on-what-are-you-playing-at-I’m-not-doing-this-all-by-myself-you-know” look, and if that doesn’t galvanize you into action, they’ll just stand still in protest until you agree to help out.

In all senses of the word, this day was the high point of the tour for me. We struggled and battled and sweated and fought our way up the pass as the summit loomed tantalisingly, spurring our teams on with words of encouragement and at times almost crawling on our knees behind the sled as we sank into deep snow or pulling the sled out from a drift when we got stuck. As we approached the ridge, the sun was streaming through light cloud and the heavens parted to give us a stunning view down the valley on the other side, with what felt like the whole of creation laid out before us. Marcus informed us that we were particularly fortunate, as this was one of the rare occasions he’d cross the summit of the pass with clear weather, so we took time at the top both to recover from the exertion of the ascent and to savour the moment.

As with everything, what goes up must come down, and soon it was time to mount the sleds once more for a thrilling descent. Tired as we were and exhilarated by the view and our achievement of having reached the top, it would have been all too easy at this point to lose concentration.

Travelling down a steep incline by dogsled can be hazardous, especially for the dogs. A fully loaded sled is heavy and has significant momentum, and unchecked will easily pick up speed and can overtake or even run over the team, with nasty consequences. Marcus was therefore keen to ensure that we took the descent in a controlled and safe manner, spacing the sleds widely apart and taking the route in sections with regular stops. Nevertheless it was an exhilarating ride as we slid and slithered our way down to the valley floor to make our way to the cabins at Sälka, where a wood-fired sauna provided a much-appreciated chance to soothe our muscles and the perfect environment to chat over the exertions and adventures of the day. Plus of course a roll in the snow is obligatory!

The next morning our plan was to take a detour from the main route to the cabins at Hukejaure, up a valley to west. We sledded across a bewitchingly translucent lake and were soon climbing through a narrow and beautiful valley thick with soft new-fallen snow – providing a stunning landscape but making the going heavy. After an hour or so, we reached a particularly steep section, where we stopped behind Marcus while he and his team tried valiantly to break a trail up the slope. Time and again his team would make it about halfway before sliding back in the deep snow, and after half an hour or so it was decided that we would have to change plans as the going was just too heavy. Turning the sleds about in such a narrow gap was quite an operation. The dogs will primarily follow the lead sled, which meant that as Marcus turned about and headed back alongside us, all the other teams turned to follow at the same time, resulting in a major traffic jam of paws, lines and sleds for a while until we got everything untangled!

As we made our way back down the valley, the sky above us was changing fast. Huge, ominous storm clouds were gathering on all sides, while we remained bathed in sunlight from an ever-decreasing hole in the middle. It was one of the most dramatic skies I had ever seen, with the dark brooding storm clouds contrasting starkly with the bright sunshine on the snow.

With the storm closing in rapidly, we made our way as quickly as possible to the next cabins along the route at Singi, arriving just as the wind was picking up and the last sunlight disappearing through the closing iris of cloud. We had timed our arrival none too soon – by the time we had unharnessed the teams, staked all the dogs out along the lines and organised the sleds, the wind was slamming into us funnelled by the valley, the snow was blowing so hard you could hardly stand and speaking consisted mostly of yells of “Pardon? What?” – incredible to think that just half an hour before we had been standing in bright sunshine with whisper-calm winds.

Finally everything was in order and we retreated to the cabins as the dogs dug themselves into the snow for shelter. With the storm had come very mild weather and the temperature was only just below freezing. Within just a few minutes the curled up forms of the huskies were all but buried beneath the drifting snow, where each dog would be sheltered and insulated in its own miniature “snow cave”.

When we awoke the next morning the storm was still raging and it was clear that we were in for the day. Despite not being able to sled this day, the chance to experience a proper Arctic mountain storm in full swing was dramatic and exciting in itself, and made even the 30m walk to the toilets an adventure, while a trip to the water well about 100m from the cabin required major expedition planning and backup teams! We made the most of our down time and the day in the cabin was passed with much playing of cards, talking, swapping photos and generally eating too much.

We were in awe of the dogs’ ability to ride out the storm without protest and apparently without any discomfort. By the next morning, the weather was much improved, and our teams were even more enthusiastic than usual to be off for the day’s mushing after their unexpectedly long rest, yapping and jumping as we harnessed them to the sleds.

Today was the last part of our adventure, taking us past Kebnekaise Mountain Station with Sweden’s highest mountain in the background to end at Nikkaluokta, where the transport vehicles were waiting for us.

It had been a fantastic trip, and we were all justly proud of how our skills with the sled and our confidence had developed during our week in the mountains. We had formed a real bond with our dogs (of course everyone was convinced “their” team was the best!) and there was much choking back of lumps in the throat and surreptitious wiping of gloves across noses and eyes (must be the cold!) as we all hugged our teams and loaded them into the trucks. We’d seen many sides of what the mountains had to offer, from bright clear sunshine and stunning vistas to horizontal winds and dramatic skies. I’d started the tour thinking that it would take a very special week indeed to top my dogsled tour in Jämtland, and as I climbed into the minibus for the journey home I reflected that the last few days might just have done it after all.

Best regards

Bob from Nature Travels

You can see more photos from this trip in the Nature Travels Facebook gallery.

Nature Travels offers a wide range of dog sledding holidays, from challenging mountain tours such as the tour described above to shorter family-friendly tours and winter multi-activity holidays combining dog sledding with other activities.

Nature Travels publishes results of 10:10 C02 initiative

During 2010 and 2011, Nature Travels was proud to participate in the 10:10 project, a global initiative to encourage both individuals and organisations to cut their C02 emissions by at least 10%.

The goal of the 10:10 project is for participants to achieve a minimum 10% reduction in C02 emissions relative to turnover during the target year compared to the baseline year.

The parameters of 10:10 allow for C02 emissions to be relative to turnover because there is the understanding that as a company expands with increased infrastructure, etc, there may be a corresponding increase in emissions. Conversely, if a company downsizes, a corresponding decrease in emissions could fairly be expected without any positive action to reduce emissions being taken.

Since using resources responsibly and minimising waste has been at the heart of Nature Travels’ approach from the very beginning, we always knew it was going to be difficult to achieve further reductions. Our hope was to be able to streamline certain procedures to reduce the most high-emitting activities, in particular planning itineraries carefully to reduce the number of flights to Sweden required to visit our local partners and research new products for our portfolio.

The results are now in. So how did we do? As you’ll see, there are some things we’re very pleased about, but also other areas where we feel we can still make improvements.

Company growth vs C02 emissions:

During our target year 24 June 2010-24th June 2011, we are delighted to report that our total sales for holidays in Sweden increased by 55% during this period, more than double what we had projected, compared to the baseline year 24^th June 2009-24^th June 2010.

In terms of absolute C02 emissions, these unfortunately increased from a total of 3,042 kg during our baseline year to 3,635kg during our target year, an increase of 19%.

Taking this into consideration, while our emissions rose by 19%, the sales generated from these activities rose by 55% during the same period, representing a comparative decrease of C02 emissions relative to turnover.

We are very pleased that we were able to accomplish significant growth as a company with a relatively modest increase in emission levels. However, we would of course have preferred to have been able to report that our C02 emission levels had remained static or decreased.

Analysis:

We have examined our data collected during the period and have identified the following factors contributing to our rise in emissions levels during this period:

• Nature Travels took on additional staff during the second part of the target period. This of course led to additional computer and related peripheral equipment use in the Nature Travels office, resulting in an increase in total energy consumption.
• The winter of the target year 2010/2011 was unusually cold, leading to increased energy consumed in heating the Nature Travels office during this period.
• Our significant growth during this period necessitated some additional flights to Sweden to maintain our close relationship with our local providers and to research new products for our portfolio. Nevertheless, we were reasonably pleased that we were able to accomplish this with just one additional short-haul and one additional domestic flight (within Sweden) relative to our baseline year.
• In some cases, exceptional circumstances led to unexpected private vehicle use during the target year where public transport would normally have been used. Examples of this include needing to travel to Heathrow airport by car rather than by public transport as normal when no suitable connections were available, and travelling to a remote location which could not be reached by public transport where the Nature Travels team attended a Wilderness First Aid training course.

We have found our participation in the 10:10 project both enormously helpful and very enjoyable – being part of a community all committed to the same goal has been very motivating.

We recognise that we at Nature Travels need to be continually striving to maintain and improve our environmental performance and to stabilise or reduce our C02 emissions as a company, even as we continue to grow.

Plans for the future:

While 10:10 originally stood for “reduce emissions by 10% in 2010”, the commitment to emissions reduction and sustainable management is of course an ongoing one. The momentum achieved by the project is being carried forward and the movement is very much still active.

Nature Travels will continue to be a part of the 10:10 initiative. Moving forward, we have identified the following main areas we would like to focus on:

• Efficient planning of essential trips to Sweden to visit local partners and research new products, always with a view to gaining the maximum benefit from each flight and avoiding multiple trips at short intervals wherever possible.
• We are currently looking at improving insulation at the Nature Travels offices to increase our energy efficiency and reduce energy used for heating.

For more information on 10:10, see http://www.1010uk.org

Best regards

The Nature Travels Team