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Jämtland may be less well-known than the region of Lapland to the north, but the delights of its mountain world and the range of outdoor activities available are no less impressive.
The dramatic mountains and vast wilderness areas of Swedish Lapland in the far north of Sweden are justly famous as a winter adventure holiday destination (though the marvellous opportunities for summer activities such as Hiking on the King’s Trail are less well-known). But the county of Jämtland, bordering Lapland to the north and Norway to the west, also offers winter and summer possibilities to rival the majesty and excitement of its northern cousin.
It is true that the small town of Åre in Jämtland is one of Sweden’s premier destinations for downhill skiing and regularly hosts international ski events, and that the Åre area is also acquiring a name in MTB circles as a centre for mountain biking in summer. But for those interested in winter pursuits away from the hustle and bustle of the pistes, Jämtland is also a superb area for dog sledding, ski touring, snowshoeing or a traditional winter log cabin holiday. From the imposing bulk of Helags to the silent forests of mountain birch, Jämtland’s mountain magic remains largely undiscovered by visitors from overseas.
While rather smaller than Swedish Lapland, Jämtland nevertheless covers a huge area and is very sparsely populated – the sense of scale when travelling through the area is an exhilarating lift to the senses. It measures approximately 315 km from north to south and 250km from east to west. Total area is around 34000 square kilometres, about the size of Ireland, which represents 8.3% of Sweden’s land area, yet Jämtland has a population of just 113 000, just over 1% of the country’s total. The majority of the population is concentrated in the county capital of Östersund. Almost the entire county is a highland region, with the highest peak on the Swedish side being Storsylen at 1728m.
Lying south of the Arctic Circle, Jämtland may not be able to offer the added attraction of such good chances to see the Northern Lights compared to more northerly alternatives (though displays of the Aurora Borealis do occur in Jämtland, the chances of a strong display are more likely further north). But it is able to offer other advantages, not the least of which is that travel to the area is often considerably more affordable. Trains provide a convenient and cost-effective alternative to taking a domestic flight.
For example, clients travelling to our Dog Sledding and Winter Bushcraft experience can step off the plane at Arlanda airport in Stockholm, walk to the train station below the airport building and take a direct train to be in Bräcke just 4.5 hours later, from where transfer to the cabin is included.
Fly to Trondheim in Norway and you can be in Undersåker in just over 2 hours, the jump-off point for the quiet beauty of the Vålådalen Nature Reserve, a marvellous area for extended ski touring and snowshoeing tours. One stop further down the line lies Järpen, the destination station for many of our dog sledding holidays in the area.
Jämtland’s mountain wilderness is waiting to be discovered – take a look at our interactive map of Sweden, find out where it is and start planning your adventure!
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
Life is busy, and not everyone is able to find time to arrange their train tickets in advance and so get the best fares.
As discussed in our recent blog post about public transport in Sweden, Swedish rail operator SJ releases the most affordable tickets 90 days before travel. These fares are then sold on a “first come, first served” basis, meaning fares will tend to increase steadily the closer to your date of travel you book.
If you are able to make your train bookings well in advance, there are some excellent deals available. But for various reasons, this may not always be possible. Perhaps you are booking your holiday in Sweden at the last minute, or perhaps you have been meaning to get around to booking your train tickets for weeks but other things somehow took priority.
Whatever the reason, it’s worth considering the Swedish bus network as both a cost-effective and comfortable alternative. Sweden is a vast country, and its extensive rail network serves many destinations in even the remotest areas. But there are necessarily huge areas of the country where bus is by far the most frequent or convenient option.
Local bus services (on which we are always happy to advise clients travelling with us) are run by regional operators. Swebus – www.swebusexpress.se – operates regular coach services covering much of the country, with very affordable prices.
For example, if you are travelling from Gothenburg to Karlstad for one of our canoeing holidays in Sweden, current fares for one of the regular direct buses with Swebus cost just £15/adult/way and take around 4 hours.
To book your bus tickets with Swebus, go to www.swebusexpress.se. Click “English” in the top left corner and select your departure point and destination. You can then choose from a variety of ticket options (price depending on flexibility required). You can also call them on +46 (0)771 – 218 218.
You should also note that some bus connections, both Swebus services and local bus services, are listed as part of the timetable information when checking train connections on Swedish rail operator SJ’s website www.sj.se. When these services are listed, tickets for travel can also be purchased through the SJ website. This is often a very convenient way to buy a ticket valid for your whole journey right through to your final destination, perhaps combining the main part of a longer journey by train with the last section by bus. You may also find in some cases that Swebus may offer a more convenient service than the train for the outward journey, but that you wish to take a train for your return. Once again, as long as the bus services are listed by SJ you will be able to buy a ticket for both journeys at the SJ website.
Sweden is a wonderful country to travel in by public transport, whether you are taking a night train up north for one of our hiking holidays in Lapland or over to the Norwegian border for one of our dog sledding tours in Sweden, or a bus to the archipelago to go on a sea kayaking tour! And with Swebus, you can even leave it to the last minute to organise your journey and still get affordable fares!
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
Sweden’s reputation for reliable and efficient public transport networks is well-deserved. Despite the vast distances involved and the remote nature of much of Sweden, its web of well-organised public transport links offers regular connections to even the furthest reaches of the country. Where it is necessary to take a combination of train and bus to reach your destination, bus timetables are often thoughtfully coordinated with train arrival and departure times.
As well as being a convenient, comfortable and environmentally-friendly option, travelling by train and bus in Sweden offers a wonderful opportunity to see the landscape of this beautiful country and can really add to your enjoyment of your trip.
How to check train timetables and purchase tickets for public transport in Sweden
On the website of Swedish national rail operator SJ, you can check connections and book your tickets online. You can check times and purchase tickets for the complete route, including any sections where it is necessary to travel by bus.
To see timetables and to book your tickets, go to www.sj.se. Click “In English” in the top right corner. Type in your start point and your destination. If you have difficulties, you can also call them on +46 (0) 771-75 75 75. Wait for the message to say ”For information in English, press…”
Many Swedish place names will use the Swedish characters å, ä and ö. If you do not have these characters on your keyboard, you can replace them with the English characters a and o. The system will usually make a guess as to the place name you require and ask you to confirm your choice. If you have difficulties, you can also copy and paste these characters from the sentence above. If travelling to or from Gothenburg, you should also bear in mind that the Swedish name for Gothenburg is Göteborg. In all place names, “C” signifies the central station (e.g. Stockholm C = Stockholm Central).
It is much cheaper to buy your tickets in advance. You should note that the most affordable tickets are only released 90 days before travel. If you are checking connections many months in advance, timetable information for your chosen dates may not be published yet. In this case, use sample earlier dates to get an idea of likely connections. For group bookings, SJ offers special group rates for groups of 10 or more persons – for a quotation, email gruppresor@sj.se.
One important point when purchasing your tickets online: the English version of the SJ website is still under development (in fact this bug has already been present for some time – we have discussed the matter with SJ but no changes have been made as of the time of writing). When you come to the booking page, the form will ask for your telephone number. This field is not yet set up properly to accept overseas numbers. Instead, use the following number as a “dummy”: 0870 12345678. This number is not important to your booking and will not be used for contact purposes.
Taking a night train in Sweden
If travelling to one of our guided hiking tours in Lapland or our dog sledding holidays in Jämtland, taking a night train is often the most convenient option. Sweden’s long distance rail routes take you through some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the country, and a journey by night train is a real experience, delivering you to your destination refreshed and ready to begin your holiday adventure! There are a choice of sleeping arrangements to suit all tastes and budgets, from couchettes to private en-suite compartments.
Buying the most affordable train tickets in Sweden
As mentioned above, the most affordable tickets are released 90 days before travel, and it is usually possible to get very good prices for your chosen route. If you are willing to wait until less than 48 hours before travel, it is now also possible to bid on SJ train tickets, meaning that you could travel for as little as 1 kr! For details of the bidding system, please see http://www.sj.se/sj/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=224&a=51518&l=en
Local bus services in Sweden
There is also an efficient network of local bus connections. For local services it is usually not possible to purchase your tickets in advance. You should buy your tickets on board. Operators for local bus routes in Sweden will depend on the area in which you are travelling. We are happy to advise on suitable travel connections to any of our holidays in Sweden.
Booking trains from between Norway or Denmark and Sweden
If the majority of your journey is in Sweden, the SJ website will probably show connections and allow you to purchase your tickets (if travelling to/from Copenhagen in Denmark, remember that the Swedish for Copenhagen is “Köpenhamn”). If not, you may find connections listed at www.bokatag.se.
Swedish public transport allows you to reach even the most remote parts of this lovely country quickly, safely and affordably. It is possible to reach all the outdoor holidays in Sweden offered by Nature Travels by public transport, and the great majority of our clients travel to and from our experiences by public transport.
Advice on travel to/from your destination is given in the “Getting There” section of the Full Details file for each of our experiences. Simply click on the “Full Details” link on each experience page. You can browse an interactive map of holidays in Sweden at www.naturetravels.co.uk/holidays-in-sweden.htm. You can also book flight buses from Swedish airports into the city for onward train connections through us at ww.naturetravels.co.uk/add-ons-flygbussarna.htm. We are happy to advise our clients on any aspect of travelling to one of our wildlife, outdoor and adventure holidays in Sweden. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
We are constantly expanding our portfolio of holidays in Sweden, and Nature Travels now offers over 50 different experiences, ranging from self-guided wilderness canoeing to 7-day husky holidays.
With so many different experiences to choose from, how should you decide which one is best for you? One option is simply to give us a call or send us an email. We are very happy to answer any questions you may have and can make recommendations and suggestions to suit a wide range of interests, abilities, ages and budgets. Nature Travels offers such a varied choice for outdoor and adventure holidays in Sweden that we can almost guarantee you will find something to suit your tastes!
We also provide a range of resources and tools on our website to help you find the best experience for you, whether you are a family with young children looking for an affordable camping holiday or a large corporate group wishing to combine team-building with luxury accommodation:
Search by month
If you know when you would like to travel, but are not sure what activities might be possible or would like some inspiration, the best place to start is our month-by-month listings. Here you can see all the experiences available in a particular month. Don’t forget that many of our experiences are bookable on custom dates by arrangement for small groups and families, so please don’t hesitate to ask if there is a particular activity you cannot find during your chosen period.
Search by location
Perhaps you are travelling to Stockholm for a business trip and would like to add a few days to your trip for an activity. What can you do in the area? Our interactive map shows the approximate locations of all our Sweden holidays, helping you to narrow down your choices. We are happy to advise on the best public transport connections to your chosen experience, or to send detailed driving instructions if you have a vehicle.
The interactive map is also a very useful resource for planning your journey. Simply click on the airport icons to see flight connections to/from each city. Ferry routes are also displayed.
Find the perfect holiday in Sweden for you
Perhaps you know that you would like to go canoeing but are unsure which of our canoeing holidays in Sweden would suit you best. We have a series of articles to help you choose between the various tours on offer. The articles also cover suggestions for different times of year and for different types of traveller, such as winter family holidays in Sweden. Currently, we have articles on the following subjects (if you have ideas for a particular article you would like us to add, we would love to hear from you):
- Holidays in Sweden in different seasons
- Choosing a self-guided canoeing tour in Sweden
- Choosing a dog sledding holiday in Sweden
- Suggestions for family holidays in Sweden, including families with young children
- Ideas for a summer family holiday in Sweden
- Ideas for a winter family holiday in Sweden
- Choosing a log cabin in Sweden
- A personal account of our Sea Kayaking in Sörmlands Archipelago experience
Group travel to Sweden
Many of our experiences are ideal for groups travelling to Sweden. For example, our self-guided canoe tours have proven very popular with canoe clubs, school groups and Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions, while Timber Rafting on Klarälven is an excellent team-building activity for corporate clients. In wintertime, our range of dog sledding tours in Sweden have provided the perfect challenge for University Armed Forces groups and charity expeditions.
We have a special section of our website dedicated to group travel, with tailored suggestions whatever your group’s requirements and interests. Standard itineraries can easily be tailored to suit the particular needs of your group, with custom start dates, bespoke activities and extra additions such as hotel accommodation and coach transport. A group discount is also often available.
We currently have the following resources dedicated to groups. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding group bookings for any of our experiences:
- Group travel to Sweden
- Holidays in Sweden for clubs and associations
- Activities in Sweden for private groups and families
- Group trips to Sweden for scout and student groups
- Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions in Sweden
- Suggested adventure training in Sweden for University Armed Forces groups
- Bespoke experiences in Sweden for corporate clients
We do hope the range of resources outlined above will be helpful in choosing your next holiday in Sweden with Nature Travels. If you would like to discuss anything about our experiences, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
What is the Swedish Right of Public Access?
Allmansrätten, or “Every Man’s Right”, is an important part of Swedish cultural heritage, a unique freedom of access to Sweden’s countryside and wild places, and one of the things which makes Sweden such an attractive destination for the outdoor enthusiast.
Where does the Swedish Right of Public Access come from?
The origins of the Right date back to the local laws and customs of the Middle Ages, and it is of enormous importance in Sweden both to individuals and to groups, clubs and tour operators (such as ourselves). Clubs and companies are permitted to take advantage of the Right of Public Access when conducting activities in the Swedish countryside, although in essence the Right is limited to individuals.
What is its general principle?
The Right of Public Access has a number of parts, which are discussed in more detail below, but in essence it can be summed up in the phrase “Do not disturb, do not destroy”. With the considerable freedom and right to roam afforded by Allmansrätten comes the burden of care and responsibility, and the principles of the Right are there both for the enjoyment of outdoor activities in Sweden and for the protection of its rich flora and fauna.
Why is it necessary?
With a growing global population and increased pressure on natural areas everywhere for recreational purposes, the principles of the Right of Public Access are more important than ever, providing an important framework for the sustainable enjoyment of Sweden’s countryside and wilderness areas. If these areas are used without care or respect, irreparable damage can occur to the natural environment, which may include:
- litter and toilet waster
- erosion of paths and soil
- depletion of natural resources such as wood for fire making
- damage to fragile ecosystems and removal of rare or vulnerable species
What controls are there to ensure that companies follow the rules?
The Swedish Environmental Code requires organises of outdoor activities in the countryside to demonstrate a knowledge of and respect for the natural environment of the area in which their activities take place. They are also obliged to inform participants in their experiences of the principles of the Right of Public Access and how the natural environment of the area can be conserved and protected.
At Nature Travels, we work exclusively with small-scale partner companies in Sweden. All these companies are members of the Swedish Ecotourism Society and most have passed through a strict quality-control system to receive a quality mark for their high standard of environmental commitment. Among the many criteria that must be met for certification, they must provide a detailed analysis of how their activities impact the local environment and what measures they have to manage this impact. For more details on this, please see our previous blog article on Ecotourism FAQs.
On any of the experience pages on our website at www.naturetravels.co.uk, you will see a button near the top of the page labelled “Full Details”. This link opens a PDF file giving further information on the experience, and in each file you will find a section titled “Common Sense and the Right of Public Access”. If you have any questions about how this applies to your chosen experience, please don’t hesitate to ask and we will be happy to discuss it with you.
Can I walk or ski anywhere in Sweden?
Within certain guidelines, yes. Following the principle of “Do not disturb, do not destroy”, you may not walk or ski on cultivated ground or in the grounds around someone’s house. There are no limits or distances defined in law, but people engaged in outdoor activities in Sweden are required to exercise common sense and consideration. For example, a newly-planted section of a forestry plantation would also be considered “off-limits”, even though it may not be seen as cultivated ground as such. Common sense also allows you to interpret the Right sensibly – you should not cross a crop field where crops are growing, but if the ground is hard and snow-covered in winter, there is no reason why you should not be allowed to cross.
What about cycling?
The Right of Public Access also allows great freedom for cycling in Sweden. Again, you must use your discretion to judge whether or not your presence will disturb or destroy, but you are allowed access to all private roads, and it is not permitted for a landowner to put up a sign prohibiting you from cycling on the road or path.
You should ensure that you choose the correct cycling style to suit the area and the environment. Avoid places or times or weather conditions when your tyres could cause erosion, keep off fragile areas such as those covered in moss or lichen, and if cycling on a trail intended for hikers or joggers, cycle slowly and show consideration for other uses of the paths, giving way to joggers and walkers.
There are exceptions to the freedoms afforded to the cyclist in Sweden. Local authorities may decide to introduce “No Cycling” restrictions on some paths, while inside National Parks and other protected areas, cycling may be banned completely.
Can I ride a horse in Sweden?
Again, horse riding in Sweden is permitted in most areas under the Right of Public Access. Because of the great potential for riders to damage ground and cause erosion, there are a number of things you should bear in mind when riding your horse in Sweden.
You should avoid trails specially intended for hikers, joggers or skiers and avoid sensitive ground such as bogland or moss-covered areas. You should also be careful not to damage young trees and be especially cautious when the ground is wet around spring and autumn. If riding in the same area on a regular basis, it is advisable to ask for permission from the local landowner. You should also avoid cultivated ground and the grounds of houses as you would if walking or cycling.
Unlike for cyclists, landowners can erect a “No Riding” sign in areas where there is high risk of damage to the ground. Local authorities and National Parks and nature reserves may also have their own restrictions.
Can I fish without a licence in Sweden?
No, not generally. As a non-Swedish citizen, you are required to have a licence unless fishing with hand-gear in public waters. In all other cases, you must obtain a fishing permit. Fishing is prohibited within 100m of stationary fishing equipment and fish farms. You are permitted to fish from a private jetty on an occasional basis (though not one next to someone’s house), but must of course give priority to the owner of the jetty if they require access for a boat, etc.
Can I pick mushrooms, berries and flowers in Sweden?
One of the great joys of being out in the forests of Sweden is the rich carpets of flowers and berries which cover the forest floor, and the wide variety of mushrooms available at different times of year. Looking for and gathering this forest bounty is a popular activity for Swedes and visitors alike. If you are particularly interested in this forest pastime, you may wish to take a look at our Autumn Forest Gold experience.
You are permitted to pick flowers, berries and mushrooms for private use, but must avoid protected species and should also use your discretion for other fragile species which may not yet be formally protected. There may be local restrictions in place if a particular species is vulnerable in that area. Protection for plants and animals is usually absolute – you are not permitted to disturb them in any way, even within the grounds of your house. In other cases, protected may be partial, so that certain flowers can be picked for private use, but not dug up by the roots. If a property is abandoned and there are no standing buildings, it is permitted for you to collect fruit, e.g. apples, raspberries, gooseberries, etc. from the abandoned orchard.
Live wood is also protected, and you may not chop wood from a growing tree to make a fire or otherwise cause damage to it (e.g. by carving in the bark).
As with many other aspects of the Swedish Right of Public Access, National Parks and protected areas may have their own restrictions on the collection of berries, flowers and mushrooms.
Can I take my dog on holiday to Sweden?
Many Swedes own dogs themselves, and dogs are generally very welcome in Sweden. There are certain restrictions designed to protect wild animals during the most vulnerable times of the year and to prevent harm to livestock.
Between 1st March and 20th August, it is important that dogs are not allowed to run loose in the countryside. In practice, this means that dogs should be kept on a lead in areas where there are wild animals, livestock or game. Outside this period, dogs should be kept under close control, and if you are in an area which practices reindeer husbandry, dogs not used for reindeer herding must be on a lead at all times.
Once again, National Parks and other protected areas will have their own regulations, and in some National Park areas dogs are prohibited.
If you would like to take your dog on holiday to Sweden, Nature Travels offers a number of dog-friendly experiences which are ideal for dog owners. Please contact us for details. You should be aware that Sweden that the regulations for bringing a dog into Sweden are usually tighter than for other EU countries. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice or assistance.
Can I light camp fires in Sweden?
Yes, lighting fires is permitted under the Right of Public Access, but you must follow certain precautions to minimise damage and the risk of an uncontrolled fire.
Many people do not think of Sweden as a hot country, but in fact during the summer, the forests and heathlands can become extremely dry and large forest fires are a very real danger.
You must site your fire whether there is no risk of the fire spreading and where the fire will not cause damage, such as on sandy ground or gravel. Avoid mossy and peat-bog areas, as the fire is likely to spread and can also burn underground unnoticed long after you have left. You should also not light your fire next to a rock, as this can crack and scar the rock. Wet stones may crack and even explode when heated. You are permitted to collect cones, fallen branches and twigs for your fire, but must not gather live wood or use fallen trees. Dead trees are extremely valuable habitats for wildlife and must be left intact.
At times where there is a high risk of fire, a ban may be imposed by the local authority. In this case, you are not allowed to light fires, but may still use designated grill spots and a camping stove with care.
Don’t forget that National Parks and nature reserves in Sweden may have their own regulations regarding camp fires.
I’ve heard that you can camp wild anywhere in Sweden. Is this true?
Up to a point, yes. The freedom to camp wild is one of the great joys of an outdoor holiday in Sweden. You should not pitch your tent on farmland or near a house, and stays in any one location are limited to a night or two.
Groups of friends pitching two or three tents do not need to obtain permission from the landowner, but as always, you must respect the privacy of anyone living nearby and take care not to damage the natural environment.
Generally, a good rule of thumb is to ensure that you pitch your tent out of site of people’s houses and do not stay more than two nights in the same spot. Don’t forget to take all your litter away with you (including food scraps –orange peel, for example, can take many years to degrade naturally!). If no other option exists, make sure you bury your toilet waste properly. Choose a spot at least 50m from houses, camping spots, water sources, etc. Dig a hole 15cm deep for your waste and then fill in soil on top. Do not bury non-degradable items such as children’s nappies or female sanitary products.
Can I recycle my rubbish in Sweden?
Yes, most areas of Sweden have very good facilities for recycling. In addition to the standard containers for glass, paper and cans common in the UK, many small towns or village supermarkets will also have stations to recycle batteries and plastics. If you buy drinks in aluminium cans or plastic bottles (“PET-flaskor” in Swedish), a few kronor of the price you pay will be a deposit, or “Pant”. Many shops will have a station near the entrance where you can return these bottles and reclaim your deposit. Just ask the shop assistant for help. If you want to recycle your cans, be careful not to crush them, as the deposit machines will only accept non-crushed ones.
I’d like to take my caravan or motor-home to Sweden. What freedoms will I have?
Along public roads, you may stay for 24 hours in lay-bys and designated public parking areas, or until the next weekday at weekends or on public holidays. You must not drive your vehicle off-road, e.g. to park in a field or on a beach.
What about sailing, boating and swimming in Sweden?
As with other aspects of the Swedish Right of Public Access, provided you show suitable care and consideration, a great deal of freedom is allowed. You should ensure you are aware of local regulations which apply to you and demonstrate good seamanship at all times.
It is permitted to temporarily moor a boat off the shore, to swim, to cast anchor and to go ashore, as long as you are not within the grounds of a private house or in a protected natural area. In the same way that you should not camp in the same spot for more than two nights, you should not moor your boat in the same place for more than two nights before moving on.
Be especially careful around bird or seal sanctuaries, where you are not permitted to go ashore. Make sure you look for the signs for advice in local areas.
A final thought…
The Swedish Right of Public Access is a wonderful cultural institution, providing unique freedoms to Swedish citizens and visitors alike. As long as its principles are respected, and common sense exercised at all times when judging what is or is not possible, there is no reason why everyone should not continue to enjoy these freedoms long into the future. With increasing pressure on all our natural areas and the rise in popularity of outdoor recreation, it is now more important than ever that its ideas of fair and sustainable use of the countryside are observed. If we “Do not disturb, do not destroy”, the valuable natural environment of this vast and beautiful country can be enjoyed by all for many years to come.
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
Many of the outdoor holidays in Sweden offered by Nature Travels include wild camping, such as our canoe tours, sea kayaking experiences, wilderness hiking tours and our Go Camping by Dogsled and Ice Fishing and Dog Sledding experiences.
Sweden has something of a reputation when it comes to mosquitoes – but which stories are really true? We have tried to answer some of the questions we are frequently asked below:
What is a Swedish mosquito?
Confusingly, the Swedish work for mosquito, “mygg”, sounds less like “mosquito” and more like the English word “midge”, those small, fast-flying clouds of biting insects which have been the bane of many a camping trip in Scotland. Swedish “mygg” are larger, slower, and much easier to catch, and what is more they do not share the tendency of their smaller cousins in Scotland to mount kamikaze attacks on your dinner cooking quietly over the campfire…
Some areas of Sweden, particularly the north, do also have midges, or “knott”, but mosquitoes are much more widespread, distributed in varying densities throughout the country.
Are there a lot of mosquitoes in Sweden?
Yes, and no. The density and number of mosquitoes varies greatly depending on the time of year, the part of the country you are in and the degree of rainfall during the breeding season in spring and early summer. They generally appear around mid-June and disappear again towards the end of September, with numbers lowest at the beginning and end of the season. Since mosquitoes like water and birch forest they are not often found on the high plains away from the mountain stations. Although mosquitoes are present throughout Sweden, numbers are highest in the north of the country.
Mosquitoes go through four stages in their lifecycle: from egg to larva to pupa before finally becoming an adult. Water is essential for mosquitoes to breed, as mosquitoes spend the larval and pupal stages of their lifecycle in water. Most mosquitoes will become food for a wide variety of animals, but those that are not may live for 2-3 months.
Do Swedish mosquitoes bite?
Yes, they do. Sweden has 47 species of mosquito, 45 of which are the biting kind, though not all of these will bite humans. Only female mosquitoes bite humans, as they require the protein to breed.
Some people are particularly sensitive to insect bites and develop itchy red spots, while others seem to be little affected. Mosquitoes in Sweden can be a nuisance, but with some simple precautions the problem can be managed.
How can I avoid being bitten?
Generally, mosquitoes in Sweden are only a particular problem during dusk hours, and more in the north of the country than elsewhere. Wear long-sleeved (bite-proof!) shirts and trousers, and use a repellent if you wish. Cover your head with a hat or scarf. If you are particularly bothered by mosquitoes, you may find a net for your face helpful.
What repellent should I use?
Everyone has their own individual preference regarding repellent. However, in general we recommend you buy your repellent in Sweden, as this may be more effective against Swedish biting insects than repellents purchased elsewhere.
Do Swedish mosquitoes carry malaria?
No. Malaria was present in Sweden until the 18th and 19th centuries, when people lived in much closer proximity to their cattle, but disappeared from the country in the early 20th century.
Are mosquitoes all bad?
While most humans consider them a curse, there are a number of positive sides to the presence of mosquitoes:
- Mosquitoes provide an important source of food for many animals, from the tadpoles and fish which eat their larvae to the birds and bats which hunt for adults on the wing.
- In some countries, mosquitoes assist in the pollination of certain plant species, including Cattleya orchids. These plants in turn have leaves which collect small pools of water and host mini ecosystems of their own containing frogs, newts and toads.
- Spreading disease may seem like a negative, but maintaining the flow of bacteria and viruses around an ecosystem builds immunity and helps to strengthen populations as a whole by culling weaker animals.
- Finally, it is sometimes said that without the deterrent that mosquitoes provide to human settlement, some of our wildest and most beautiful places would have been colonised and developed to a far greater degree. So mosquitoes are actually powerful conservationists!
Mosquitoes are present in Sweden, and in some cases they can be a nuisance. But with simple precautions there is no reason why they should be more than a minor annoyance or spoil your enjoyment of some of the world’s most spectacular wild places. The Nature Travels Team feels strongly from personal experience that if you can survive a camping trip on the west coast of Scotland and live to tell the tale, you will have little difficulty dealing with Swedish mosquitoes!
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
Nature Travels offers a wide range of outdoor holidays in Sweden, from canoeing to dog sledding to romantic log cabin breaks, for independents, families and groups of all ages and levels of experience.
There are two main misconceptions about the climate in Sweden: that it is always dark, and that it is always cold!
While there are certainly times when it is both dark and cold, the weather in Sweden is as varied as its landscape, as varied as the possibilities it offers for outdoor activities at any time of year.
Overall, Sweden has a very temperate climate given its northerly location. The North Atlantic Current warms air which is brought up from the southwest by low pressure winds in the Atlantic. From the east, high pressure zones bring bright, warm summer days and clear, crisp and cold winters, while the high mountains of Norway and the plateaux along the western edge of Sweden provide shelter from the mild, wet winds blowing in from the west. Levels of precipitation in Sweden are relatively low – the wettest period is in late summer and early autumn, while across large tracts of the country much of the winter precipitation falls as snow.
Summer
From late in May until mid-July north of the Arctic Circle, the sun never sets. About 15% of Sweden lies within the Arctic Circle – the Land of the Midnight Sun. Summer in the far north of Sweden is a magical time, with the long days making the possibilities for activities out of doors literally endless, plus the extra daylight means that somehow sleep feels almost unnecessary. You may be surprised to find that you are still fully energized for a hike in the mountains even in the early hours of the morning!
But you do not need to travel to the far north to experience many of the advantages of the long Swedish summer days. Even in Stockholm (only about 1/3 of the way up this vast country), there are only a few hours of semi-darkness during the summer months.
Summer in the north of Sweden is a short but beautiful period, and people make the most of the long days and milder temperatures. In the northeast, there are usually more days of sunshine and less cloud compared to the mountainous regions near to the Norwegian border in the west. In the far north, average temperatures in July are likely to be around 15 degrees C, though the long hours of daylight can lift temperatures surprisingly high. In the centre and south of the country, bright, warm summer days are common and the lakes and coastal waters offer the chance for idyllic bathing. In general, summers in the Stockholm area have similar temperatures to the south of England, but more days of sunshine. Out among the 24,000 islands of the Stockholm archipelago, it is commonly clear and sunny even when it may be cloudy just a few miles away in the heart of the capital.
Winter
Sweden is a very long country (around 2000km from north to south), and this, coupled with the higher altitudes of the mountainous regions to the north, makes for a great deal of variation in winter climate. Northern areas may experience snowfall for eight months a year, with temperatures that can drop to -40 degrees C and around 184 days a year with an average temperature of below zero, compared to 120 days in Stockholm and just 71 in the south.
In the depths of winter, the Stockholm area has only around five and a half daylight hours, while in the north of Lapland, the sun peeks above the horizon to give just 4 hours of twilight and almost 20 hours of complete darkness.
But the darkness is short-lived. Towards February/March the light returns, bringing with it an uplifting combination of the majesty of winter with the warm glow of early spring sunshine and longer hours of daylight. This “spring winter” is a wonderful time to be in the Swedish mountains. Even in deepest winter, the darkness is offset by the glow of the thick blanket of snow which covers the land throughout the winter months. Not only does this make the landscape brighter than one might expect, but it creates a cosy and welcoming atmosphere and a real feeling of winter. What’s more, the winter landscape in the far north is regularly illuminated with the spectacular displays of the Northern Lights (see our recent blog article here) in the night sky.
In the southern part of the country, winters are milder and less predictable. In southern Sweden, average temperatures in January may be just around freezing, and it is less common for the sea waters around the coast to freeze.
On the east coast of Sweden, the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, which contained between Sweden on its western edge and Finland to the east, regularly freeze. The sea ice, as well as the thousands of lakes dispersed throughout the interior of the country, offer excellent opportunities for ice skating. Ice skating on natural ice, or “trip skating”, is a hugely popular pastime for all ages in Sweden and offers a truly unique way to experience the winter landscape.
An outdoor paradise in any season
One of the great advantages of the country as a holiday destination is that travelling to Sweden is a totally different experience depending on the season you visit, with enormous variations in climate and landscape as the seasons change. The Sami, the indigenous people of the vast northern mountain plains of Lapland, divide the year into eight seasons, not four:
- spring winter, when the pregnant reindeer females cause the herd to leave the forests and head for the mountains
- spring, when the snow melts and the reindeer give birth to their calves in the foothills
- pre-summer, when Sami livestock graze on the fresh growth carpeting the mountains
- summer, with its endless daylight hours, the time to mark the new-born calves
- pre-autumn, when the autumn colours begin to spread through the landscape and the reindeer bulls are slaughtered
- autumn, a season for fishing for the Sami and mating for reindeer
- pre-winter, when the reindeer herds are brought down from the mountains to more sheltered grazing in the marshlands
- winter, when the herds are moved into the protection of the forests to ride out the harsh winter until spring-winter arrives once more
Whenever you choose to visit, Sweden has something to offer in all its seasonal guises, from the deep snows of winter, through the meadows carpeted with flowers in spring, to the long lazy days of summer, and finally into the blazing glory of autumn as the forests turn and prepare for winter once again. Browse our full range of outdoor holidays in Sweden at www.naturetravels.co.uk!
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
If you find yourself in northern Sweden during the winter months, there is a very good chance you will step out on a cold, clear night and witness one of nature’s most spectacular and ethereal displays – the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights – a sight that many consider to be the most beautiful thing they have ever seen.
The term is a combination of Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and Borealis, from the Greek word for North Wind. As the name suggests, the Aurora Borealis is only visible in the northern hemisphere – the southern hemisphere has its own version, the Aurora Australis.
What causes the Northern Lights?
It may look like magic, but there is some relatively simple science behind this unique phenomenon. Charged particles in the Earth’s magnetosphere called ions collide with atoms in the upper atmosphere. Energy from the collisions is emitted as light, which due to the dominance of atomic oxygen tends to be a greenish or dark-red colour. These colours persist for a relatively long period, while the blues and purples caused by molecular nitrogen vary much more quickly.
What does a display look like?
An instance of the aurora may look like a soft, diffuse glow in the nighttime sky or like multi-coloured “curtains” running east to west, each made up of parallel rays aligned with the lines of the Earth’s magnetic field. You may even see a kind of corona of diverging rays if a magnetic line runs directly overhead.
How often do the Northern Lights occur in Sweden?
Auroras occur more frequently near the poles, since the particles needed for the displays are attracted by the Earth’s magnetic field. Displays do in fact occur year-round, but it is in the deep darkness of the northern winter nights that they can be seen most easily and are at their most spectacular. Calm conditions are best, and the most intense part of a display will last between 10 and 30 minutes. In Sweden the most active auroras tend to occur before midnight, and during peak activity displays occur on average every other clear night, perhaps even more frequently.
When is the best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Sweden?
The darkest part of the year, between November and February, when the winter nights are long, offer some of the best chances to see a display, though the Northern Lights can be seen from as early as September until around the middle of April. Not only the time of year, but also the phases of the moon can have a significant impact – the light from a full moon may obscure an otherwise spectacular display. It is important to bear in mind that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and, as such, sightings can never be guaranteed – Lapland is a vast, beautiful wilderness area, and the reasons to travel there during the winter season are many, even if the Aurora does not show itself during your visit. The thrill of reindeer sledding or driving your own dogsled, sleeping in a tipi or mountain cabin, meeting the local Sami and learning about their culture are all wonderful experiences in themselves!
What cultural significance does the Aurora Borealis have in Sweden?
The scientific explanation is of course not the only one, and certainly not the most colourful. Such an other-worldly display has clearly had a profound effect on the culture and folklore of Scandinavia. An old Swedish name for the lights, “sillblixt”, translates as “herring flash”, and it was thought that the display was created by the reflections of huge shoals of herring swimming in the oceans. The Finnish word, “revontulet”, means “fox fires”, and comes from the ancient belief that Lapland was home to fire foxes, whose fur emitted sparks and caused the aurora.
One tale from the Nordic region describes the aurora as light from the fires surrounding the Earth’s oceans reflected in the sky (when the Earth was believed flat and itself surrounded by water). Another says that the sun could throw its rays above the horizon even after sunset, while a third attributed the display to powerful light energy absorbed by glaciers.
The Sami people, the indigenous people of Lapland, believe that when “observed” by the lights, you should be quiet and respectful. In particular, to make jokes or sing about the lights is to invite disaster – the lights may descend from the sky and kill the mocker. Many elderly Sami still remember that, as children, misbehaving during the aurora was very serious indeed. The lights were thought to be inhabited by the spirits of those who had died an early or violent death. Other indigenous peoples of the north, such as the Inuit in Greenland, also believed that the lights were inhabited by the dead – but that the display was caused by the spirits playing football with the skull of a walrus across the nighttime sky.
Further down, in the southern parts of Sweden far from the wild plains of Lapland, the aurora still occurs, though less frequently and usually less intensely. Here the people believed that the lights were caused by the Sami people in the north searching in the mountains for their lost reindeer herds!
How can I see the Northern Lights in Sweden?
Whatever explanation you choose to believe, there is little doubt that for many the Northern Lights are near the top of their “things to see before you die” list, and Sweden is a magnificent area to experience this beautiful sight. Swedish Lapland is a wonderful place to observe the aurora, and though a display can never of course be guaranteed, chances are good during the winter months.
Photo: Nils Torbjorn Nutti
Our Reindeer Sled Safari takes you out into the Lapland mountain wilderness for 6 days in one of the best areas in Sweden to see the Northern Lights, while Experience Lapland gives you an opportunity to try dogsledding, reindeer sledding and snowshoeing in a 4-day multi-activity adventure.
Photo: Peter Grant
Take a moment tonight to stand beneath the stars and imagine yourself wrapped in the enveloping darkness and silence of a winter night in northern Sweden. Picture the cold clear air pricking at your skin, the ground shining from horizon to horizon with reflected light from the snowfields, and all around you the sky filled with a swirling mass of spectral colour.
The skies are darkening, and winter is just around the corner…
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
UPDATE JUNE 2009:
In addition to reindeer sledding, we have now added two new dog sledding tours in Lapland giving very good chances to see the Northern Lights as you mush your own team of Siberian Huskies through the Arctic wilderness:
In the region of Jämtland, near the Swedish-Norwegian border, lies the nature reserve of Vålådalen, encompassing the ancient forests and wide valley of the Vålån River and the surrounding mountains. Since 1988, this 1200 km2 area has been protected as the Vålådalen Naturreservat.
With a height difference of between 500m and 1600m above sea level, a quarter of the reserve is comprised of forest, almost all of which is classified as “natural forest” or “virgin forest”. The geological and climatic variations within the reserve allow for a very wide range of flora and fauna, and the reserve is home to some of Sweden’s rarest and most spectacular animals, including the wolverine, the arctic fox and the gyrfalcon, as well as rare plant species such as orchids.
The arctic fox, Alopex lagopus, is Sweden’s most endangered mammal, and the subject of concerted conservation efforts in Sweden. The work, which includes radio tracking and supplementary feeding programmes, is now beginning to show real benefits, but the arctic fox population in Sweden remain very fragile. Arctic foxes are highly vulnerable to fluctuations in availability of food supply, and they will only breed in years with plentiful food. One of their main sources of food, the lemming, has a population cycle with periodic peaks and crashes, the reasons for which are still largely unknown. Also of major concern is the spread of the red fox into arctic fox territories, and conservation measures have also had to involve the culling of red fox populations in some areas to reduce competition.
In a good lemming year, females may give birth to 5-6 letters of 5-10 young each under the protection of the winter snows, which means that come spring the mountain heaths of Vålådalen will be alive with huge numbers of these beautiful animals. Lemmings provide an essential source of food for arctic foxes, as well as for birds of prey such as the long-tailed skua and rough-legged buzzard, and arctic fox females may give birth to up to 16 pups in a good year. Mortality rates can be high, though, and it may be a long time until the next lemming peak.
Food supply is only one challenge the local wildlife faces in the fight to survive in the Jämtland mountains. As with any mountain environment, the climate in Vålådalen can be unpredictable, with weather conditions changing often and suddenly – in Vålådalen, this is a result of the Atlantic climate zone and the continental climate zone meeting over the mountains.
Safety when you’re out in the mountains should always be a primary consideration, and this is ideal terrain for mountain skills training. Nature Travels offers two tours aimed at improving your survival/outdoor skills in a mountain environment. Mountain Magic for Beginners takes you on a camping expedition into the Jämtland mountains during the summer season, with expert instruction in navigation and mountain safety – as well as a great camping experience in wonderful surroundings, of course! The winter version of this tour, Beginner in the Snow, also gives you the opportunity to camp wild in the mountains – but this time in the depths of winter – teaching you essential skills to ensure that a winter expedition is both enjoyable and safe.
Photo: Annica & Torkel Ideström
Vålådalen in the summer is a beautiful area for a walking holiday in Sweden, and Nature Travels offers a hiking tour with a difference – in the company of your own husky sled dog! The dogs, who spend their winter providing the propulsion for our popular dogsledding holidays, also love to be out in the summertime, and our Hiking with Dog tour gives you the opportunity to explore the Jämtland mountains with your own pack dog to help with the load!
Vålådalen in winter is an excellent area to go doglsedding in Sweden. Nature Travels offers five dogsledding holidays in Sweden, all of which take place in or around the nature reserve. Our popular Dogsled Adventure in Jämtland is a week-long dogsledding tour into the beauty and silence of the winter mountains and is available from December onwards. As spring begins, the days lengthen and temperatures rise, it is also possible to spend your nights under canvas, and our Go Camping by Dogsled and Ice-fishing and Dogsledding experiences combine the excitement of a dogsledding adventure with the true wilderness feeling of spending your nights in a tent or teepee. For the winter season 2007/2008, we have also added a shorter 4-day dogsledding tour, Discover Dogsledding, as well as our Premium Dogsledding Expedition, which combines the challenges of a mountain dogsledding holiday with a few creature comforts along the way!
The Swedish mountains possess an expansive, ethereal beauty at any time of year – a place to rediscover your spirit and follow your dreams – and in Vålådalen Nature Reserve is an ideal place to explore the endless possibilities of the Swedish mountain world!
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
Heathrow Central Bus Station is a wonderful spot for people watching. It’s late afternoon, and I’m sitting on a bench by stand number 13, watching the world go by. The air is filled with the heady aroma of diesel fumes as an endless stream of National Express buses arrive, load up and head out again, bound for such exotic destinations as Oxford, Worthing and Brighton. All around me a hundred small human dramas unfold – an elderly couple argue quietly together about their luggage, a young mother loses her patience in her struggle to control a wayward toddler, two young backpackers sit on their rucksacks holding hands ….and all to a soundtrack of the roar of jet engines, the neverending drone of London traffic and the chatter of voices in a dozen different tongues. Over the years Heathrow Central Bus Station has played a vital role in many of my travel adventures – the expectancy and anticipation of arrival, knowing you’re off somewhere new and exciting, the joy of coming home to see old friends and loved ones, and occasionally the blank exasperation of seeing your coach pull away just as you reach the stand.
Sitting there as the skies darkened and the pigeons pecked listlessly around my feet, I couldn’t help thinking that the scene stood in stark contrast to the view I’d been looking at earlier that day. Just a few hours before, shortly after breakfast, I had been sitting on a jetty on a small island. It was still quite early, and the morning mist was clearing to reveal a bright blue sky and the promise of a warm September day. A full moon still shone faintly overhead and on a neighbouring island an osprey came in to land on its nest at the top of a pine tree. A few minutes later a flock of cormorants passed over in perfect V-formation like a small black aerial display team, and behind me a field vole emerged warily from the forest undergrowth, sniffed the air for a few seconds, got startled by the flutter of a dragonfly and disappeared from view. As I watched the last of the mist evaporate in the gathering warmth, I caught a glimpse of a very large bird of prey as it flew into view from behind the trees. Another few minutes’ patient waiting and what I could now see was a Golden Eagle glided into view and circled lazily just 20 metres or so above me before heading off to the horizon to try new hunting grounds.
All around me the world was full of life – in the air and on the ground, but still all was calm and quiet. Apart from the distant tak-tak of a small outboard engine and one or two characteristic red and white summer cottages peeking out from the forests of surrounding islands, there were no signs of anyone else being around at all. Somehow it seemed as if the whole scene was being played out just for me, that the world had stopped whatever it was doing and decided to sit back and enjoy things for a while.
What made the sensation so surprising, and in a way so much more special, was that I hadn’t journeyed to a remote and undiscoverd part of the world, spending hours bumping along dusty country tracks or slashing my way through impenetrable forest to get here. This was the Stockholm archipelago, and I was on one of the 24,000 or so islands that make up this stunning marine landscape on the east cost of Sweden. Just over an hour away by boat lay one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world, home to around 800,000 people. This combination of wildness and accessibility has always, for me, been one of the great attractions of Sweden – the country offers some of the most spectacular and wildest landscapes to be found anywhere in Europe, yet the swift and efficient transport networks and the attention paid to planning and design mean you don’t need to travel for days to reach them.
My reverie was interrupted as I glanced at my watch and realised it was time to get going. Lifting our luggage into the boat, we gunned the engine and headed out across the dead calm waters. Ninety minutes later we were sitting in Arlanda airport, the sights and sounds of the archipelago still fresh in our minds. As Douglas Adams wrote in Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul, “It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, ‘as pretty as an airport.’ Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort.” But perhaps he’d never been to Arlanda. While nothing compared to the sweeping majesty of the landscape I had been in earlier that morning, Arlanda would probably do rather well in a world airport beauty contest, and is certainly a lot more attractive than Heathrow Central Bus Station….
Best regards
Bob from The Nature Travels Team
Nature Travels is the UK specialist for wildlife, outdoor and adventure holidays in Sweden. Our sea kayaking experiences take place in the beautiful and wild Trosa archipelago just to the south of Stockholm.
