Mountain hiking
A few days’ hiking in a magnificent free mountain landscape is among many people’s holiday favourites and once somebody begins, they gladly return year after year. The magnificence and being able to get away a little are attractive. A few days in the mountains make you slow down and feel well.
Despite being pristine and having a wilderness feel, in many places the Swedish mountain world is well prepared to welcome visitors, and there are experiences for every taste. In no way does it have to be about walking a long way and carrying a heavy backpack. There are lots of ways to experience the mountain without it having to be a huge physical achievement. Hotels, holiday villages and mountain stations often have a large activity programme where there are possibilities of visiting the nicest outing destinations with a guide. But of course, there is also a possibility to take outings on one’s own, preferably together with somebody.
Plenty of hiking trails in the mountains
In most mountain areas, there are plenty of marked hiking trails and the majority of mountain hikers follow them. Many make day outings and come back to the starting point. Outings like this require no advanced equipment.
As mountain tents have become ever better, many people also choose to camp. It provides an added dimension of freedom. One can get away from the hiking trails and visit the areas that have absolutely no overnight accommodation. Even campers often follow the trails, however, and camp next to cabins and stations. A camping trip requires more equipment, like sleeping bags, sleeping mats, a field kitchen and provisions. And of course this makes the backpack a little heavier. Camping trips along the trails also demand more mountain experience.
If one is prepared for rain and cold, there are few risks for anyone following marked trails in the summer. Passing bodies of water that rise with non-stop rain is mainly a risk for those who hike off of the trails where there are no bridges. See our tips for wading! If it snows, it rarely stays long.
We recommend that anyone thinking about going out on a glacier do so with a mountain guide. This is also true of short outings on the edge of a glacier.
The mountain terrain can be demanding. Uneven footing, steep ups and downs and carrying a backpack consume energy. Calculate the leg for each day with wide margins. In mountain terrain, one walks around 3 km per hour with a pack. In demanding terrain, you have to count on a shorter distance.
When is the best time for hiking?
The summer season in the mountains can be counted from around midsummer to a few weeks into September. Anyone who wants to enjoy a floral setting must come early while those sensitive to mosquitoes should wait a while into the season. When the autumn colours come at the beginning of September, the mosquitoes are generally gone and the air feels crisper and you can see for miles in the clear air.
There is a huge feeling of freedom when you walk in the mountains. In good weather, you can see far and you can drink water straight out of the brooks.
Anyone who listens to the weather report and adjusts his or her outing to experience and energy, packs the backpack wisely and sticks to the marked trails, even with limited experience, has nothing to worry about! See the mountain outing as a great opportunity for a positive outdoor experience!