LET'S GO HIKING

You can hike overlooking the sea or Sweden's highest mountaintops. It can be a hike to the cloudberry marshes or along a winding forest trail – when the silence, the lack of cell phone coverage and the breathtaking views hit you.

Put your boots on
  • An autumn hike in Abisko

    Autumn… It can be really boring… and dreary… and just… just wonderful! Autumn is so immediate; it makes its first appearance after a chilly night and then moves on at full speed. Its colours and clear air must be experienced in the same immediate way: right now!

    Maria Sirviö
  • 29
    Nature

    The woods

    A breath of fresh air never hurts. That has always been our roundabout way of trying to explain what it is that makes nature good for us human beings. But the results of more and more research in recent years have shown just how beneficial spending time in the great outdoors is for human health and wellbeing. Science confirms a piece of time-honoured folk wisdom. It’s time for a walk in the woods.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • Go hiking

    Getting just the right amount of physical activity will do you good. This is common knowledge. It's also said that nature is a healer for both body and soul. Maybe more so than ever in late summer when the colours begin to change, from sharply green to fiery red and orange. The air becomes wonderfully crisp and fresh, filling your lungs and your mind with energy.

    Ted Logart

THE KING'S TRAIL

This is Sápmi, a slowly changing cultural land. The 450-kilometre long trail will take you through the Laponia World Heritage, four national parks and the headwaters of Sweden’s four remaining national rivers. This is the most beautiful hike up north, covering some vast and wild land.

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The great outdoors
  • The King of all trails

    The King's Trail runs through Sweden's most beautiful mountain scenery and provides more than 400 kilometres' worth of hiking adventure for the first-time hiker as well as the truly experienced mountain veteran. It is one of the world's most famous hiking trails, and the stage between Abisko and Nikkaluokta is the most-travelled trail in all of Sweden.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • The higher land

    The Sámi call it Badjelánnda – the higher land. It's Sweden’s largest national park, right next to the Norwegian border and a part of World Heritage Laponia. A favourite location for those who want to be on their own for a bit. It's the beginning of autumn when Håkan Stenlund sets his sights on Consul Persson's cabin. A lonesome trek back.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • Gravel roads

    If biking in Swedish Lapland were a song, which song would it be? "Take Me Home, Country Roads", John Denver's 1971 hit, would definitely be in the running. Dusty gravel roads, blue mountains and that constant feeling of being right at home.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • An autumn hike in the mountains

    Autumn has only just claimed the land. Warm days in the sunshine, but cold at night when that same sun disappears behind the mountains. The landscape is coloured by the demands of the season. This is a story of a September hike around Šielmmáčohkka and upper Visttásvággi. A hike in a time of contrasts.

    David Björkén

HEAD FOR A HIKE

Hiking can be an amazing experience, but it can also turn into a real challenge. Spending time in the mountains means you have to be able to rely on yourself, your knowledge and your choices. We’ve put together some good advice below to make sure you have an amazing – and safe – mountain experience.

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SHOOTING AUTUMN COLOURS

Many think autumn is the most beautiful time of year in Swedish Lapland. It's as if Earth itself grants a generous firework display of colour before the winter sleep settles over the Arctic landscape. And it's easy to capture the show with a camera on standby. These are five simple tips for capturing autumn in a photo.

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THE FOREST IS YOURS

Is it really true that anyone can walk around the forests and beaches of Swedish Lapland? Pick berries and pitch a tent anywhere? Yup, that's exactly what it's like in the democratic forest.

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THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

Vindelfjällen is one of Europe’s largest nature reserves, and Ammarnäs is a place to fall in love with. All part of the new UNESCO biosphere reserve Vindelälven Juhttátahkka. We took a short hike for a great view.

Biking the mountains

The area along Rallarvägen, between Abisko and Rombaksbotten, probably has some of the best mountain biking in the World.

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THE MAGIC MOUNTAINS

As soon as Linnea, a local mountaineer gets a chance she heads for the mountains. We asked her to explain what’s the deal with those mountains. And as you know, some questions aren’t that easy to answer.

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Gems in the mountains
  • 27
    Places

    Sweden’s highest mountain station

    One thousand, two hundred and twenty-eight metres above sea level is where you find Sweden’s highest mountain station: Låktatjåkko. It takes you a couple of hours to walk there from Björkliden and halfway is probably where you’ll start craving the waffles.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • Gourmet hiking

    Fried Arctic char and boiled potatoes, in all their simplicity. It has been a long time since I ate so well and such uncomplicated food. Yet, the delicious taste is also associated with a very simple truth: Hunger is the best spice.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • 27
    Places

    The secret stone valley

    In Sámi it's called Geargevággi, which translates to Stone Valley in English. But in real life, it might as well be a fairytale.

    Håkan Stenlund
Trail running
  • Trail running the King’s trail

    The most common way to experience King’s Trail (Kungsleden) is walking or skiing in a comfortable pace. But there are other ways – come along on an up-tempo journey through the scenic mountains of Swedish Lapland when Krissy, Luke and Fredrik takes on the challenge of spending a week running along this famous trail.

    Therese Sidevärn
  • Running wild

    Running is in human nature. Long before urbanisation, jogging and rubber-soled shoes made tarmac commonplace, we kept to the trails. These days, trail running is enjoying a renaissance. Running for the experience and running for those who prefer personal challenges to personal bests.

    Ted Logart
  • Trail running in Ammarnäs

    Trail running is becoming more and more popular, and it turns out that the mountains around Ammarnäs are ideally suited for the purpose.

    Maria Broberg
  • A run through magical mountains

    The helicopter takes us to the starting point, 18 kilometres out in the roadless land. The mountain terrain is magical. I cannot find a better word to describe it. Then there are sweat, pain, and doubts. Followed by laughter, pleasure, and euphoria. When it’s all over, all I can think about is: Why don’t all races take place in the mountains of Swedish Lapland?

    Petter Norén

AN ARCTIC MOUNTAIN MARATHON

Björkliden Arctic Mountain Marathon, or BAMM, is considered one of the most challenging things to do in Sweden with your running shoes. Every Year the races are held in the rugged yet beautiful environments of Arctic Sweden. This is a brief hint on what to expect.

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Winter hiking

The freedom to roam

Besides a few urban cities, Swedish Lapland is all about vast woodlands and roaring rivers. High mountains and winding coastlines. To explore is in our DNA, getting off the beaten tracks and into the wild.

Being in nature has always been, and still is, a huge part of everyday life for the people living in Swedish Lapland. One might think that this urge we have to be in nature is because this is considered a fundamental right in Sweden. To go hiking, paddling a canoe, pick berries or set camp for a night is a right defined in what we call the Right of Public Access or “Freedom to roam”.

You can spend time in every forest, pick berries and take them home, all according to this right of access. You can go hiking, set camp almost everywhere and make a campfire if there’s no danger of the fire spreading, all according to this right of access.

It’s available, accessible, and free, but we do ask for something in return – respect.

Pick as many blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries you can carry with you – but use common sense and do not cause damage to the soil and vegetation, like tearing up shrubs, removing the bark, or picking large amounts of moss. It’s fine to make a campfire where there’s no danger of the fire spreading, but never light a fire on a rock as stone can crack. You may burn cones and twigs lying on the ground, but not chop trees down, so bring a few pieces of firewood. You’re allowed to camp almost everywhere, but not near someone’s house, farm, or pasture with grazing animals.

Welcome, the forest is yours.

 

Also read
  • 29
    Nature

    World’s best place
    for northern lights

    Abisko National Park, in Swedish Lapland, offers some of the best conditions in the world for northern lights watching. The unique climate of the area keep the skies almost clear, and the light pollution is next to nothing. And here, you also find the Aurora Sky Station.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • 12
    Design

    A frozen icon

    In the village of Jukkasjärvi, outside Kiruna, lies the original ICEHOTEL. Every year, since 1989, it has been reincarnated in a new rendition and there’s always more to come. From the beginning this was kind of a crazy idea in the winter, nowadays it’s as crazy all year round.

    Emma Forsberg
  • 28
    Culture

    The eight seasons

    In Swedish Lapland, nature plays an intrinsic role in our life and work, and the people here are highly sensitive to the small details of the changing seasons. Therefore, it seems only natural that the Sámi people describe eight seasons instead of four.

    Ella Jonsson

This website is made as part of the project AHKKA, co-financed by the European Union and Region Norrbotten.