Trail running is becoming more and more popular, and it turns out that the mountains around Ammarnäs are ideally suited for the purpose.
“A summary of the Lapland mountains”, that’s a description of the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve I’ve come across. You can find most things in those mountains: high mountain massifs, low-lying mountain birch forest, u-shaped valleys and herb meadows. The southernmost part of the King’s Trail runs through the Vindelfjällen mountains like a hiking motorway between Hemavan and Ammarnäs, and there are numerous other hiking trails to discover. According to rumours, the area around Ammarnäs is particularly suitable for trail running or mountain running: running up and down in varying mountain terrain.
– It feels like anything to do with the mountains has become more trendy, whether it’s running, hiking or MTB, you know, mountain biking, says multi-sportsman André Vollan Johansson.
André is based in Ammarnäs: this is where he lived when he was a boy, this is where he came after high school, and this is where he works as a guide. When André goes running, the trail will go uphill, and downhill. The Ammarnäs mountains are his backyard – he’s been running and skiing in these mountains as long as he can remember. He was good at it, thought the training was fun and spent time on mountains and peaks. And, he continues:
– Here in Ammarnäs, you’ll go up, no matter in which direction you go!