Hi guys.
Been a long long long time since I've been on any bushcraft forums.
Use to get out rambling a lot! Then through my mid 20's I discovered rock climbing and surfing. Those 2 things all consumed me for years and my bush ramblings turned to camper vans and dirt bagging mixed in with the odd night in a hammock out amongst it.
I've got the bug to ramble again. Surfing and climbing are... hectic to say the least. I long to sit by the fire, wander through the woods, read, chill, look and listen to nothing but nature, be in the bottom end of nowhere and self reliant.
Going through my kit the other day I came across old plans I'd made to head to Sweden for a canoe trip. Flying to gothenberg, catching the train to Ed, hiring a canoe from Canodal and heading out for a few days. Myself and a friend are planning on seeing that plan through on the 14th to 18th of June this year.
Thought it best to ask some questions for the hive mind here.
What's that region generally like in mid June.. hot/cold/luck of the drawer? Are the midges bad? are there a load of tourists (a tourist not liking tourists, the irony) or can we really feel like we've lost ourself in the land.
Is Ed and Lake Stora le just a big flat boring bit of water? Seen a few videos that show it as an inland ocean with the odd island. Some videos show it as a place where there is many little bays and smaller waterways running off it. I don't want to spend all my days just paddling. Maybe 3 or 4 hours a day max. Is there anywhere better suited that takes you into wild little bays, tributaries, islands, and beautiful camp spots, or is this area pretty good for that?
I'm really hoping that a canoe outfitter may pick us up at the end of our route for a fee.. not too keen on heading back on ourselves, we're only going to have 3 full days that are without flying, so want to make the most of it. Is this something that many/any outfitters offer?
Campsites and fires... I understand that there are many well maintained wild camp spots with fire pits and logs and shelters. These look awesome, but it'd be great to be somewhere that isn't 'maintained'. Is camping with small safe fires (usual leave no trace and safety etc apply, im well aware of outdoor etiquette and would absolutely honour swedens right to roam guidelines and general way of life which is why i ask rather than do) away from designated spots a massive no no at that time of year?
Kit... I've spent a lot of time rambling and a fair bit of time canoe camping, pretty dialed in with my systems even if it hasn't been my forefront hobby for a while. Always interesting to hear any major do and don't takes people found when they did a trip like this?
Food.. throw me some local recommendations to stock up on in the shop that we may not experience in the uk?
Any other hints/tips/recommendations/personal experience would be really really really helpful. This is a trip that i dreamed of when I was 18/19/20. Now 31 I'm absolutely buzzing to finally get this done and get out there, my plans and dates are flexible to make this every bit as good as I've dreamt. If that means changing dates and regions/lakes/outfitters to suit then I'm all for it.
Goes without saying.. thanks for any replies and advice, its greatly appreciated.
All the best guys.
Elliott
Been a long long long time since I've been on any bushcraft forums.
Use to get out rambling a lot! Then through my mid 20's I discovered rock climbing and surfing. Those 2 things all consumed me for years and my bush ramblings turned to camper vans and dirt bagging mixed in with the odd night in a hammock out amongst it.
I've got the bug to ramble again. Surfing and climbing are... hectic to say the least. I long to sit by the fire, wander through the woods, read, chill, look and listen to nothing but nature, be in the bottom end of nowhere and self reliant.
Going through my kit the other day I came across old plans I'd made to head to Sweden for a canoe trip. Flying to gothenberg, catching the train to Ed, hiring a canoe from Canodal and heading out for a few days. Myself and a friend are planning on seeing that plan through on the 14th to 18th of June this year.
Thought it best to ask some questions for the hive mind here.
What's that region generally like in mid June.. hot/cold/luck of the drawer? Are the midges bad? are there a load of tourists (a tourist not liking tourists, the irony) or can we really feel like we've lost ourself in the land.
Is Ed and Lake Stora le just a big flat boring bit of water? Seen a few videos that show it as an inland ocean with the odd island. Some videos show it as a place where there is many little bays and smaller waterways running off it. I don't want to spend all my days just paddling. Maybe 3 or 4 hours a day max. Is there anywhere better suited that takes you into wild little bays, tributaries, islands, and beautiful camp spots, or is this area pretty good for that?
I'm really hoping that a canoe outfitter may pick us up at the end of our route for a fee.. not too keen on heading back on ourselves, we're only going to have 3 full days that are without flying, so want to make the most of it. Is this something that many/any outfitters offer?
Campsites and fires... I understand that there are many well maintained wild camp spots with fire pits and logs and shelters. These look awesome, but it'd be great to be somewhere that isn't 'maintained'. Is camping with small safe fires (usual leave no trace and safety etc apply, im well aware of outdoor etiquette and would absolutely honour swedens right to roam guidelines and general way of life which is why i ask rather than do) away from designated spots a massive no no at that time of year?
Kit... I've spent a lot of time rambling and a fair bit of time canoe camping, pretty dialed in with my systems even if it hasn't been my forefront hobby for a while. Always interesting to hear any major do and don't takes people found when they did a trip like this?
Food.. throw me some local recommendations to stock up on in the shop that we may not experience in the uk?
Any other hints/tips/recommendations/personal experience would be really really really helpful. This is a trip that i dreamed of when I was 18/19/20. Now 31 I'm absolutely buzzing to finally get this done and get out there, my plans and dates are flexible to make this every bit as good as I've dreamt. If that means changing dates and regions/lakes/outfitters to suit then I'm all for it.
Goes without saying.. thanks for any replies and advice, its greatly appreciated.
All the best guys.
Elliott
