Foraging in Sweden.

[FKeate]

Hi all, at some point in the next year or two (depending on how long it takes me to get my kit sorted etc). I aim to trek the length of Sweden from the southernmost city, Malmö, to the northernmost, Kiruna, roughly 1600 miles.
During this hike I want to try and be as self sufficient as possible. I already have a pretty good idea of what the fishing is like there and of course there's an abundance of berries but I was wandering if anyone knew about slightly more substantial wild plants/fungi there are available?

Cheers for taking the time.

Fred.

 

[Didgeridoohan]

I'm guessing you don't speak or read Swedish? That would make it slightly easier...

Here's a google-translated link to a website with a lot of information about time of year and location for a lot of edible plants in Sweden:
https://translate.google.com/transl...://www.skogsskafferiet.se/&edit-text=&act=url

 

[mrcharly]

Is it actually practical to forage while trying to make distance? I have no idea myself, I'm just curious.

 

[FKeate]

Hi Didg thanks that site looks great. I can speak/read basic swedish, it's one of the things I'm looking to improve over the next year or so before I head off.
As for the practicallity of it, I've figured it to be about 3 months of walking time and I'm giving myself 5 months to do it. Either I can set up camp and forage for 2 days out of every 5, or I can do just a few miles a day and have plenty of time to stop a search along the way.

 

[Didgeridoohan]

That sound's great!

Question: I just noticed that you wrote in your first post that it would be a hike of about 1600 miles. That's a little more than 2500 km. By my reckoning a hike from Malmö to Kiruna should be about 1800-2000 km (1100-1200 miles). Would be interesting to take part of your itinerary.

Also, just in case you don't know about it already, in most lakes and streams it is illegal to fish without a license.

 

[FKeate]

Sorry I should have been a bit clearer. You're right, the direct run along the motorway is just over 1700km. I just reckoned that when youre hiking through woods you are rarely going in a dead straight line, especially as I will be popping from lake to river to bush to mushroom patch looking for dinner haha and I'm also hoping to make some fairly major detours, ie way off east to Stockholm, to visit family on my way The 1600 mile number was really just a guestimate to give people a rough idea of the length of the country. That said I really should look into a slightly more in depth plan at some point... and of course I'll upload it to the forum when I do (in fact I may be looking for people to walk with me a week or so at a time, 5 months alone in the wild may be a bit much)

As for the fishing thing, I was always under the impression that you only needed a permit for specially stocked fishing lakes, but I've just read up on it a bit and it seems like you're right, although it appears to be legal to fish in the sea so maybe I will try and include as much coastline as possible.

 

[Didgeridoohan]

Fishing in the sea is legal without a license, from the shore with handheld tools (IIRC). You can also fish without a license in some of the big lakes (Vänern, Vättern and a few others I think).

Looking forward to hearing more about your project. If you decide to go up the west coast I might even walk with you a bit.

 

[FKeate]

I shall make sure to keep you updated with the plans, a walking buddy wouldn't go amiss especially one who's into bushcraft and the like.