Hi Folks,
This write up has been long overdue as it’s nearly a year since we went on this trip, however I wrote a journal everyday so here I have basically written out the words I wrote from the very day I was there! This was our first every proper wilderness trip, 6 days canoeing in Sweden, I hope you enjoy!
I also recorded A video blog for everyday, so I’ll post the links to accompany each section if you want to watch and ready!
Day 1
We start this trip with all four of us rather tired after the 3 hour drive down to Gatwick airport, while trying get many other drivers attention wearing our mozzie nets in the car.
So we arrive in Gothenburg after a successful flight, no one’s dead yet! It took us a while to find somewhere to eat as we were looking around with our eyes closed. No one is happy about the prices but what can we do? So after an expensive for very nice quality sandwich we had to find somewhere to sleep.
We have no choice but to sleep in the airport as there was no other plan, we chose the south end of the departure terminal. It is reasonably quiet and they have the lights turned off which makes for a nice place to chill out. There appeared to be a dead man on the chair nearby, then he got up and went for a wander with his suitcase, no idea.
We soon came to the conclusion that sleeping wasn’t going to happen as we we’re far to excited like kids at Christmas, although Matt did drop off at one point so we woke him up with a slap in his face. Standard.
So after a night of watching a guy walk around with a suitcase, standing in the cold smoking and slapping matt in the face to keep him from sleeping it was time to catch our coach!
Day 2
The bus arrived on time and ferried us off to the train station where we were then shot off to the town where our journey really starts, ED.
Ed is possible the strangest place I’ve ever been, I can’t explain why but there was just something about the place that wouldn’t exactly class as “normal” aha, still a fascinating place though! We grab our food for the week which takes a while, there was so much choice of incredibly bizarre foods! This was where we made our first mistake, I’m sitting here eating my first huge bowl of pasta and I have to say I can’t wait for the same tomorrow....
Moving forward we get to the canoe hire company, and load up our canoes pretty painlessly! Here is where I should probably introduce our faithful steeds, Marge the Barge and Vessel 47. We set out on Stora Lee, roughly a 87 miles round trip, this we were not going to do. Our plan was to canoe North for 3 days then back south for 4 days.
The lake has been very peaceful today, hopefully it stays like this all week, (we would have been so lucky) We quickly got fed up of canoe as two separate vehicles so pulled over the lash them together.
For the first day we did a voyageur start and set up camp at midday, plus we had been up for over 24 hours we needed some rest. We and bill went for an evening paddle, Jordan did a better permanent lashing of the canoes and Matt got the dinner on!
Not long latter we settle down for some sleep!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssB6PjyBMnk
Day 3
Me and Bill start the day by going for another paddle while waiting for Jordan and Matt to wake. After breakfast we set out as a single unit lashed together firmly!
A few hours on we decide to cross over the lake to a small island for lunch, it was at this point we saw a woman skinny dipping, unfortunately she wasn’t a drop dead gorgeous babe, I’ll say that much.
After lunch and feeding the ducks, we set off again. We came across a large island slap bang in the middle of the lake, which had a wooden open shelter which was vacant, so without hesitation we moved in!
Now it gets a bit mental, we we’re all at camp chilling as you do and we notice Bill has been gone for quite some time, a while later we hear some whistling and I see Bills head bobbin up and down behind the rocks, it appears Bills gone for a dip! Without thinking me and Jordan look at each other as if to say, what we waiting for. Matt decides he’s not going to go through the pain of the freezing cold water and takes photos of us instead aha!
Later that same day, me and Jordan are sitting on a large rock watching the water, when I say “can you hear girls” me thinking I’m going mad and its only day 3. Jordan replied yes. A few moments later 3 blonder German girls come paddling round the rocks. They ask if they can share camp, being gentleman we agree!
We didn’t see anything of them there on in as they set up the other side of the island, we must smell or something, in fact we defiantly smell! Even with bill going to visit and asking them if they want to come and join us! I mean come on who can resist that cutie!
So without further or do, we got the pasta on!
Once the sun had gone down we all got in the canoe and went out for a night time paddle, this was beautiful, we all stayed quiet and just enjoyed the perfect silence and the full moon.
So we’re not settling down in our wooden shelter, tonight’s going to be a good sleep!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tltDo_ZLyE
Day 4
Day 4 begins with me waking up early to the sight of some kind of finch’s eating our scraps of food on the bench, I get out of my sleeping bag and grab my 300mm lens. They seemed to enjoy the pasta a lot more than we do.
Today we decided to try a different canoe system, all 4 of us in one canoe, towing all the equipment in the other, It’s safe to say we quickly decided this was a terrible idea and was very uncomfortable, not to mention slow!
Stopping off on a small island for lunch and this is when the wind starts to kick in, it’s also at this point that I decided I’m bored of eating cracking and salami for lunch, but hey only 3 days to go and I had pasta to look forward to this evening!
Carrying on Bill decides it would be a great idea to let go off his paddle in the middle of the lake, we have to battle the wind to try and get the damn thing back! Also according to Matt “Ryvita solves all problem” alright JarJar thanks!
An hour or so on we are struggling to find a camp site that looks comfortable to sit out this crazy wind, we end up sitting for an island that wide open to the elements but the only place that was flat, hammocks would have been pretty useful for this night.
We continue to get battered by the wind and of course, it had to happen, now is where the heavens open!
To be fair we have been very lucky on this trip so far so I can’t really complain. We then hunker down under the tarp and have a party, Jordan throws some filthy moves in the waterproofs.
Tonight I’m feeling very tired and drained, so I figure it’s better to leave the others and go to sleep rather than sit around mopping, I leave the guys round the fire and settle down for some kip!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uJ-TBWsb5M
Day 5
Today began with me getting up early before everyone else, to a lovely clear sky and the sun passing through the trees, I decide to go for a walk and stand on a cliff edge which feels like a very long time. I arrive back at camp to Matt and Bill mulling around and Jordan doing what he does best.
All of us couldn’t wait to get of that damn island, today we had to cover some distance and we were heading back south so we hit it hard!
After a few hours of paddling we arrive at the large island that we camped at 2 nights past, however the shelter than we planned to use had been taken, which was great news as there was a storm forecast for tonight. Fortune strikes us as we paddle round the lake and find another shelter which we waste no time claiming for the pack!
Later we go for a walk and explore round the island we find a tree that’s climbable so we felt obliged.
Then later on Bill and I went on a barefoot mission around the perimeter of the entire island, coming back to camp, we tried to sneak up on Jordan and Matt, which failed miserable and Jordan saw me lying on the floor like a star fish, “Brian what are you doing?”
I spent the next few hours reading my book which I had been trying to do for days! After a singsong around the fire we settle down for another night in a shelter!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_J7muhiQVY
Day 6
So today we were planning on spending the day at camp and have a zero day, however waking up and it looking like it wasn’t going to storm, like the man had said back at Ed, we take down camp and decide to cover a few miles while the weather nice.
The weather was not nice it was so windy and choppy we were paddling so hard and at time we weren’t actually moving!
Not much happened today as we settle down at another shelter and have our zero day from here on in, we found a human turd on the floor on the path heading to the toilet, no idea.
Saying that can’t say I blame the person as the toilets weren’t exactly what you’d call luxury!
So after another sing song and being slapped round the face with a nan bread and a tad bit of meditation we get some more kip!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZgZk9jQA5U
Day 7
We wake to s*** tones of wasps in out shelter, I don’t take s*** from wasps, so I set on taking on the swarm, Brian 7 – Wasps 0. Thank you.
After breakfast we load up for out final full day in Sweden!
We had a few lovely hours of canoeing south before we decide to camp in the same spot we camped the first night, save searching and it was close to Ed ready for the return journey on the morrow.
Jordan and Bill decide they cannot last the night without something to smoke, so set about a 2 hour (10 minute job) supply run back to Ed.
I chill out in the hammock for a bit and then me and Matt go for a serious explore up the ridge. Up on the ridge we find a large area forested area, We then see Bill and Jordan paddling back from their expo. I found some what I believe to be Moose poop, which was the first sign of serious wildlife all week.
As the other 2 arrive back, Bill demands I take him to see the moose poop, So I took him up the ridge, he wants to take some so bags it up aha. We then jump in a canoe and cross the lake the check out the other side.
It’s at the time I can feel the saddened emotions around camp as Bill lights the last fire, everyone realises tomorrow we go home and no one really wants to leave this beautiful place.
We make our last meal of slop, that I will not miss! We find a pine tree that has rotten heart wood, so we all set to cutting a piece and hollowing it out to make something to take home.
As the night comes to a close we get snug in out sleeping bags and settle for our final sleep. All week here it has never seemed to get truly dark, I don’t know why but my thinking is that its the moon reflection of the lake?
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qq2oa_VOcU
Day 8
We awake early and get packing, needing to get back to Ed for 12am.
We load out canoes for the final trip back to where we began, you could again feel the emotion from everyone throughout our final paddle, as everyone paddled silently soaking up the final solitude of the wilderness.
We arrive back and say good bye to Vessel 47 and Marge the Barge.
We then caught the bus back to the airport and caught our flight with no issues apart from there was a delay with the train so we almost missed out flights!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov6oBn-lOH8
Anyway Sweden we will be back!
So there you have it, all in all it was an absolutely incredible journey that created memories that will stay with us all! Now on with planning the next trip, hope you enjoyed!
This write up has been long overdue as it’s nearly a year since we went on this trip, however I wrote a journal everyday so here I have basically written out the words I wrote from the very day I was there! This was our first every proper wilderness trip, 6 days canoeing in Sweden, I hope you enjoy!
I also recorded A video blog for everyday, so I’ll post the links to accompany each section if you want to watch and ready!
Day 1
We start this trip with all four of us rather tired after the 3 hour drive down to Gatwick airport, while trying get many other drivers attention wearing our mozzie nets in the car.
So we arrive in Gothenburg after a successful flight, no one’s dead yet! It took us a while to find somewhere to eat as we were looking around with our eyes closed. No one is happy about the prices but what can we do? So after an expensive for very nice quality sandwich we had to find somewhere to sleep.
We have no choice but to sleep in the airport as there was no other plan, we chose the south end of the departure terminal. It is reasonably quiet and they have the lights turned off which makes for a nice place to chill out. There appeared to be a dead man on the chair nearby, then he got up and went for a wander with his suitcase, no idea.
We soon came to the conclusion that sleeping wasn’t going to happen as we we’re far to excited like kids at Christmas, although Matt did drop off at one point so we woke him up with a slap in his face. Standard.
So after a night of watching a guy walk around with a suitcase, standing in the cold smoking and slapping matt in the face to keep him from sleeping it was time to catch our coach!
Day 2
The bus arrived on time and ferried us off to the train station where we were then shot off to the town where our journey really starts, ED.
Ed is possible the strangest place I’ve ever been, I can’t explain why but there was just something about the place that wouldn’t exactly class as “normal” aha, still a fascinating place though! We grab our food for the week which takes a while, there was so much choice of incredibly bizarre foods! This was where we made our first mistake, I’m sitting here eating my first huge bowl of pasta and I have to say I can’t wait for the same tomorrow....
Moving forward we get to the canoe hire company, and load up our canoes pretty painlessly! Here is where I should probably introduce our faithful steeds, Marge the Barge and Vessel 47. We set out on Stora Lee, roughly a 87 miles round trip, this we were not going to do. Our plan was to canoe North for 3 days then back south for 4 days.
The lake has been very peaceful today, hopefully it stays like this all week, (we would have been so lucky) We quickly got fed up of canoe as two separate vehicles so pulled over the lash them together.
For the first day we did a voyageur start and set up camp at midday, plus we had been up for over 24 hours we needed some rest. We and bill went for an evening paddle, Jordan did a better permanent lashing of the canoes and Matt got the dinner on!
Not long latter we settle down for some sleep!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssB6PjyBMnk
Day 3
Me and Bill start the day by going for another paddle while waiting for Jordan and Matt to wake. After breakfast we set out as a single unit lashed together firmly!
A few hours on we decide to cross over the lake to a small island for lunch, it was at this point we saw a woman skinny dipping, unfortunately she wasn’t a drop dead gorgeous babe, I’ll say that much.
After lunch and feeding the ducks, we set off again. We came across a large island slap bang in the middle of the lake, which had a wooden open shelter which was vacant, so without hesitation we moved in!
Now it gets a bit mental, we we’re all at camp chilling as you do and we notice Bill has been gone for quite some time, a while later we hear some whistling and I see Bills head bobbin up and down behind the rocks, it appears Bills gone for a dip! Without thinking me and Jordan look at each other as if to say, what we waiting for. Matt decides he’s not going to go through the pain of the freezing cold water and takes photos of us instead aha!
Later that same day, me and Jordan are sitting on a large rock watching the water, when I say “can you hear girls” me thinking I’m going mad and its only day 3. Jordan replied yes. A few moments later 3 blonder German girls come paddling round the rocks. They ask if they can share camp, being gentleman we agree!
We didn’t see anything of them there on in as they set up the other side of the island, we must smell or something, in fact we defiantly smell! Even with bill going to visit and asking them if they want to come and join us! I mean come on who can resist that cutie!
So without further or do, we got the pasta on!
Once the sun had gone down we all got in the canoe and went out for a night time paddle, this was beautiful, we all stayed quiet and just enjoyed the perfect silence and the full moon.
So we’re not settling down in our wooden shelter, tonight’s going to be a good sleep!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tltDo_ZLyE
Day 4
Day 4 begins with me waking up early to the sight of some kind of finch’s eating our scraps of food on the bench, I get out of my sleeping bag and grab my 300mm lens. They seemed to enjoy the pasta a lot more than we do.
Today we decided to try a different canoe system, all 4 of us in one canoe, towing all the equipment in the other, It’s safe to say we quickly decided this was a terrible idea and was very uncomfortable, not to mention slow!
Stopping off on a small island for lunch and this is when the wind starts to kick in, it’s also at this point that I decided I’m bored of eating cracking and salami for lunch, but hey only 3 days to go and I had pasta to look forward to this evening!
Carrying on Bill decides it would be a great idea to let go off his paddle in the middle of the lake, we have to battle the wind to try and get the damn thing back! Also according to Matt “Ryvita solves all problem” alright JarJar thanks!
An hour or so on we are struggling to find a camp site that looks comfortable to sit out this crazy wind, we end up sitting for an island that wide open to the elements but the only place that was flat, hammocks would have been pretty useful for this night.
We continue to get battered by the wind and of course, it had to happen, now is where the heavens open!
To be fair we have been very lucky on this trip so far so I can’t really complain. We then hunker down under the tarp and have a party, Jordan throws some filthy moves in the waterproofs.
Tonight I’m feeling very tired and drained, so I figure it’s better to leave the others and go to sleep rather than sit around mopping, I leave the guys round the fire and settle down for some kip!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uJ-TBWsb5M
Day 5
Today began with me getting up early before everyone else, to a lovely clear sky and the sun passing through the trees, I decide to go for a walk and stand on a cliff edge which feels like a very long time. I arrive back at camp to Matt and Bill mulling around and Jordan doing what he does best.
All of us couldn’t wait to get of that damn island, today we had to cover some distance and we were heading back south so we hit it hard!
After a few hours of paddling we arrive at the large island that we camped at 2 nights past, however the shelter than we planned to use had been taken, which was great news as there was a storm forecast for tonight. Fortune strikes us as we paddle round the lake and find another shelter which we waste no time claiming for the pack!
Later we go for a walk and explore round the island we find a tree that’s climbable so we felt obliged.
Then later on Bill and I went on a barefoot mission around the perimeter of the entire island, coming back to camp, we tried to sneak up on Jordan and Matt, which failed miserable and Jordan saw me lying on the floor like a star fish, “Brian what are you doing?”
I spent the next few hours reading my book which I had been trying to do for days! After a singsong around the fire we settle down for another night in a shelter!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_J7muhiQVY
Day 6
So today we were planning on spending the day at camp and have a zero day, however waking up and it looking like it wasn’t going to storm, like the man had said back at Ed, we take down camp and decide to cover a few miles while the weather nice.
The weather was not nice it was so windy and choppy we were paddling so hard and at time we weren’t actually moving!
Not much happened today as we settle down at another shelter and have our zero day from here on in, we found a human turd on the floor on the path heading to the toilet, no idea.
Saying that can’t say I blame the person as the toilets weren’t exactly what you’d call luxury!
So after another sing song and being slapped round the face with a nan bread and a tad bit of meditation we get some more kip!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZgZk9jQA5U
Day 7
We wake to s*** tones of wasps in out shelter, I don’t take s*** from wasps, so I set on taking on the swarm, Brian 7 – Wasps 0. Thank you.
After breakfast we load up for out final full day in Sweden!
We had a few lovely hours of canoeing south before we decide to camp in the same spot we camped the first night, save searching and it was close to Ed ready for the return journey on the morrow.
Jordan and Bill decide they cannot last the night without something to smoke, so set about a 2 hour (10 minute job) supply run back to Ed.
I chill out in the hammock for a bit and then me and Matt go for a serious explore up the ridge. Up on the ridge we find a large area forested area, We then see Bill and Jordan paddling back from their expo. I found some what I believe to be Moose poop, which was the first sign of serious wildlife all week.
As the other 2 arrive back, Bill demands I take him to see the moose poop, So I took him up the ridge, he wants to take some so bags it up aha. We then jump in a canoe and cross the lake the check out the other side.
It’s at the time I can feel the saddened emotions around camp as Bill lights the last fire, everyone realises tomorrow we go home and no one really wants to leave this beautiful place.
We make our last meal of slop, that I will not miss! We find a pine tree that has rotten heart wood, so we all set to cutting a piece and hollowing it out to make something to take home.
As the night comes to a close we get snug in out sleeping bags and settle for our final sleep. All week here it has never seemed to get truly dark, I don’t know why but my thinking is that its the moon reflection of the lake?
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qq2oa_VOcU
Day 8
We awake early and get packing, needing to get back to Ed for 12am.
We load out canoes for the final trip back to where we began, you could again feel the emotion from everyone throughout our final paddle, as everyone paddled silently soaking up the final solitude of the wilderness.
We arrive back and say good bye to Vessel 47 and Marge the Barge.
We then caught the bus back to the airport and caught our flight with no issues apart from there was a delay with the train so we almost missed out flights!
Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov6oBn-lOH8
Anyway Sweden we will be back!
So there you have it, all in all it was an absolutely incredible journey that created memories that will stay with us all! Now on with planning the next trip, hope you enjoyed!
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