Wild camping around Sweden / Norway

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Dec 15, 2012
1
0
Ashford, Kent
Hi, i'm planning on heading over to Sweden start of the new year with my other half. We have a couple of bicycles with trailers loaded with everything you would need to survive a lengthy time in the wilderness. We want to get away from civilization and witness natural life along with practicing Kung Fu, meditation, bush-craft etc etc.

The problem we have is trying to find the most suitable place, route to take. I was hoping to visit national parks in which we could stay a night or two and then move on. What would be even better is if we could find somewhere where we could pitch up for a week or so, look after the pitch and not be disturbed. The more remote the better.

If anyone could share some information with me I would be most grateful.

Thank you for your time,

Ed.
 

Lynx

Nomad
Jun 5, 2010
423
0
Wellingborough, Northants
Sounds like a great idea and something I would to try one day. You might want to take some pepper spray as I've no idea how you will get on trying out Kung fu on a brown bear! :D
 
Jan 28, 2010
284
1
ontario
I'm no expert on Sweden, but might snowy roads not be a problem for cycling in January?
As for the Swedish bears, do they not hibernate?:rolleyes: Ours have been asleep for a month already...
 

udamiano

On a new journey
There's bears in Sweden?

There sure is!

Brown bears are unlikely to come near any groups of people, but they should be considered if out alone in the forest although very rare, occasionally a few sightings are made, usually more traumatic to the bear than the person. Not a good idea to actively track or purposely go looking for, as this is when "Accidents" happen :stretcher:

Brown bears are ok, it's the black or white ones you need to watch...

Not quite true, at 500-800lbs and 7ft tall. they could seriously ruin your day, if they felt like it. The last survey(2006) put the population at about 2000 individuals in Sweden.

Its wise to get local knowledge on population density of the area your in, and a bit extra care during winter, as they have no sense of humour if you accidentally fall into their winter den.
 
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udamiano

On a new journey
A few, but should be nice and asleep at this time of the year, so unless something is wrong I would think it unlikely to see any. Worst time is when they just come out of hibernation, they are hungry and quite bad tempered. Very rarely go near a party of people though. The European brown bear is not as bold as the American version, so more likely to run away if encountered! But it is very wise just to leave them be and give them plenty of room if encountered
 

PropThePolecat

Tenderfoot
Mar 29, 2009
94
0
Mainland Europe
European brown bears have been conditioned for thousands of years to avoid humans. I've read some Swedish statistics and apparently almost every incident have involved hunters and their dogs. Either the bears were.shot and wounded or cornered by the hunting dogs.
 

Martti

Full Member
Mar 12, 2011
919
18
Finland
Not too many in northern Finland I hope.
The latest count made in 2011 estimates there are some 200-300 bears in Lapland. The number is the lowest before spring. They are mostly spread along the eastern border with Russia. However it's not the bears I would be worried about but the wolves, wolverines and lynxes... ;)
 

Sweden

Member
Oct 5, 2012
13
0
Cornwall
I will have to agree with some of the posts.
You will be waist deep in snow if you try and cycle that early in the year and it is the wolves you need to worry about.
At the moment the are everywhere. They have been seen in some of the cities along the south coast, so the full lenght of the country.
 

RonW

Native
Nov 29, 2010
1,575
121
Dalarna Sweden
it is the wolves you need to worry about.

That is nonsense! Sounds like the medieval points of view the huntingcommunity here is using as propaganda.
The wolves are most likely to try and avoid humans at all costs.
There are wolves around here (and bears too, but they should be sound asleep), yhe only thing you need to worry about is getting safely from point A to point B on the icy roads and with swedish traffic.
Cycling is possible, since bicycles can be equipped with spikes on their tires, but given the winterly (road)conditions and appearant lack of experience with them, I suggest you choose another way of transportation.
 

Sweden

Member
Oct 5, 2012
13
0
Cornwall
Mr Native.
I am very pro wolves and don't mind them eating people.
But the fact is that the wolfe in My homeland is now so bold they walk in to cities even in the very south. Is this staying away from humans????????????
Och om du jamfor mellan att bli aten av en bjorn och varg pa vintern sa ar nog vargen det storsta hotet. Tycker du inte?
Och det var menat lite som ett skamt. Hur stor ar mojligheten att bli aten av ett djur nu for tiden?
 
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Willowisp

Tenderfoot
Jan 6, 2013
53
0
Reutlingen, Germany
Don't worry about the wildlife, the heavy snow on the roads will get you first if you really want to go by bike :hatscarf:
Why not start a bit later in the year? Maybe April? At least in the south you will have spring then.
 

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