WATCH: The Annual Fjällräven Classic

ome join Fjällräven Classic – a trek in the Lapland mountains of Sweden and a folk festival for one and all - young and old, people who like to speed through life as well as those who like to stroll, experienced mountain foxes and curious beginners. With the right preparations, you and a group of people who share your goal will conquer a 110-kilometre challenge.

We know you will enjoy reaching out to the wilderness, but in the best moments the wilderness will be reaching out to you. When you least expect it. And that is what makes your experience unique.

Welcome to a wonderful opportunity to interact with Sweden's most breathtaking wilderness and gain a memory for life.

via Fjällräven.com

"We were thrilled to have Outside TV overseas for the Fjällräven Classic this year, capturing the event and its surroundings. Get a sneak peak of the feature in photos here and stay tuned for Outside TV´s take on the long-distance trek."

via Fjällräven US

LOOK: View from Vistas Valley to the Siehtagas, Sweden

(via Panoramio)

BOOK: Sarek - Vandringar i vår sista vildmark by Edwin Nilsson

The 13th Floor Elevators - Kingdom of Heaven

Edvin 'Sarek' Nilsson was born in 1928 and has since his 20th birthday been working for the Swedish Forest Service within the national park municiplaity of Jokkmokk. In 1954 he also became supervisor for the Pärlälven reservoir, alongside his activities in Sarek National Park. During his time he acquired the name, 'parkvakten'/'Park Guardian', and nobody knew this magnificent  wilderness area and it's shy inhabitants like Edvin Nilsson. Here, in this book, with his short daybook style descriptions and fantastic photos, he describes his wanderings through the national park. 

(Roughly translated from the Swedish on the inside of the cover! I've only been here a year, so it might not be perfect, but you get the general idea!)

LOOK: Tors Nature Blog

Tors Naturblogg

LOOK: Autumnal

Sam Amidon - Rain and Snow

More fantastic autumnal photos courtesy of Log Cabineer.

LOOK: Sarek National Park

Teusajaure, Lappland, Sweden

via Pixadus

Gregg Allman - These Days

Sånfjällets National Park

Dillard & Clark - Polly

Sånfjallets National Park was established in 1909 and is one of Europe's oldest national parks. The park has several trails which are accessible all year round and is on my list of places to visit over the next year!

Sånfjället is a graceful mountain (1278 metres) that rises in lonely majesty above the forest of  central Härjedalen. The mountain and the surrounding forest are well-known as among the most important bear habitats in all of Scandinavia. It is also a place of unusually distinct and well-preserved geological formations created by meltwater from the last ice-age glacier.

NORDEN

Ida's mum recently found this bad boy tucked away in her garage and when she asked Ida if she wanted it, we jumped at the chance! It's a topograhpical map of Scandinavia from 1954 and is my new favourite thing! Perfect for planning road trips on and daydreaming about the amazing places we're going to see! Ida's mum also apparently has another map of Northern Sweden/Norway/Finland in the same style...not sure if we have room for it just now though!

Orörda Vatten/Untouched Waters

http://www.orordavatten.com/

Between June and September, I will spend 100 days in a territory where very few people go. The area is sometimes called Europe's last wilderness though it's a cultured landscape as well, influenced by human presence for thousands of years. In this region, there are seven national parks where fifteen mountain Sami villages have their reindeer pastures. During the days, I will take pictures, go on hikes and fly fish. I will cover all shorter distances on foot and longer ones with the help of Arctic Heli that will pick me up and drop me off at different locations during the 100 days.

The objective of the trip is partly to direct attention to Sweden's untouched land and waters. Hopefully, I can contribute to a discussion about development of watercourses in the north of Sweden. But more than anything, I wish to shoot beautiful pictures to show the world.

The Black Angels - Winter '68 

The Black Angels - Better Off Alone 

BOOK: I Björnland by Bo Kristiansson (1978)

 

  "Här i skogen kan man i skymningen höra uven ropa. Här hör man slagugglans dova rop om natten. Här spelar tjädern om våren, och här stiger björnen ur sitt ide. De flesta av dagens skogar är påverkade av människan och kan inte visa upp det växt-och djurlive som en levande skog kan visa - när naturen själv får skapa miljön. I den här boken vill jag försöka skildra ett land, där ännu så länge allt fungerar. Här finns både lodjur, björn och många flygande vänner som alla spride liv omkring sig. Det här landet ligger mig varmt om hjärtat, och jag hoppas att boken kan påverka flera att värma om det. Väl mött i björland!"

 

 

NEXT SUMMER...

Tjahkkelij, Sarek National Park, Sweden.

Summer Nights....

Don't you just love summer nights? I decided to stop thinking so much about my blog and what I post and just go with the flow and try to combine the things I love the most in the hope of creating something half interesting.

Anyway, we've been having one of the best summer's in centuries/30years (I've heard both!) here in Sweden and there's been a lot of swimming, nights on the balcony and plenty of weekend trips to summer houses and other assorted activities. Last weekend I walked part of the Ridge to Ridge trail (Ås till Åsleden) trail here in the county of Skåne, in southern Sweden. The trail is part of Skåneleden, a series of four subtrails which are joined together in a common trailsystem. We covered roughly 55km of the trail between Röstånga and Åstorp and I have to say I had no idea there was anything like this in Skåne. The majority of our first day was spent hiking through Söderåsens National Park.

"It is a diverse park with mixed deciduous forests, mighty screes, high cliffs, flowing streams and wide views."