Lerjrevallen to Östafors

Ever since returning from Lapland I have spent a lot of time thinking about gear and planning for my next visit in 2011. For 2011 I intend to cover approximately 300 kms over about 20 days without resupply, which requires me to consider carefully the gear I am carrying, as food alone will amount to 15 kg. So this trip, like other upcoming trips, was about testing and developing a gear list that I am happy with for an extended trip. I know I will be using an Aarn pack (perhaps a little bigger than the current Mountain Magic 55) and my Nunatak quilt. So my interest lay in shelter footwear and stoves.

To begin the walk I caught a train to Kristianstad from Copenhagen and then a bus to Bonnslättsvägen (Skånetraffiken bus 550). From there it was a 5 km walk to Lerjrevallen, the start of the trail. Along the way to Lerjrevallen I discovered that you should not always believe what Google Maps tells you, that is tracks can become overgrown, closed or ... so after a slight detour and a brief conversation with 2 Swedish guys I finally found the starting point of the walk, after passing some apple orchards where the apples were undoubtedly ripe for the picking.



After passing the orchards I wandered down to the cool forest surrounding Lerjevallen and soon heard the sounds of many children enjoying themselves, they were a school group who had stayed at a hostel and were learning about nature, playing football, fishing and ... After a lunch I headed away from the lake and soon began climbing, this was my first trip since Lapland so whilst the hill was not that steep, I recognised how little exercise I had had over summer. Once on top of the hill I began to notice the number of different Fungi in varying stages of growth.









The walk for the remainder of the day continued in much the same way, green forest with moss covered rocks;



Narrow trails



All in all a very pleasant and relaxing experience with the sun shining and the birds singing.

I arrived at Bökested a place I had visited a couple of years ago and set my MLD SpeedMid overlooking the lake, it was very calm and there was the occasional mosquito around.



I was quite taken by Ryan Jordans post a while ago about Mids and after my last trip lapland I though that yes a Speedmid from MLD may work and will be a lot lighter (a days worth of food), more recently I had been heartened by a recent post on another blog about mosquito protection in a laavu and given a Mids recognised wind protection characteristics then it maybe ideal for Lapland. There was certainly enough space inside for me and my gear and even in rainy weather the back half of the mid would be protected from rain and spray.



Having settled down for a relaxing evening I collected firewood for the Evernew Sidewinder Caldera, this was my second use of the stove and with better quality firewood there was much less smoke and much more heat, I was very happy with its performance and with its packability it would seem an ideal stove set up for long distances.



In the morning I prefer to use Esbit to heat water for coffee and porridge and one 14 gm Esbit tablet was able to boil 600 mls of water, which I was happy with.

After dinner I sat down on the banks of the lake just enjoying the tranquility of evening, it truly was a pleasant night only punctuated by the occasional sounds of other people way off in the distance. The outlet of the lake was calm



and the sky was magical



After a leisurely start in the morning with a little cloud in the sky I set off soon passing by another still lake



I was now on a section of trail I had been on before so I was able to wander without needing to worry too much about the direction, my focus was on appreciating the warm sunshine in the calm conditions. However, there was one surprise for me having passed by in cooler weather I was surprised to come across these wonderful stands of pink flowers which seemed to be a fitting conclusion to a relaxing and enjoyable trip.




Some of the gear used:

MLD SpeedMid, I was very happy with my first outing with this shelter, and look forward to using it many more times in all types of weather conditions.

Shoes: I wore my Salomon XT Wings 2, the ground was dry so there was no problems with slippage and they were very comfortable, especially when walking on hard packed surfaces I will be using them again.

Caldera Stove: worked faultlessly and is very packable.

Trekking Poles: I dug out my old REI Peak UL Poles (193 gms each) for this trip and walked with one only, as I wanted to test the concept of walking at a more relaxed pace. This worked well and I will continue to experiment with this approach.


Aarn Mountain Magic 55: As comfortable as always and worked well as an overnight pack, given its large volume.

Coastal walking in winter: Ängelholm to Torekov

I alighted from the train at Ängelholm after a 2 hour trip from Copenhagen, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground and the prediction was for temperatures around -5 C with little wind and clearing skies, the next day was to be even colder. I was on familiar ground as I had walked much of this trip before but it seemed like an appropriate walk for a quick get away. I was soon in the forest walking on frozen ground with my pacer poles barely sinking into the earth, I was quickly reminded of the challenge of frozen puddles and the options for ice skating, fortunately I was able to stay standing. The forest walk passed uneventfully with the occasional dog walker looking at me and probably wondering why I was carrying a sleeping mat as no sane person would camp out in this weather. This was the first trip for a while where I had a sleeping mat (Thermarest Ridge Rest) strapped to the outside of my Gorilla pack and there were several times i was asked was I camping out in such cold weather, not a common occurrence I assume in these parts. Soon it was into the summer houses area with many vacant houses with more sliding along icy roads. This section is perhaps the most uninteresting with bitumen bike paths trapped between the railway line and the coastline and as the wind picked up and the sleet began to fall it was not much fun but I knew that soon I would be on the trails passing through the coastal forest.

The forested section though short provided a little shelter from the wind and sleet and allowed for a lunch stop combined with a mist shrouded view of Kullabergs Naturreservat



After lunch the sleet had stopped but the wind was still cool so walked the rest of the afternoon in my Haglöfs Oz Pullover, feeling comfortably warm, however, I did notice some minor condensation inside at the end of the day. I continued north westward along the coast through the large coastal village of Vejbystrand clearly a popular area in summer but deserted now. After which it was about 3 kilometres to camp in the vicinity of Gryteskär shelter, located adjacent to a number of small rocky island which form part of the Bjärekustens naturreservat and are a protected bird sanctuary. However, as soon as the Hilleberg Soulo was up, it began to snow lightly so dinner was prepared on the gas stove in the tent. After dinner it had stopped snowing and I spent the remainder of a very still evening listening to different bird songs.



The next morning was very cool, with a thin layer of ice on the tent and the ground crunching under the feet. The section from Gryteskär to Torekov is mostly off road and follows the cost line within Bjärekustens naturreservat, a narrow strip of land separating the sea from the farming and summerhouse areas. Along this part of the coast there were swans, ducks as well as other sea birds happily drifting with the currents and feeding.



As the sun rose above the horizon, the clouds could be seen clearing further to the south and east and eventually the sun arrived where I was, it did nothing to increase the temperature, the reverse really.



The further along the coast there is less houses and the coastline also becomes rockier, however the views in the clear cold air were wonderful and with no wind it was a pleasure to be out on such a day.



The remainder of the walk was across frozen ground interspersed by the occasional ice covered small lake or stream all ensuring that care was taken when walking whilst appreciating the views.



This is an area of great beauty and on my two visits one in summer and one in winter have ensured that I will return again as there is so much to see and so much space that it is possible to have your own little bit of the coastline.

Have a great new year everyone

Söderåsen National Park

Well I am back from a very enjoyable trip to Söderåsen National Park in Sweden, whilst it was a little grey at times, the sun did shine on Saturday and I was impressed by the scenery and the animals and birds seen and heard on the trail. More to come later here is a view of one of the many lakes along the trail.

Gear comments will include MLD DuoMid and MLD 850 ml Pot and compact Caldera with the Gram Cracker

Skåneleden Information

I will update this page as I become aware of changes or sources of information which may be useful to those intending to wander the trails of the Skåneleden.

Kyst to Kyst Shelters a photographic Essay.

The latest news (in swedish) about the trails can be found at Ledstatus click on Ledstatus and a table will open up. For those whose Swedish is not very good (like me) try Google Translate, it will at least give you a sense of the advice provided.

Travelling in Skåne, visit the Skånetrafiken web site (there is an English section) using the Timetables link will allow you to access the travel planner and determine how to get to, or from a trail head

Food and resupplying, ICA supermarkets are in most towns and have an excellent range of products.

Fuel for stoves, wood stoves would be the ideal stove in Skåne however, bottled Gas is readily available in hardware stores whilst fuel for Alcohol stoves is sold as: tenol / rödsprit / T-röd in Sweden and is normally available at ICA.

Swedish online maps and aerial photos

Kust to Kustleden: Ängleholm to Båstad crossing Bjärehalvöns Peninsula

An uneventful train trip led to to the start of the walk and one end of the Kyst til Kystleden at Ängleholm. Adjacent to the railway station is the Swedish railway museum, however, my interest was in setting off on a warm Sunday morning towards the coast.
The trail quickly took me into Kronoskogen, the forest has many trails criss crossing it and I encountered many joggers, dog walkers and couples happily enjoying the sunny weather. I guess I looked a bit unusual wearing my Tilley Hat and carrying a rucksack. The early part of this trip was certainly one of meeting many Sunday picnickers, cyclers, dog walkers, families and couples in this beautiful area. I continued on through the forest ultimately encountering a large caravan park at Råbocka requiring me to circumnavigate the park before meeting the bitumen which was to be one of my constant companions for the trip. Leaving the surrounds of the caravan park the trail entered a nice summer house area before finally meeting the beach adjacent to Klitterhus
Here the trail followed a cycle path through the sand dunes with no views of the water until crossing a large footbridge across the Rönne å before passing a large boat sales company as well as a restaurant where there were many persons happily ensconced at the tables eating and drinking, a tempting lunch place, but …..Onwards through the boat yards of Småbåtshamn to meet up with the railway line as it heads east and north to Göteborg. For now the path followed the coastline with views out to Skälderviken, along this section of path you also pass the remains of several gun emplacements a remnant of days gone by. The continues through several small fishing villages including the picturesque Skepparkroken.
Vejbystand to Hålehall
Finally after a short lunch break near Vejbystrand, I turned inland as the temperatures rose into the low 20’s and with the sunny reflecting off the bitumen it made for a warm afternoons walk, all the while longing for the coolness of the forest on Hallandsås. The next 8 km took me along quiet country roads to the foothills of Hallandsås. There was very little traffic on the roads (apart from crossing Route 105) which was a pleasure and the views across the farmland towards the hills kept my mind focussed on the destination (not always a good thing). As I closed in on the hills I began to pass small forest allotments consisting of Birch and it was in one of these that I took a breather and wondered why in the midst of farm land was there this small allotment, I guess there is reason but I doubt if I will ever know. Soon afterwards I left the bitumen to enter a woodland (Flickebäck) which at times is grazed by cattle, I was surprised to find that the trail had been coated with woodchips to cover the mud. My feet were eternally grateful for this soft surface after many miles of bitumen. Passing through the reserve the trail then crossed Grievievägen. The hills were now very close but I also begun to realise that in order to find the cooler breeze and shade I would have to do a bit of climbing. Passing a large farm butik the trail then turns towards the hills and begins the climb to the ridge and Hålehall, home for the night. Once on the top of the ridge the shade of the large birch tress coupled with the mountain breezes made for a relaxing camp site.
Soon I was eating dinner and admiring the view from Hålehall towards Förslöv and Skälderviken. I was soon ready for bed and quickly fell asleep to sounds of automatic rifle fire. Yes I knew there was a military area nearby, but why did they choose a pleasant Sunday evening and night to conduct manoeuvres?

After awakening to the sounds of another ambush in the forest then listening to many colourful tales from one of the locals who had walked up the hill in the morning I set off towards Orlid and Bastad. Today was to be spent wandering the varying forests of Hallandsås plateau before descending to Båstad.
Leaving Hålehal the trail continued through beautiful stands of birch before entering one of the many pine forests in the area. Views were limited but the cool morning sunshine made for a pleasant walk after the warmth of the day before. As the morning progressed the trail gradually approaches the E6 motorway which was evident from the increasing hum of vehicles heading north and south. Not to be deterred I endeavoured to block these sounds out and appreciate the surrounds, the birds singing and the gentle breeze in the trees.
One of the features of the days walk was to pass a memorial where in 1757 Bengt Nilsson working for the Norwegian postal service and travelling on the Kings Road between Varberg and Helsingborg was robbed and killed. A information sign and engraved stone Postrånarstenen (the post robbers stone) are located here. The Kings Road in the 1700’s was the main thoroughfare between Copenhagen and Oslo and it was no place to be at night time, with many undesirables lurking in the forests, but on this bright and sunny morning there seemed little to fear.
Not long after passing the stone I came across a very comfortable but not ultra light seat, sadly it did not fit in my pack. In this section there is a mixture of forest and farmland as well as the border between Denmark and Sweden (1645 to 1658).
Soon I was on familiar ground having passed through here in February when there was snow on the ground and a very cold wind. However, now it was warm and the warm weather had brought out the locals including a smooth snake happily warming itself in the sun near Älemosse. This small snake seemed in no hurry to go anywhere. I did wonder though having now seen the two non venomous Swedish snakes was I likely to meet the third as I entered Älemossen? The contrast between winter in Älemossen and spring was evident with the grass now green, flowers out and generally a much more pleasant feel to it. It was also warming up again as I crossed the heath-land. Travelling over familiar ground I knew what to expect but there was always a surprise or two including the cherry tree blossom, the wonderful view down to Laholm Bay. There was also the sign indicating an old Bronze Age burial ground which I do not recall seeing in February. With the sun shining the warm descent into Båstad commenced and I was soon at the railway station. One last surprise remained, the train line passes through some wonderful stands of forest as well as many views out to sea providing a fitting conclusion to a warm and wonderful trip.

My original plan was to have started in Båstad and walk to Ängleholm, however I was glad I had changed my mind as I feel that second day with its forest walks and views was a more appropriate finish to the walk. I hope to return soon for the coastal walk around Bjärehalvön

Satellite mapping

I have often used Google Earth to "look at" an intended destination and likely campsites etc. But when it comes to Sweden I have always been disappointed by the quality of the aerial photos, however, there is an alternative. Eniro which provides enhanced aerial photographs and includes marked walking trails such as the Skåneleden. Eniro can be found at ENIRO the site also includes contoured maps and is helpful in supporting planning for trips in Sweden, though the information is in Swedish.

Sölvesborg to Östafors

Just back from a 2 day walk in Sweden, the beauty of this walk is that it is accessible by public transport from Copenhagen. It is a 2.5 hr train trip approx from Copenhagen Main Station to Sölvesborg and the return is a 20 minute bus trip to Bromölla and then a train trip of a little less than 2.5 hours back to Copenhagen. Note that Bromölla is on the the same line as Sölvesborg so the trip can be reversed if preferred.

Sölvesborg to Östafors is the easterly commencement point of the Skåneleden Kust till Kustleden with Sölvesborg being the most easterly point of the trail. According to the maps the trail commences at Yndre Rest Stop on the E 22 highway at Sölvesborg, however there is now a 2.5 km orange marked trail starting at the front of the Sölvesborg Railway station which leads you to the trail head at Yndre Rest Stop. Sölvesborg is also the starting point for the Blekingeleden a trail which heads north then east to Kristianopel and meets up with the Kalmarsundsleden which takes you to Kalmar.

After alighting from the 9 am train at Sölvesborg station and spending a few minutes adjusting the gear and acclimatising to the sunny but sub zero temperatures I commenced my walk following, and trusting, the orange markers as they led me through the central shopping area for any last minute food purchases before swinging north to meet the trail proper then enter the forest north of the E 22. The trail wanders around the easterly flank of Kopannan before ascending past a view point with extensive views to the east over Blekinge to Ryssbergsstugan a large cabin ideally situated on the trail (booking is required) water is available at the cabin as well as a spring about .5 km before the cabin. After passing the cabin the trail follows the ridge line firstly through the forest and then along a number of forestry roads. The cold but sunny day ensured that whilst I did not linger long it was apparent how quiet it was, it reminded me of my trip through the Simpson Desert (Australia) where at night time all you could hear was nothing, as strange sensation in this busy noisy world of ours.


As I approached the campsite for the night, Grundsjön, this silence was penetrated by the sound of chain saws and machinery, sadly many of the trails on the Skånleden pass through the forests which at one time or another will be harvested thereby impacting on the outdoors experience that we go for. However, the chain saw like many other human activities soon dissipate at "knock off" time and the area soon returns to its peaceful self. Upon arriving at Grundsjön and looking over the lake coated in sheets of ice my attention turned to water and whilst the provided tap was not working the well nearby was fine albeit a 4 metre drop of the bucket to get water. Having set up my Integral Design Crysallis bivy for the night with accompanying down quilt I was left to ponder the sunset along with the increasing cold.

Of interest also was the accompany wood shed which contained sufficient firewood for many days as well as a hand splitter for those who wanted a large fire to keep them warm, for me I was happy with my caldera stove and esbit tablets.

The next morning arrived with a crystal clear and cold sunrise, I was happily warm, but the wardrobe contained no more spare clothes. Walking quickly helped to warm the body and allowed the removal of a couple of insulating items. However, the day remained cold with frozen ground the order of the day. The days walk commenced with walking along forestry roads and trails but after about 7 km it diverted into forested areas with only the orange marked foot trail to follow, which was to set the pattern for the remainder of the day. Wandering though the forests to sound of ice crunching under the shoes was a pleasurable experiences given that warmer weather would have also meant mud. A climb to the highest point of the trail in Ryssberget provides a wonderful viewpoint of Näsum and surrounding countryside including Ivösjön which shone brilliantly in the sunlight. From this vantage point the trail descended gradually along footpaths and forestry trails before arriving at Route 116, where it is possible to catch bus 561 back to Bromölla or continue along the trail to the Östafors shelter on the banks of Holjeån and then beyond.

Ås till Åsleden

Just back from 5 days on the Ås till Åsleden in Skåne, Sweden. The Ås till Åsleden (Ridge to Ridge Trail) is part of the 1000 km long Skåneleden trail system which celebrates its 30 year anniversary this year. It was a great trip, but I must remember to check the hunting calendar next time, as my first day out coincided with the first day of Moose hunting season.

There will be more to come in the following days including reports on some gear including "How to entertain yourself on long dark nights", "My experiences with 2 water filtration systems", "Golite Shangri-La 3 first thoughts" and "Cooking with a small pot"

Österlenleden, Sweden

The southern part of Sweden contains a number of walking trails over this past weekend we spent some time walking a part of the Österlenleden which initially follows the coast from Ystad in the south to north of Kivik where it turns inland and continues to Snogelholm where it meets up with the Nord till Sydleden (North South trail). The complete walk is 165 km in length and is divided into stages with accommodation suggestions, including tent and shelter sites, provided through out the walk.

We started at Ystad and headed east with the well formed gravel trail following the coast line towards Nybrostrand, the beautiful sandy beaches and the sunny weather made for a pleasant walk, the camping area at Nybrostarnd has all amenities and is a possible overnight stay location. After Nybrostrand there is an artillery range and if the warning flags are flying then a detour around the roads is required this route returns to the coastline at Hammar. After Hammar you arrive at Ales stener ( large stone Viking monument in the shape of a ship) these stones are of 1 to 3 meters in height, and are dated to about 600 AD. From here it is a short walk down to Kåsberga with its fish smokehouse and small shops. After leaving Kåsberga the trail continues along the coast to Löderups strandbad, firstly skirting the township before passing through Backåkra, the former home of UN Secretary General Dag Hammasköld, on our way to the camping site to the east of the township. This quaint campsite has all amenities and as it is adjacent to the nature reserve it provides idyllic surroundings with plenty of places to listen for birds and generally enjoy this quiet hamlet. The heads inland from the campsite and follows the northern boundary of Hagestads naturreservat and passes through lovely stands of forest with occasional glimpses of farmland, it was here that we cam across our first Swedish snake, certainly no where near as dangerous as those in Australia and elsewhere. However, there is an alternative route and that is to walk along the bench, the fine sand makes for easy walking and can be recommended as long as it is not too windy. Either way you ultimately come to Sandhammaren which is supposedly Swedens best sandy beach, according to the signs. The trail now follows the beach north passing many small hamlets before reaching Skillinge a larger village with shopping along with a fish smokehouse. Continuing along the coast you come to Simrishamn, one of the largest fishing ports in Sweden, it has a railway access to Malmo and Ystad. The trail now heads north towards the imposing Stenshuvuds National Park, Sweden's southernmost national park and a truly beautiful place to visit. From the naturum it is a short climb to Stenshuvuds which provides commanding views of the surrounds and is the site of a fort which dates back to around 600 AD. Soon after leaving Stenshuvuds you arrive in the small fishing hamlet of Kivik with its modern fish smoke house as well as wonderful organic foods shop. Kivik is the site of the apple festival in late August. This was where our trip concluded, however, we will back. Detailed information on hiking trails in the Skane area can be found at www.skaneleden.se