The forecast today was for sun! Unbelievable! But sadly it was only going to last for one day and then rain again tomorrow. I decided to try to get all the way to Skierffe today for what was described as the best view in Sweden. That would require a 37k hike, a boat ride (on a motorboat provided I reached Laiture by 5pm, otherwise I would have to row 3k) and then another 16k hike. I wasn’t sure it was possible given the timings, and I was also torn by the desire to eat a substantial breakfast from the buffet which didn’t open to 7am, but I figured I would give it a shot
Breakfast was awesome. I sat down with two small portions of food and the ladies at my table asked if I would be able to eat all of the food on my plates. Three servings later, plus four coffees and some cookies thrown in for good measure, they were pretty impressed, and I wasn’t even full!
I hit the trail just before 8, and figured the trail would dictate how far I got today! There is a limit to how far you can go in boggy mud and rock. This picture is a pretty good view of the path. No it is not a stream, that is the actual path. At one point I put my foot down and I sank in until mid thigh…., extricating the leg was a bit challenging as I could feel the mud sucking my shoe off and I sure as hell did not want to have to stick my hands in the mud to try and find the shoe
I was also a bit shocked by the sheer number of people I saw. The first two hours were OK as no one had left before me and people weren’t coming in my direction, but from 10 onwards it was busy! I saw more people in ten minutes than I had seen on the trail in the previous four days.
The walk was lovely, through the forest, past some glorious lakes and then up onto a high ridge for some glorious views. I suspect the scenery was equally lovely to what I had seen in the preceding few days but everything is lovelier in the sun
I reached Laiture at 4.30 to find a forlorn German girl. She and her boyfriend had rowed over from Aktse over two hours before but because of the rowboat system, he was having to row a boat back and then return. She hadn’t seen him for a while. We chatted while I waited for the motorboat, and hoped he might have taken that option. Sadly, he was not on the motorboat, but I did see him 2/3 of the way back across the lake. I paid 200kr (£20) to cross the lake in ten minutes which felt worth it to me. My rowing is so bad I would likely have had to row 6k to make it 3k across the lake as it is hard to steer
I got to Aktse and had been warned to pick up water as their was no water close to Skierffe. I loaded up with 3litres as was planning to camp on the ridge and would need water in the morning. It was a bit of a struggle getting up the hill as in total the pack weighed 14kg – nothing for a swede, but bonkers heavy for me. I had picked up my 5 kilo resupply package in Kvikkjokk and supplemented it with some chocolate and was having to pay he price.
At the top of the ridge, I pitched my tent (and left my heavy gear and water inside it) and headed out on the side path to Skierffe. The views were already magnificent but the path was even muddier than normal. I made it about 3k down the 6k path and then the rains came, so it made no sense to go further. I reckon I still saw a decent amount of swedens best view even though the light wasn’t great
Let’s see what tomorrow brings, if it is sunny I will give it another go
Back in my tent now eating pasta and drinking cocoa and wearing all my clothes
Distance travelled 41k from Kvikkjokk to the ridge above Aktse
Ascent 854m
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