KUNGSLEDEN NORTH

It was on a crisp September morning in 2009 that I took my first steps south from Abisko and began my first journey on the Kungsleden. Winter had come early that year, with passing snow flurries sweeping across the golden landscape of the autumn birch forests and the white capped mountain peaks rising above.

It was a stormy year, and I only had 2-3 hours of sunshine in 10 days, with temperatures struggling to climb above freezing on most days. But each night I would sit around the cabins, warmed by the fire, and hear stories from other hikers about years past in the north. Of the autumn of 1980 something, which was so warm, you could bathe in the rivers each day. Or coming around a corner an seeing a moose standing in the middle of the trail. Even before I returned to Abisko, I knew I would be back. I was hooked.

If you have never experienced hiking in the arctic, then you are in for a treat. From the surreal feeling of hiking through the night under the midnight sun to seeing the northern lights dance across the sky on a quiet autumn night, the Kungsleden trail is more than a hike. It is a totally immersive outdoor experience among some of the worlds most spectacular mountain landscapes.

In Kungsleden: North, I have combined the basic ‘how to’ practicalities of planning your hike with the visual inspiration that keeps me returning to the north year after year. If you are reading these words, then you are likely already thinking about the Kungsleden. Hopefully the rest of the book will convince you that this is a hike you need to experience!  Happy trails…