More E1, this time just in Winter

Our third visit to sweden took place in the coldest month of the year: February. Despite checking the weather forecast on a daily basis during our planning phase, we went there, knowing that we will have to deal with sub zero temperatures every night. Why did I get this idea of going again? Ah yes, making progress towards our big project of hiking the Scandinavian parts of the E1. But why take on the already hard task with even more difficulty? Mostly to prove it to myself, that I'm capable enough to manage this trip even under snowy and icy conditions.

Spoiler: Yes we made it! And to our surprise we returned healthy without a trace of having caught a cold! I call this a win. There was another reason why I was glad Isolde returned without having gotten sick: I would have gotten a beating from her mother if it were otherwise.

But lets start with the beginning.

Initially we wanted to continue the E1 via Västra Vätterleden starting in Mullsjö where we left off in August. But the weather forecast, as mentioned, only showed cold cold cold and snow. Which actually tempted me more than I'm willing to admit. Winter wonderland, a crackling fire in the evening, maybe even northern lights. It sounded gorgeous, and in reality way too over romanticized. Isolde, who was my voice of reason, suggested we walk between Halmstad and Varberg, a section of the E1 that we kinda skipped unknowingly, as the entry point from Denmark was repositioned south. That would mean we would still make progress (I needed that) but we'd have milder temperatures as we were closer to the sea and a few hundred kilometers south. The few degrees truly made a difference. 

In tandem with checking the forecast, webcams and looking at recently posted Instagram pictures from the area, we also contacted the staff of Hallandsleden via instagram. Anders, who managed their account, was a big help, he gave advice, insight and just made us feel safer hiking the trail in winter. Big thanks to you!

Hallandsleden Instagram

Packing for Winter

Packing for a 150km in winter is different to packing for summer, who would have thought? Instead of swimming shorts we packed skiing underwear, multiple pairs of warm socks, second pairs of gloves and a thermos can. She weighs a ton, but is just so worth it. Being able to sip tea (or coffee, for those who bother making it on trail) in the cold is just so nice.
And we also packed thin and light insulated foam mattresses underneath our inflatable ones, just for extra warmth and insulation. We didn't try it without them, but I am convinced that they contributed to us sleeping (and not just shivering in the night). Both of our sleeping bags were rated around -3°C (~25°F) comfort and intended for three season usage. But in the end you can use any gear you trust for any kind of activity. Isolde’s new WM TerraLite convinced and impressed her, for which I'm eternally glad and relieved, as she got it following my recommendation after extensive research. Something we always bring, but didnt work as well in winter, are flip flops. They are great lightweight options as campshoes, they can get wet and you can shower with them in hostels and on campsites, but try walking with them on snow towards the campfire when wearing thick wool socks (you can’t).

Comfortable travels, for a change

We arrived in Copenhagen and took a train to Halmstad and enjoyed crossing the Öresund Bridge. In Halmstad we satisfied our last needs, like gas and water and off we went in the next morning. It was cold, snow covered the trails and had us slip and slide more often than not. We even started betting on who would fall more often. The microspikes we bought a week beforehand, we left at home. Yeah, maybe that was a mistake. But then again, man, it would have been annoying to put them on and off every few km when switching from forest trail to asphalt road… So we were conflicted about not bringing them. We made it without, so it couldn't really have been the wrong decision after all.

The trail was a mixed bag: We had clear forester roads, deep snow (only touched by deer, rabbits and elks), asphalted streets, narrow trails and dirt roads. The first few days they were mostly snowy, later when the sun came out the roads melted during the day, but froze overnight. That was quite inconvenient. 

There even was an afternoon, where it rained so heavily, that even high tech hard shell jackets didn't stand a chance. Bringing a backpack cover (or having waterproof backpacks in itself) is well worth the weight. Imagine being soaked, cold and then not having a dry sleeping back to snuggle in. Actually, I don't recommend imagining it.

Don’t ask how that happened

Speaking of soaked. On the first day of walking, we went uphill on a rocky and snow covered trail, only that we weren't sure if it actually was a trail, as an icy brook took the exact route as we did. After wondering if we were sufficiently prepared for more of this kind of trail, we said fuck it and went on. We got past the brook, that was no real problem.Isi went ahead, and I gave some space and stayed behind. Before she could turn around to check on me if I was following, my butt had been involuntarily planted on the rocks and my hand, trying to prevent me from toppling over, was wrist deep in ice cold water. The glove did not dry during the entirety of the trip.

Seeing the good things through the challenges

The rest of the trip went by more mildly. Yes it was cold, yes it rained, snowed, hailed and froze (our shoes crunched like baguettes in the mornings as we tried to squeeze the stiffness away). Yes there was barely any usable firewood around the wind shelters, but the golden hours, warm sun rays on cold days, hot meals while sitting in sleeping bags, traces of wildlife, crisp icey air, encouraging words from impressed neighbors and just… the freedom of hiking made it all worth it. There were times where we truly struggled, considered quitting or taking shortcuts, but it really doesn't take long for our brains to crave getting back at the trail. I like to tell myself that I realize that these experiences are worthwhile, healthy and important for my well being and growth. Not just my brain brainwashing itself.

Adjusting to big cities

The “not taking long” was a matter of minutes actually. A few minutes after settling into a bus taking us from Brännhult to Varberg (we stopped at the same bus stop as the one last April), Isolde said she wanted back. The bus moved too quickly for our minds to adjust. It was just a week of walking and yet we got so accustomed to our natural pace, that taking a bus was a sensory overload. And it didnt get better with 2 nights in Göteborg, sightseeing, masses of people and consumerism. The healing and invigorating sensation of the trail faded and got overshadowed by the bustling noises, impressions and stress of a city. We need to take special care of our acclimatization process in the future. Maybe a wooden shack somewhere in the woods, to be able to slowly get used to infrastructure and civilization again. Man, it sounds like we were some kind of hermits that spent decades away from people. But we feel overwhelmed and stressed nevertheless. And it's good to make these experiences and mistakes as early as possible. We don't want to ruin our moods or increase the post trail depression after actual thru hikes in the future. Now we know that we will need some time to calm down and acclimatize instead of heading straight from the northern terminus of the pct to seattle. And that alone made the trip worth it from a lessons learned point of view.

Lets go back soon, please

So far we have hiked almost 500km, which feels like a lot to us, but compared to the vast distances ahead of us, they seem diminishinglysmall. There are still 2850km left. But then again, instead of daunting us, these kilometres are inviting us. They call for us to be walked again. And that is what we will hopefully do in august. I’m so ready for the the next 500km on the Västra Vätterleden and Berglagsleden between Mullsjö and Kopparberg.