A 450km run in the far North of Sweden
21st - 30th July 2019
Following Mum's stroke last May I decided I’d like to take on a challenge to allow me to raise money for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and I set about finding a long distance route which I could run.
My criteria was for a route of around 500km, somewhere where I’d encounter other people but wouldn’t be too busy and where I was unlikely to be eaten by wild animals. As I hadn’t taken mosquitoes into the equation I chose the Kungsleden, which otherwise fulfilled the criteria perfectly.
Kungsleden (King’s way) is in the far North of Sweden and crosses the arctic circle. There is a short season in which to walk (or run) the trail as for the most part of the year it is covered in snow and is a ski trail. It is served by STF (Swedish Tourist Association) huts a lot of the way and also by a few private huts. By covering the trail over 9 days I worked out I could complete the route without having to carry a tent. This is not the norm as the huts are widely spaced apart and I had to cover 65km on my 5th day to get to accommodation.
The huts are basic and have bunk beds with pillows and blankets as well as kitchens with utensils and gas. There is no running water or electricity however so to use the kitchen there are buckets for clean water and dirty water which guests take turns about filling and emptying from rivers.
I chose to run from Hemevan northwards to Abisko. My reasons were; Because my guide book described that direction, it would mean not running into the sun the whole time and lastly, my maps would be oriented for the most part in my direction of travel.
Part of my challenge would be running on my own, without support. I do a lot of long training runs on my own but being in another country, not knowing how the trails would be, carrying everything I need and not sure if I would have the opportunity to talk to anyone was pretty daunting. I also had no idea how I’d cope with running with my bag and the accumulation of fatigue whilst covering an average of 50km a day. There was so much to worry about and sadly, that’s what I seemed to focus on.
Day 1 Hemavan to Serve 51km
Actual distance 52km 1346m+
Tom travelled to Hemevan with me and after a day ‘relaxing’, he started the trail with me before turning back to fly home for work. I weighed my bag at the start and was horrified to realise it weighed 10kgs! This was nearly double what I anticipated and as I started up the route on the first hill I mentally went through the contents of my bag and chose all the things I would remove and send back with Tom. Much to my annoyance at the time, when Tom turned round he refused to take anything but a light wind proof jacket.
When I finally got to the top of the first pass (a modest 400m) I tried to run along the undulating trail. I found I could only run for a couple of minutes at a time before I had to stop for a break because of the weight of my bag. I was frustrated immediately and continued to wonder what I had packed that I could part with. Warm clothes? Sleeping bag? Food? Waterproofs? Everything that was in my bag was entirely essential, possibly not immediately but with the remoteness of the trail I had to have enough warm clothing so that I could spend a night without shelter should something go wrong.
The path went through a wide glacial valley and followed a very well trodden path, so well trodden in fact that at times it was cut quite deeply into the ground and I found myself tripping on my own feet. At other times there were narrow planks, nailed into sleepers, to keep path users from the boggiest ground.
The temperature was perfect for running/shuffling and although it was overcast I had clear views of the mountains around me.
As I trotted onwards I began to accept my pace and altered my expectations from 6 hour days to 8 hour days. I worried about all the initial teething pains I was experiencing; why were my ankles both aching already? If my shoulders are sore from the bag now how would they be in a few days time? How was I going to manage?? What a lot of worry to keep my mind occupied!
I was expecting to cover 51km on my first day with just over 1000m of ascent. The extra kilometre distance and 300m of ascent made me more anxious about how much I’d underestimated the route.
When I finally arrived at the Serve hut I was greeted by the warden who showed me to a dorm. I told him this was the first hut I had stayed in and that I wasn’t too sure about the etiquette. ‘Have you been camping until now?’ he asked looking dubiously at my relatively small bag. He looked at me incredulously when I explained I’d come all the way from Hemavan that day!
After raiding the little hut shop and buying a small bag of un-crisp crisps and some juice for about £6 I was asked by the warden if I could be moved onto a mattress on the floor so that a family could share the bunk bed. Although it made sense it was slightly eye watering when it costs over £30 a night to stay in a hut. I was gratified when my new roomies asked in awe if I was the woman who had run from Hemavan that day!
I went to investigate the ‘bath’, a good flowing stretch of river which I rolled in as a hopeful attempt to freshen up. I couldn’t be long as the insects were awful, not just the mosquitoes but enormous horse flies too.
After my rehydrated macaroni I got bored and anxious with my thoughts. I was relieved when the rest of my dorm went to bed at 8pm so I could go to bed too. I was so hot I thought I was coming down with something and had the most thumping headache. More worries! Even though I’d completed my first day successfully and evidently impressed people I was still hugely concerned that I had taken on a challenge way out of my depth. Peoples surprise at my efforts made me doubt myself all the more when in fact I should have taken heart from showing them what I could achieve.
Day 2 22/7 Serve - Rävfallsstugan 46km
Actual distance 52km 1430m+
I wanted to get running as early as possible and got up to a 6am alarm. I was frustrated by how many people had the same plan and I had to wait to get near the kettle to make my coffee. It was a grey morning and began with a long climb and as I got to the top of the pass it felt very Scottish indeed. No views and drizzly. The way marking was impressive however and even on the rocky top there were cairns and painted rocks marking the way. I was pleased to get an opportunity to use my new paramo jacket!
Towards my half way point for the day I came to the village of Armannäs where I intended on doing a resupply in the shop as well as collect the key for my next hut. As I approached the village I had a spot of phone signal so called Tom to check in. It turns out my auto message he should have received from my spot tracker hadn’t sent so neither he or my family could tell from the tracker if I’d reached my destination. I was pretty grumpy as I spoke as Armannäs is in a forest and I couldn’t see where to go to find the shop. I was dismayed to realise it was 1km off the kungsleden. I really didn’t want to add any extra distance to my day so was annoyed by this discovery.
I was delighted with the array of food for hikers however and did several laps of the shop trying to decide which foods were lightest whilst offering the most calories. I bought rolls and sweets to keep me going until the next shop which I would reach the following day and a mini feast to have there and then. Even at this early stage I was pleased to have the opportunity to use a toilet with a flush! After my break I felt much happier and realised that my grump was largely due to hunger.
I had a long climb out of Ammarnäs through a forest and here I had my only bit of doubt about the route. I knew I should be following painted rocks and cairns and not the red crosses on sticks as they are to indicate the winter route. At this early stage I’d failed to realise that the routes often overlap. I was really glad I had the maps on my phone and was able to keep myself right with gps. On studying the map later I realised why of been confused and after that I didn’t have any problems with the route markings at all .
The climb was much longer than I’d anticipated and even though there was no worry of darkness I did get a bit anxious again, worrying about reaching the hut. The weather had been pleasant all afternoon and only began to rain as I could hear the river at the bottom of the valley. At this point I met a hiker who I walked with to the hut. He was Russian although lived in Sweden and has walked the Kungsleden before. We had a good chat about the route and the last couple of kilometres passed quickly.
Again, my day was longer than expected, this time by 6km and although 2km were due to the deviation to the shop I still worried about how many extra kilometres were being added to my itinerary.
Rävfallstugan is a private hut so has no warden. The dorms are locked but there is a kitchen which is available to all passing path users. Here I met a family who were on a day walk from Ammarnäs; Thomas, Gustav, Wilhelm, Amanda and Anneka. They were having a fire and cooking over it and were so amazed by what I was doing that they were keen to look after me and gave me not 1 but 2 burgers! I was delighted, it was so much tastier and filling than rehydrated food.
My options for a wash were less satisfactory this evening and I had to splash under a hose which provided water from the hillside to the hut. I felt pretty hardcore after successfully lighting a fire in the stove with no fire lighters in order to create some heat to dry my laundered clothes.
Already my feet were in a bad way. It's not normal for me to get blisters or chafing but my toes were bleeding, I had athletes foot and all around my feet the skin was chaffed from all the grit that had been in my damp shoes. This gave me a new worry for a change and one that I hadn't anticipated at all! My feet actually looked like they were rotting! I could only hope that sudo creme is as good as its reputation.
I was pleased that the Russian man decided to spend the night in the hut too, I felt a little safer knowing someone I’d chatted to was also in the dorm. Otherwise it would have been a bit unnerving going to sleep and wondering who might turn up in the night. Not that I had any reason to assume the Russian wasn’t an axe murderer but he seemed too nice.
Day 3 23/7 Rävfallsstugan -Adolfström 48km Actual distance 43.11km 833m+
It had been a slightly cooler night for sleeping but I still couldn’t bring myself to sleep in my sleeping bag so unfortunately I’d left most of my body exposed to mosquitoes and they had enjoyed an utter feast during the night. My legs were so covered in big swollen sores that my latest worry was of my journey being halted by insect bites!
The forecast was for good weather for my 3rd day but it was a damp start. My clothes hadn’t quite dried out and despite my best efforts with my socks they were very crusty and stiff. It’s amazing how long you can rinse a sock for and the water still runs brown. I’d done my very best with the hose but neither of the pairs of socks I had with me were clean.
It was another long slog to climb out of the valley, through a forest where the path was narrow and gnarly around trees and the insects buzzed and nibbled around me. I was constantly having to break through cobwebs too.
It was such a pleasure to get above the tree line and into the sunshine. The next 30 kilometres were undulating along side a lake and included quite a few bridges across different sections. It was really beautiful and largely runnable, though of course I was taking regular trots too but I felt I made good time.
When I got to Baverholm lake at 43km I decided I’d take the boat to Adolfsröm and save myself the last 5km. Having had extra distance each day this would spare the agony of an interminable end to my third day and save me a little for the following day. I was also able to treat myself to an ice cream and felt the happiest I had felt the whole trip. I had successfully completed 3 days, I wasn’t a complete loser. 146km had me right on target and other than extreme itching I was actually feeling ok.
The village of Adolfström has a shop which I was looking forward to re-stocking in. It seemed pretty big and the shelves were all full but as I looked for dinner and snacks I realised most of it was full of knickknacks and junk! I don’t know how much passing trade there is to support this eccentric place but to be fair, I did find all I needed though I had to settle for an aloe vera lip balm instead of antihistamine for my bites.
I had a private cabin booked for the night which cost the same as an STF hut! It was pretty dated and I felt a bit lonely without anyone to quiz about the weather or the coming route. I did have a phone signal though so I was able to show off my dinner of tinned meatballs and over hydrated smash via facetime. The most luxurious aspect to the hut was a mosquito net so I was able to sleep with the window open!
Day 4 24/7 Adolfström - Vuonatjviken 39km Actual distance 40.45km 1091m+
I had a small sense of growing confidence this morning, helped by the knowledge that I had a shorter day. However, day 4 was to include not 1 but 2 of the compulsory lake crossings of which the Kungsleden entails. 6 of the 7 have motor boats whilst a different 5 of the 7 have rowing boats. The motor boats gave me the option of a safe and quick journey and would even have company thrown in for free! The rowing boats meant in theory, I could arrive at any time and get myself across a lake. The reality is that the rowing boats would be very time consuming; I can’t remember the last time I got in a rowing boat so wasn’t sure if I could paddle at all. Some of the crossings were as long as 4km, can you even see that far to know where to head?? And here’s the real clincher... there are 3 boats by each crossing, if you reach the lake and there are 2 boats then you just need to paddle across. But if there is only 1 then you need to paddle across, tether a 2nd boat to the one you’re rowing, paddle back and leave 1 there and then paddle back to the side you intend continuing on. In terms of timing this could really change my plans, what great joy to have such a new and unknown worry to brood on!
The 1st lake is just 500m across and the only crossing without a motor boat so I was committed to rowing. As I got closer I found myself saying out loud, ‘please let there be 2 boats’! Running through the forest, knowing I was close, I heard a noise like ducks quacking. It was continuous and my hopes were raised that perhaps there was someone by the boats who could paddle me across! The weight of my bag was ignored as I tried to sprint towards the noise.
I had been right, there was someone by the boat! An American who was just ratcheting up the boat he’d rowed across. Not someone who was going to paddle me over but there were 2 boats! Chatting with someone before I started was a big help, he advised me to aim East of the hub on the far side as there was a small current from on an incoming river that would be pushing me West. I found the life jackets and released the boat and off I set. I splashed across the lake without incident and it was far less traumatising than I'd feared. Ratcheting the boat up on the other side was ok too, I'd read a blog where the woman said she wasn't strong enough to do it herself. There were other implications in the book too that made me suspect she was a bit soft!
I hopped off, pleased with my achievement but aware my next challenge was to reach the final boat of the day. I'd allowed myself plenty of time as the next crossing was several kilometres and was the only one without the option of a rowing boat. If I missed the 6 pm crossing I was in big trouble as there was no shelter on the south side either. I met a woman heading in the opposite direction from me shortly after my first lake and I could see she was as anxious as I'd been about rowing. I felt a bit more human to see my worries were normal and I hope I consoled her the way I had been.
I had several hours to run 12 km over a pass. It wasn't a particularly big climb but it was good to get above the tree line again and into a faint breeze to keep the flies away. I was marching head down, when I looked up to the skyline and saw a creature on the crest of the hill, looking down at me. Alarmingly close I thought I saw a bear. If I thought I'd been on edge until this point, the sight of a bear put my worries into perspective. Before I could think what the hell to do the creature took even bigger fright at seeing me looking at it and fled. Seeing it's profile on the horizon I realised it was infact an elk. I would have been equally frightened on knowing that initially anyway! By the time it had disappeared I felt delighted and very privileged to have seen it, though my heart was pounding for sometime after.
I reached the lake with over 2 hours to wait. Luckily for me the weather was perfect. The sun was out and there was a little breeze too. I got into the lake for a wash and gave my clothes a good scrub too. I was able to sit and relax and appreciate where I was whilst eating the contents of my bag and allowing my clothes to dry in the sun. I even had a phone signal so could catch up on social media and with phone calls.
By the time the boat arrived I was pretty relaxed and my washing was dry. I was taken across the lake on my own and up to Vuonatjviken where the boat owner owns several huts and where I stayed. I had a choice of frozen microwave meals for dinner which seemed like a ridiculous luxury. I chose to pay for a bed rather than a private hut so I did wonder when I went to bed at 9pm if someone would arrive late and discover me lying on the bed in my underwear. Luckily I had a peaceful night.
I had to get up at one point as I needed to pee but the toilet block was at least 500 metres away. I thought I'd just nip outside but I really discovered the disadvantage of the midnight sun and the opportunity this allows people to continue with their work at all hours. Privacy in daylight is not an option, regardless of the hour!
Day 5 25/7 Vuonatjviken - Kvikkjokk 65 km
Actual distance 65km 1505m+
Day 5 was the day I'd been anxious about since I'd planned my trip. 65km, and no back up option and the pressure of reaching a boat at the end of the day. I knew there was a lot of climbing and given that each day was longer than I'd expected I was very anxious about the potential distance I could have to cover. Could I really expect a boat to rescue me after 9pm? Would I be able to check in to Kvikkjokk hostel late at night? Because of the distance between huts this is a less popular section and I was prepared for the possibility that I wouldn't see another person on the trail. I left at 6am to give myself the best chance I could and needless to say I hadn't sleep too well.
The sun was of course high in the sky when I started and it turned into an utterly baking and beautiful day. There wasn't a cloud to be see nor a puff of wind. The scenery was spectacular and I really was seeing it at its best. It was brilliant to be above the treeline most of the day too but there was the disadvantage of being in the sun with no shade all day. I'd calculated that I was running 20km in just under 4 hours and so hoped I could cover the 65km in 12. I'd spoken to the boat driver who was lovely and very accommodating and assured me that she could come earlier or later, whichever was easiest, I'd have a signal to let her know. This helped a lot but the knowledge that I could finish running at 8pm, then have to sit in a boat, then find the stf hostel, get dinner, have a very late night and then get up again the following day again..... well, I wanted to keep moving!
After 40km I was acending and could see it was a big climb, the path bellow a daunting cliff looked epic though I knew it was to 1100m from 600. I also knew I had time and that I was moving at a good pace and feeling fine. I met a woman coming the other way and stopped to chat. She was horrified to hear of my plan and told me I was unlikely to make it to the lake in five hours. I was shocked and upset. I was covering over 20 km in four hours and I hadn't slowed down. The climb wasn't so awful but I felt so tearful and defeated. And then I could feel how hot my skin was afte being in the sun for so long. And then I ran out of water. What was I thinking?? Clearly it was a stupid idea and now I'd have to run until I couldn't any longer, then I'd need to stop and succumb to sun stroke in my emergency bivvy bag and be destroyed by mosquitoes. This plan had looked so feasible from the sofa at home! How had I got into this situation?
The vicious circle of negativity continued right up until I could see the lake. The lake where my lovely boat driver was waiting, perfectly on time for my expected eta. I made it!! I was tired but not broken. I wasn't going to have to attempt to row and it was a few hours before bed time! How dare that woman have made such judgements on me and why on earth did I believe her? I couldn't believe the damage I'd allowed her to do and I realised that this is the hardest thing about a solo challenge. I just needed certification from someone who knows me, of course I can do it. The lady who drove the boat was so kind and said she was delighted to be helping someone who had taken on such a big and worthy challenge. I wish I'd spoken to her earlier in the day.
I arrived at the Kvikkjokk hostel and of course no-one was aware of what I'd achieved that day. I did a bit of a shelf sweep in the shop and waited in the queue which moved slower than I could imagine possible. I could barely stand up and no one was rushing to get me a chair or offer to help! I started eating my way through the food I'd selected. By the time I got to the front of the queue I was too tired to formulate my questions. I wanted to use the washing machine, the woman disappeared before I could stop her and eventually shuffled back with a schedule. 'You can book it for 8.30'. No use, I'd be in bed before it was finished! Can I have dinner? 'Last orders are in 10 minutes', I felt after telling me this, she went as slowly as possible to prevent me from getting there. When I finally got a room key I went and dumped my things in the dorm and raced to the restaurant. I managed to order food in the knick of time and sat self-consciously in a haze of BO, foost and dampness. The food when it arrived may have been tasty but I was at the point of feeling sick and needed to force it down. I was very sorry it was such an extravagant dinner which was consumed this way!
It was a treat to have a hot shower, a nuisance to have to wash my clothes in a bucket and the most indulgent luxury to lie in a bed with sheets (which cost me nearly £9 to rent!).
I could hear a mosquito buzzing around all night but was satisfied most of my body was safely hidden for a change.
Day 6 26/7 Kvikkjokk - Aktse 41km
Actual distance 37.5km 949m +
I had a relatively short day scheduled and couldn't decide whether I deserved a bit of a lie in or whether I was going to be so tired I needed to get a move on with an early start. I ate breakfast with my roommates Emilie, Karin and Katarina , 2 of whom were also runners. It was really nice to chat to people and whilst they were impressed with my challenge they were also really encouraging and able to offer bits of advice on part of the route.
The first 2 thirds of the day were through forest, some of which was thick enough to provide shade from the sun which was even hotter than the previous day. The insects weren't quite as bad as they had been and I was pleased to feel strong enough to run various sections. After I crossed a bridge I smelt a very thick, musty, sweaty, fishy aroma and I remembered a fisherman describing the smell of bears. He said I wouldn't see them but described the smell. I'll never know if there was infact a bear close by!
There was a lovely climb towards the end of the day which took me above the trees and had spectacular views. Coming round the side of the last mountain of the day there was the most stunning view across lake Lajtvarre and a view of the iconic Skierffe which is a famous add-on day on the Kungsleden. It has a dramatic cliff dropping from 1100metres down to the lake but looks like a relatively easy walk from Aktse hut. Looking down the valley westwards I could not believe how lucky I was to see all the mountain tops backed only with blue sky. I'm sure many a Kungsleden hiker has seen nothing more than cloud for several days on end here!
On reaching the lake I had 2 hours to wait for the boat. It was so lovely and warm and there was a jetty out into the lake. I jumped in for a swim and had a comical wash of my hair before climbing out and leaning back into the lake to wash my clothes. There was another woman, Deedee, on the jetty who was also enjoying basking in the sun and we had a really nice chat. She'd walked from Kvikkjokk the previous day which is a very big day for a hiker. She was devastated to reach the lake and realise she'd dropped her tent from her bag at an unknown point. She'd walked another 10km back before she'd found it. I can't believe how good humoured she was about this just 24hours later! My clothes were very nearly dry and there was 17 hikers of all nationalities by the time the boat arrived. I was a little self conscious picking my underwear off the handrail next to everyone.
I'm not sure how many the boat can legally take but the driver was pretty keen to get us across in 2 crossings and assured us since it was such a calm day it would be fine if the boat was weighed down to the brim with 10 in it! She was rather efficacious and was furious that me and a few others didn't have our cash in hands for her. 'How long have you been waiting? Why didn't you think?!'
Aktse hut was in a beautiful location, looking down at the lake and with the never ending sunshine beaming onto it. It felt like a real hub and I was pleased to have lots of people to talk to. There was a well stocked shop and I had to restrain myself from buying beer. It wasn't much more than a can of coke but by waiting another few days I was convinced it would taste all the better! I ate my rehydrated mush and was very pleased to be able to eat the leftovers of Anne and Ben who had made an enormous pasta and tuna dish which they couldn't get through. A 600 calorie food pouch is not sufficient for such long days.
I decided to have a good pick of my feet this evening and thought that the blister which was blooming in the side of my foot should be popped. It turns out that this was a very poor decision. It was bigger than I'd realised and throbbed painfully for the next hour. Waking around the hut in my bare feet I was then concerned that the hole would get infected. I eventually put a blister plaster over it but this was also a dicey plan as it really would have been best to allow it to dry up first. It was the sorest blister I've had for a while and I definitely did not treat it in the sensible way. Still if I hadn't done this I'd have had no anxieties all day so good to have another worry to focus my mind before bed. Apart from the blisters the rest of my feet looked much better, obviously a lot to be said for Sudo- creme!
Day 7 27/7 Aktse - Teusajaure 49km
Stopped at Vakkotavare Actual distance 28.5km 687m+
My skin care routine on this trip was somewhat more intensive than it ever is at home! I started with sudocreme in all the delicate places that were being rubbed by my bag and/or my underwear. Then I slathered on sunscreen to every bit of me which may be exposed, next was the lengthy process of embalming my feet with more sudcreme, blister plasters and sheeps wool. Finally, a wee sqoosh of smidge and a lengthy application of aloe Vera lip balm to all of my current itches. Breakfast was prepared and consumed in between all this action. Ryvita and squeezy cheese is a very hard meal to get enough calories out of and really hard to eat quickly as it's so dry. But there's no bread or cereal to be bought at any hut so that was the best I could do.
I had plenty to worry me today as I had 2 boats and a bus to get. Missing any one of these links would seriously screw up my schedule though I tried to soothe my mind with alternatives that would allow me still to complete the Kungsleden in 9 days. The first crossing was after 10km and the other side of a 500 metre climb. I'd been in touch with the boat driver and they'd said there would be a 9.15 crossing but other times could be arranged. The 9.15 should be fine, most importantly allowing me a generous 5 hours to cover the next 18km for the 2nd boat. It was an incredibly beautiful morning and I was envious of all my new friends who had time to climb Skierffe on such a day. There is a sign at the top of the pass to call the boat and I texted a message saying I would arrive by 8.15 and asked if there was a possibility of an earlier crossing. I received a curt reply saying only '9.15'.
The flies by the lake side were awful so I sought refuge in the emergency hut where there were a couple of other people too. We heard a few others arrive and by 9am decided to go out and watch for the boat. I was more than a little pissed off to see the boat depart already! I did at least know that it had left full and would be back over shortly. Realistically, I would still be fine for time but as I'd been one of the first there and specifically asked for an earlier boat I felt that was pretty cheeky of all concerned to leave me for the next boat.
I was sad to continue on my own, I'd had lots of nice chats with a group of men I'd met at the shelter and Pete, from Germany, had been kind enough to give me some spare batteries for the tracker which was surprisingly still going.
My left foot had started to hurt. I've had tendinitis at the particular point of pain before and alough it wasn't excruciating, of course I had a new subject for worry. How would it be by the end of tomorrow? Two and a half days to go..... my blister was also hurting but I was sanguine enough to realise that I didn't need to rush across the next pass, I really did have lots of time and it was a spectacular morning. I tried my best to appreciate my surroundings.
I stopped at a number of streams or rivers each day to fill up my camel bak. This process was slow and needed done several times a day, particularly in the hot weather. I didn't want to take the bladder completely out of my bag so I needed to find somewhere I could prop my bag up with the camel bak open and upright and then nip down to the stream, river or lake and fill up my cup a few times. The worst thing about the process is that inevitably, the water was always surrounded with mosquitoes, so whilst balancing across rocks to reach a good bit of flowing water I was swatting my skin incessantly too!
At one particular stream I got chatting to another runner, a rare sight out here! She said she was just out for a short run that day, about four hours. My kind of person! It wasn't until I checked Facebook a few days later I discovered we'd both been tagged by our mutual friend Virginia. Of course such people who would run on the Kungsleden must have friends in common!
Reaching Saltoluokta mountain station (far more than just a hut!) 2 hours before the boat was a delight. I had plenty of time to explore the shop, buy some fruit (I never thought this was something I'd be excited by!) and refuel. I then headed to the lake where I was able to swim, wash and also wash my clothes. The downside of this hub is that I really did feel too self conscious to let my underwear waft around drying so it had to be packed in a rather damp state.
This boat crossing was really busy as it's easily accessible on the North side which is serviced by a road!! This was a really valuable and worthy worry point as on getting off the boat I had to catch the 93 bus which runs twice a day. I was assured I'd see it waiting when I arrived on the far shore. I got off the boat with more people than I'd seen collectively in the past week. I assumed most were heading for the bus with me but my nerves made me push ahead of the group and trot up to the road. To my delight there was indeed a bus waiting and the driver spoke enough English to reassure me he was going to Vakkatovarre. Wow, this plan which I'd panicked about since its concoction months ago in Glasgow was actually going swimmingly! In accordance with the blogs I'd read, it did indeed stop for 45 minutes at a service station where instinct told me to go and shop. £10 lighter I came out with a large bag of crisps and 500ml of juice which were gone within a few minutes. Even here I couldn't buy painkillers. I'd only packed a few assuming they would be the sort of thing you could buy in a hut, after all I can't be the only person tackling a 450km route who requires them. Sadly I'd left it to late to learn that you can only buy painkillers in pharmacies in Sweden. Everywhere I'd enquired however, people had offered me a couple of paracetamol from their own supplies which was very much appreciated.
I had a choice on arriving at Vakkatore at 5.30. Either I could continue the next 13km that evening and given there was a big climb it would mean arriving at the next lake around 7.30/8. Well, that would be ok but then there would be the lake to cross to get to the next hut. It's only a 1km crossing but if there was only 1 boat on my side it would mean at least an hour of rowing backwards and forwards. Given there was an option of a motor boat in the morning my preference was to wait, despite meaning I'd have 60km to cover the following day.
I felt frustrated at Vakkatore, waiting in the early evening, knowing I had such an epic day the following day and also being next to a road. It felt far too urban after everywhere else I'd been. It was the hottest day of the week (and probably the year too) but I couldn't face being outside, fodder for the insects. Inside was unbearably hot so I kept wondering between inside and out, hoping to rest and cool down but achieving neither. Eventually I went to bed at 7pm, having set my alarm for 4am. Understanding my dilemma the warden was very kind and said he'd try to avoid putting any late arrivals in my dorm, for both of our sakes! Needless to say I struggled to go to sleep so early. I had an eye mask on but it was so hot and I knew I was being nibbled my the mosquitoes who I couldn't keep out of the room. It would have been impossible to close the windows with the sun beating in.
Day 8 28/7 Teusajaure - Tjäktja 46km
Actual distance 60km from Vakkatore - Tjäktja 1800m+
I knew I had to start my day with a long steep climb and I'd allowed 2 1/2 hours to cover 13/14 km. it sounds ludicrously generous by my normal standards but of course I could feel my footing tingling away and the accumulation of such distance with unsatisfactory sleeps was taking its toll. It was a much cooler start to the day though and a slightly damp air. This was definitely advantageous in many respects and a strong breeze meant that for once I wasn't harassed by insects. However, if I missed that boat the row would be tough with such a wind. Every thought of this made me pick up my pace. The motor boat crossing isn't possible to book and it leaves from the north side at 7am. If no one needs to cross you can hang a flag from the southside to request transport, I arrived at 7.01 and immediately hung the flag. I was panicking that I may be too late. If no one was heading southwards then the driver may have already looked to the jetty and not seen the flag flying. I noticed there were 2 rowing boats on my side which was a small comfort but I already had my jacket on with the hood up against the weather. It was actually cold! And the water looked really choppy. I had about 4 minutes to stew and mull over my limited options and assure myself that the back up plan to row would be possible when I heard the most heavenly sound I could imagine at that moment in time. A little buzz across the water. A MOTOR!!!!!!! I nearly hugged the boat driver when he arrived. He did indeed have passengers to drop off but he couldn't have understood my utter relief that I didn't have to paddle. We took a very sharp 'V' shape to get directly north to the hut. For a short while I wondered if I was being kidnapped (who would travel solo with such a cruel imagination?) because we seemed to be going so much in the wrong direction but of course, it was to counteract a wind I'm still convinced I couldn't have paddled against.
I was hugely relieved to arrive at the north shore with only around 45km to run and it was only 7.30am! Of course I still grudged myself the time to use the long drop toilet and to paste up some more horrible ryvitas with squeezy cheese.
Remarkably I didn't have too much climbing to do and was generally running though valleys alongside rivers. It was a bit rocky and my foot was hurting enough that I wasn't running with my usual gait and was dragging it a little. The cloud lifted throughout the morning and although it was a long day I was feeling confident. I chatted to a man who assured me that running between Kaitunjaurestugorna and Singistugorna would be very enjoyable for running. I also knew that I had the option of stopping at Singi which would mean a long, but manageable final day. I trotted along, appreciating the diminishing clouds and marvelling at the views opening up. One of the reasons for running Northwards on the Kungsleden is that the best scenery is around this part so I felt I had been saving the best for last. I couldn't believe my luck, after all the sunshine, I was still seeing more mountain tops unfold!
It couldn't last. The luck and happiness and premature relief of success received a hard blow when I tripped shortly before Kaitunjaure. I managed to launch myself along the path and walloped my knee against a rock. It was such a painful blow and when I looked at my knee there was an orange blob trying to ooze from my knee cap. I've never seen something like this so immediately I assumed it was a deep cut. I had a few minutes to rationalise and realise there was no real harm down but it was still the last thing I needed with 80km to go. A woman and her daughter who had seen me fall stopped to check I was ok. I finally pulled my home-made first aid kit from my bag and assured them I had everything I needed. I've dutifully carried this ziplock bag in my running bag for the last 8 years and have never needed anything more than a wisp of sheeps wool to prevent rubbing. I pulled a few diarrhoea tablets, which were loose from their casing and floating around, and lamented the lack of pain killers. There were a lot of chlorine tablets which I'd been assured I wouldn't need in Sweden and I eventually found an antiseptic wipe and an enormous plaster. The wipe was completely shrivelled up. A drop from my camel back wouldn't hydrate what had been dry for so long. I started to cry. How could I have been so careless? I was so close to the finish but too far to continue on a serious injury. And what a bloody ridiculous first aid kit. Why the hell hadn't I packed any antiseptic creme?? It would have helped with my mosquito bites too. It seemed really important when I had a deep cut with dirt embedded all around it. All I could do was get back up and shuffle onwards. It wasn't a serious injury, I could see that but it was still potentially enough to ruin my trip. I thought about the to-do list on my phone which still included 'call insurance' (to check that I'd be covered for any incidents which may occur). How ridiculous would I feel having to pay for a helicopter rescue for a relatively minor cut?
The next people I met were 2 young men who saw my leg bleeding. They asked if I was ok which set me off in tears again. They were so kind and made me sit down whilst they washed my leg with their water and opened their own brand new first aid kits. We all had a laugh at the number of bloody diorhea tablets and the lack of antiseptic creme. They at least had antiseptic wipes however and I was able to clean the wound, though I felt a bit funny touching the weird orange stuff wobbling out of my knee cap. I put my enormous plaster on and felt much better for their kindness.
I was walking slowly, feeling sorry for myself and passed straight by Kaitanjuare, determined to reach Singi at least. It as 18km from where I fell and by the time I arrived my plaster was saturated and there was blood dripping down my leg. Along the way lots of people were kind enough to check I was ok (being the most popular section of Kungsleden at least there were people around). When I spoke to a British couple and explained that I was running for a stroke charity and that my family were expecting to meet me in Abisko the following day I cried again, feeling like I was letting so many people down. They were both very sweet and were genuinely amazed by what I'd already done. The woman gave me a hug and told me it was still possible and encouraged me to stop at Singi where they would be stopping that night. They said they'd be happy to run chores for me and make my dinner! This was very touching and made me feel more determined to try and continue.
When I arrived at Singi I sought out the warden and asked for help. It was almost 3 hours since I'd fallen and as the wound was still bleeding I was concerned it needed a stitch. On removing the plaster the warden, who lucky for me was a nurse, looked at the tiny wound. I felt pretty stupid as she poked the orange squelch and said it was nothing to worry about. Feeling silly only made me more tearful and by the time I explained why I was so upset she was nearly in tears too. I think she really understood my exhaustion and disappointment, not to mention the fact that she had been a stroke nurse and saw why I wanted to take on this challenge for my mum. She gave me a hug and made me realise I just had a cut in my knee. Not even a very bad one and yes, it's a bit sore but nothing serious at all. I sat at the hut for an hour, not something I would have considered in any other circumstances but just needing a bit rest. After eating a large bar of chocolate and also in the knowledge that I could actually fly away on a commercial helicopter for the modest price of 1000SEK (about £90) I felt I could happily continue, knowing I wouldn't be bankrupted if I couldn't finish.
I left at 5pm for the next hut which according to the guide book was 4-5 hours away. Even in the knowledge that I had the highest point of the Kungsleden to cross I thought I could walk faster. It was a really beautiful and warm evening and as there is no curfew at the huts, it would be ok to arrive late. Much to my surprise this ended up being one of the most enjoyable sections of my whole journey. I truly rationalised and understood I had no pressure. I didn't bully myself to run as I really couldn't. I got to keep stopping and admire my surroundings and there were still plenty of people around, most of whom were very concerned about my knee. It's ok, I replied with full confidence, it's just a cut!
When I finally arrived at Tjäktstugan at 7.30pm I was feeling thrilled, relieved and pretty damn tired having been on the go for 15 hours. When the 2 wardens saw me arrive and saw blood trickling down my shin they leapt up off their bench and told me to sit down, much to my delight. When I told them where I'd come from that day they insisted on taking me into their private cabin and treated me to tea and chocolate cake. It was totally what I needed, a real bit of TLC! I had such a nice chat with them, learning a bit about volunteering for STF. They meet lots of interesting people and can make the most of being in the mountains. Eventually I had to shuffle down to the river for a welcome wash, the cold didn't even bother me as it was so nice to get a little bit cleaner!
I had interesting room mates again, one of whom was particularly interested in chatting about running and was impressed by what I was doing, despite the fact she's heard of Emilie Fursberg! It was very nice to have company and encouragement.
Day 9 29/7 Tjäktja- Abisko 48km
Having completed 60km on my penultimate day I was left with just 48km on what I'd been promised was a fairly easy trail. Knowing my pace would be slow with a bruised knee I'd decided I'd take a boat along Alisjarvi as it would save me 5km of hobbling. This meant I I'd need to get to Alesjaurestugorna, 13km away, by 10am.
It was yet another beautiful morning and I allowed myself just over 3 hours to get to the boat, unsure of how I'd get on. As it was a gentle descent my pace was not disastrous and I made it to the hut with time to get a few treats and to stop and appreciate the beautiful valley I was travelling down. The more I descended the more mountains appeared through other valleys and again I marvelled at my luck with the weather. There was a strong breeze today meaning I did get to sport my new jacket again. I reflected that a big advantage of all the hot weather I'd had meant I hadn't had to faff with changing layers continuously. Most of the time I only needed to wear the minimal clothing I could decently get away with! The big downside of this was that I had to carry so many clothes. It was pretty galling to think I had an entire dry bag with warm clothes in which I hadn't opened at all. There had been no need for hat, gloves (a waterproof pair I'd spent £50 on specifically for this trip!), buff, long sleeved top or down jacket!
The final boat felt painfully slow, though I think this had more to do with my enthusiasm of reaching the finish and drinking beer! At the far end of the lake the stony descent to Abiksojaure went on for longer than I'd hoped and my relief at getting there was quickly over when I reminded myself the finish was still 13km to go. The warden at the hut was horrified that I was covering such a big distance with such a swollen knee and insisted that I would only walk the last section.
I was buzzing as I started the finale, I forced myself to pick up the pace and was very happy to find a lot of it runnable. The build up of fatigue was obvious though and I found myself chanting PICK YOUR FEET UP after I'd tripped a few times, luckily staying upright each time.
A kilometre from the end I met the A's (Anna, Anders, Alba and Anton) who were waiting for me. It was so exciting to see them! Alba ran the last km with me and when we reached the road I was annoyed that the finishing post was not clearly marked. When I found it there was a lovely wooden tunnel with all the huts, lakes and peaks marked on it. It was such a relief to be able to sit down, guilt free and know I didn't need to worry about anything!
Eventually I hobbled up to the fjallstation where I was treated to my first beer in 9 days, it tasted wonderful. I was able to have a wash and to shave my legs and pits and my parents and aunt brought me clean clothes. What a treat for me as well as anyone in the vicinity! We had a champagne picnic with a banner surrounding me and it was so lovely to be able to relax.
The Kungsleden is a spectacular route and as someone who is normally cursed with bad weather I will never get over the 9 days of blue skies and sunshine I had. I'm sure there hasn't been a weather window like that for decades and to see all the mountain tops in each section in there full glory was so lucky!
I'm surprised at the things which made this trip so tough and I'm quite sure if I'd had company I wouldn't have focused on the weight of my bag so much and I wouldn't have been so hard on myself in terms of pace. I did get through 5 audiobooks but since they're not interactive it's not quite the same distraction as a conversation! Patting myself on the back and self belief aren't things I'm good at and although on paper I felt confident that my challenge was possible I found lots of reasons to doubt myself. I hope that if I were to try something like this again I would be able to relax and enjoy every moment, feeling proud of what I'm able to achieve.
