First day
Norrland
Curious traveler, if you accidentally missed it Introductory text, you can read it here.
And now let's continue the adventure in the snows of Norland with Maria Sund!
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Since the differences in temperatures between Northern и Southern Sweden They could reach about 20 degrees Celsius; I packed two bags: one with spring clothes, the other with winter clothes. The meteorologists „predicted“ snow, rain and sunshine.
And it turned out well. I had never experienced such a rapid change in weather before. In four days, approximately at the same latitude, we experienced winter, spring, and autumn. Only summer was absent.
My husband is a big fan of Norland, and he promised me experiences I had only read about…
Traveling on a sled with a dog, skating on a snow scooter through the mountains, traveling on the highest-altitude public road in Sweden. He kept his word and our trip to Northern Sweden turned into a true Nordic fairytale.
First stop: Vemdalen
On the first day we headed towards Vemdalen, a favorite place for skiers.
We slept in a guest house with a charming owner who came from the southernmost region of Sweden, Skåne. We asked her what the situation was around there and whether it was dangerous in the mountains. She told us that she herself didn’t go out much because she was afraid of bears.
We looked at each other. How should we interpret it? Should we laugh at it or take it seriously?
We also asked her about the food; could we have dinner with her, or should we stop along the way? Her answer was that we should arrive before 8:00 PM because of the restrictions related to the coronavirus. And the dinner should be something simple, for example a meal of eel with maple meat…
We agreed, and my husband pressed the accelerator. The food was very tasty: with lots of cream, butter and, of course, meat…
On a dog sled through the snowy wilderness
The next day we got up early.
We had booked an hour for a trip with a sled pulled by dogs…
Before we set off, the driver called us and warned us to dress warmly because there was strong wind. We had to bring something to cover our faces. On the way to the destination we were going to move against the wind, but on the return trip we were expecting a tailwind.
I put on what I thought was enough. It was April. When I got out of the car, I froze. The cold seared me to the core, as if it somehow seeped through my clothes. It was good that Shel knew me and had packed for winter conditions. He had brought thicker socks and another woolly sweater. It saved me from my first frostbite.
The dogs were eleven years old. I asked Björn, The driver, whose name, literally translated, means „bear“, why exactly eleven. He answered me: „Because I have so much.“
The dogs were very quiet. I didn't hear them barking or protesting about anything. They followed the direction and ran according to his commands: left or right. His wife trained them and they were used for pulling carts during the winter season, from November to May.
Bjorn laughed when he saw my ladies' bag, and joked that we should never underestimate the contents of a ladies' bag because of the abundance of things that are found in it.
The trip was unforgettable. I would do it again if it weren't so expensive. For an hour, the price was 200 euros. The sleigh could accommodate two adults and two small children.
With a snow scooter to the mountain peaks
Then we headed to the next attraction: the snow scooter.
I already had double socks and I didn't think about it anymore.
The sun was shining and the day was beautiful.
They gave me a helmet with a visor for greater safety, in case something happened. Under it I slipped on another device, similar to a sock, open only around the eyes, which was supposed to protect me from the wind.
We set off. We had the scooter for three hours.
We had to follow the special signs indicating the route for scooters; we weren’t allowed to deviate from it, and when crossing other roads, only the driver could get on the scooter. I, who sat in the back, could get off, cross the road on foot, and then get back on again.
But recently there was a tragic accident at a crossroad. Therefore, they specifically told me not to take any risky actions. Two young girls on a scooter did not look around, crossed the road at high speed and were run over by a large truck. They died on the spot. Therefore, it was very important to follow the instructions so as not to expose ourselves to unnecessary dangers.
The weather was sunny. People had gotten off their scooters and were drinking coffee amidst the snowy streets.
Suddenly it got darker and snow started falling. The more we moved, the worse the weather got. My second bout of chills began.
I didn't dare to call. I was the one who insisted on all these attractions, and Shel was paying crazy money for my pleasures.
We reached the top and we got caught in a snowstorm. I was freezing and it wasn’t very pleasant. I thought about the mountaineers, about Hristo Prodanov, who died while descending from Mount Everest…
Why do people take such risks?
Crazy thoughts…
I wondered if Shel would stop or continue driving. I felt his hesitation, but I knew he would make the right decision.
I have never trusted or relied on another person like I did on him. I have always relied only on myself. But I knew that Shel would never allow anything to happen to me.
We turned around and started the descent. I was thinking how to get back home faster and get into the car warm. We were on our way and we could have gotten confused because the signs were covered with snow and couldn't be seen. But everything ended successfully. We managed it.
When we reached the scooter station, the employee told us that if we hadn't returned within an hour, they would send people to look for us.
Flatruet, the path to the snowy fairytale
Tonight we were going to sleep in Östersund and we headed that way.
Sheel had planned to go over the mountain ridge to show me. Flatruet.
This is the highest-positioned public road in Sweden. It runs between Mittådalen и Ljungdalen, At an altitude of 975 meters above sea level.
The road closes at night, in winter and in bad weather. We didn't know if it would be open, but we decided to give it a try.
I don't regret my decision. It was the peak of the experiences that day.
We found ourselves in a real snow fairy tale. I remembered one of Andersen’s fairy tales, „The Snow Queen.“ There the land was completely covered in snow and covered in ice. As a child, I read this fairy tale and transported myself to its winter world, which I dreamed of seeing. Now I was in it…
We only encountered another light car that dared to take this route. But there were snowploughs one after another.
An unforgettable experience that I wouldn't want to miss.
Dinner at the brink of closure
He was getting confused and we had to head towards Yostersund. We called the hotel to ask for food. We knew that we had to order before 20:00. Otherwise we would have been left hungry.
The hotel did not serve hot food. The restaurant was closed. We had to eat somewhere along the way. We decided to stop at a suitable place.
Yes, but where?
There was nothing. It was deserted. Here and there a house, a light in the middle of nowhere. Not a single shop, not a single populated place. And time was advancing…
At 19:55 we reached the main road. There was a roadside restaurant opposite us, open by the way. We ran from the car to order before 20:00. We were the only customers, but we managed to get in.
Now we could relax and drive calmly to the hotel.
Our first day was full of experiences and very cold for me. Rich in impressions, unforgettable.
To be continued.
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