The Kungsleden (and champagne)
March 7th 2026 - Ammarnäs, Sweden
The cat is out of the bag. I can now reveal our plan. Since the first 6 days have gone well we will continue with plan A.
Plan A is to attempt to ski the length of The Kungsleden. The Kungsleden, or Kings Way, is a long distance trail in Sweden. It stretches 475 km north from Hemavan to Abisko far above the Arctic Circle.
Björn the bear is coming too.
The Kungsleden start line. Only 475 km to go.
The route in its entirety is very popular during the summer months, but less so in the winter when only fools think that skiing whilst pulling a huge sled up and down hills for weeks on end is a good idea.
Stage 1 (now complete), from Hemavan to Ammarnäs, is relatively comfortable with access to a mountain cabin to sleep in each evening.
Mrs P (and Bjørn) making uphill look easy. It isn’t!
Arriving at the Viterskalet mountain cabin at the end of day 1 where 3 French skiers had brought 3 bottles of champagne and fois gras!
Each hut has a warden who shows you where you will sleep, tells you all the rules. Basically, “try not to set fire to the place” and “This is where you go if you do set fire to the place.” Oh, there is nowhere to go, so really try not to set fire to the place.
Inside the cosy cabin at Täransjö
You do your own cooking and you are asked to do a few chores such as chopping wood and fetching water. Sounds easy eh?
Fetching water
Fetching water involves wrapping up warm and in the case of the Viterskalet hut, getting a sled and two 20 litre containers. Trudging 40 metres through deep snow to a funny looking small hut. Opening the door and climbing down into a deep pit. At the bottom of which a hole has been cut in the ice to reach a small stream. Filling the containers with water then hauling the now 20 kg container up the short ladder before repeating for container number two. Then simply drag a 40 kg sled back through deep snow to the cabin (I let Mrs P do that bit).
Chopping wood is much more fun. Get the ubiquitous sled, go to the woodshed and pretend to be a lumberjack for half an hour before returning to the cabin with logs and a smug look as though you had single handedly wrestled a bear.
The easiest way is to let the youngsters do the work
On an enforced rest day due to very high winds we spent a relaxing day at the Täransjö mountain hut. The hut has a small shop and, joy of joys, a sauna!
Also partaking of an impromptu rest day was a delightful Swedish family. Mother, father and two teenage kids both of whom put my lumberjack efforts to shame.
Anna, the warden at the Tãrnasjö hut, made us so welcome that we didn’t want to leave.
The day after the storm involved a long climb through deep snow to reach the firmer ski scooter tracks to our next stop at the Serve mountain cabin.
Early morning workout…
…and repeat
Later that day the Swedish family passed us just before we had our lunch. They disappeared into the distance while we stood and ate our small sandwiches of bread and cheese and caviar (one must keep one’s standards up) sandwich before carrying on. Soon we passed our Swedish friends who had fashioned some kind of bench and were sitting down to enjoy a hot lunch. They waved and offered encouragement as Mrs P kept asking things like, “How come we didn’t get to sit down?”, “Why did we not have a hot lunch?” It is, my dear, because we are hard adventurers and scorn such luxuries (read: we have a lot to learn).
Our final ski down to Ammarnäs was our longest yet. 24 km (14 miles in old money). We made good time and it wasn’t long before the Swedes sailed past just so that they could fashion a lovely lunchtime snow bench, table, chairs etc. with hot food for us to envy as we shivered standing in the sheltered side of a nearby cabin. I’m sure the father even dressed for dinner! They soon left us far behind as we skied across a beautiful frozen lake. We shall miss them.
Arriving at the Ammarnäs Garden hostel. Tired, but unbowed.
Just 347 km to go!
The Swedes are, to a person, lovely. That evening we ate at a local place and got chatting to a lovely couple here visiting their mountain cabin for some ski scootering and ice fishing. We must look very hungry as they have very kindly invited us to dinner this evening. Siesta first, then tomorrow morning we head back into the mountains.
Watch this space for more skiing fun. I will try to keep the next blog shorter, though we will be out of contact for a few days.
If anyone wants more information about the route, equipment, logistics etc. do drop me a message via the website or in the comments.
