In addition to paths, signs and famous places, you have everything to discover. Untouched terrain and the encounter with the wilderness. A hike with the compass as a guide.
Trailless hikes challenge
Justwhen autumn has arrived on the High Coast, I set out on an adventure off the trails in Skuleskogen. A walkabout, as the aborigines would have said. I do it in nice company and with the help of a map, compass and landmarks in nature. It will be an experience I will never forget.
We have arranged to meet at Skuleskogen's guesthouse in Dal. Completely without expectations, I am met by complete idyll out there in the forest. Red house, green mirrored door, pink geraniums, silence. The smell of freshly baked bread greets me as I step into the porch. To the dining room where time has stood still. Black and white photographs show the people who once farmed the land in Dal, and both the wallpaper and the porcelain tableware breathe history.
Here I also meet Bengt Wallin. The man who runs the High Coast Walkabout and who will let us off on a hike in pathless country. Into the national park and the primeval forest. Without any frills and fuss, he divides us into smaller groups, gives us instructions and scares us just right. We will now get from start to finish on our own. With the help of a compass, step counting and landmarks in nature, we will hike from station to station and cope with a number of nature trail questions along the way.
"Skuleskogen is so much more than what you can see along the well-trodden trails. I grew up in these forests and would like to share all the beauty with more people," says Bengt before we set off. Each group walks towards the forest every few minutes. A successful result requires cooperation. Someone counts steps, someone takes compass direction and someone looks for benchmarks. Here it is important to stay the course from the start.
Almost immediately, my and the group's attention is split by the famous gold in Skuleskogen. There they are – right in our path – the pulse-raising yellow chanterelles. We share a plastic bag and hurry, with some schadenfreude towards the following group, to pick as much as we can. It will soon turn out that everyone gets their fair share.
On our hike, we see many traces of the inland ice and the land uplift. Bengt Wallin has chosen stations with care. It is beautiful and I feel humble and lucky. The land uplift quickly makes itself felt in the legs as well. Clearly, this is an activity for people without hip, back or knee joint problems. But apart from the physical ability, it is only the competitive instinct that determines the pace. Neither Bengt nor the forest are in a hurry.
When the gang behind us has passed us, our winning skulls give in to the desire to just enjoy. The speed of the steps slows down and we take in water lily ponds, flowers, the scent of the forest and dramatic views. The absolute highlight of the trip comes when we take a break at a marsh at the top of Mossaberget. Suddenly a huge sea eagle sails in over us. No one says a word and for a moment there is total magic. The eagle quickly rises to a higher altitude and leaves us as quickly as it came.
While I complain that the eagle was too fast to get caught in the picture, we walk on towards Älvdalsstupet. Once there, we are treated to a hard-to-beat view of a ravine and deep spruce forests. As the icing on the cake, two eagles are also floating in the air. This time they are immortalized.
Rarely has food tasted better. On the plate is home cooking, created from what the forest and the sea have to offer. And then a sugar-powdered ROLL ROE on top of it
Tired in body and happy in spirit, we cover the last station, which is located at a boulder high up on Gylten. The view from the giant's thrown stone gives me one of the most beautiful High Coast views ever. We allow ourselves to lie down for a while and talk about everything we have experienced. With the final nature trail questions answered, we then hike down the mountain, towards the looming dinner at the guest house.
Rarely has food tasted better. On the plate is home cooking, created from what the forest and the sea have to offer. And then a sugar-powdered roll wafer on top of that. My thoughts at the dinner table circle around when I can go out on a walkabout again, which ones I should take with me and how many people can fit in the beds at the guesthouse.
"What do you think of the experience?" Bengt asks.
"It's worth sharing with more people," I answer.
DO YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS?
The High Coast Walkabout arranges outdoor adventures with hikes in forests and mountains, sometimes in pathless land. Bushcraft and cooking by the fireplace and experiences with discoveries in fauna and flora and fantastic views.
