Hiking to the top of Åreskutan, Sweden – 4 days experience

As the warm weather appeared, the decision was easily made to go for a hike in the amazingly untouched nature of Sweden. My Workaway voluntary location was close to Åre, so I decided to hike to the top of Åreskutan, Sweden. In this post, I describe my 4 days and 3 nights hiking experience to the top of Åreskutan.

Travel video: hiking to the top of Åreskutan, Sweden

How to travel to Åre, Sweden

Åre is one of the leading Scandinavian ski resorts situated in Jämtland, Sweden and is also known as the largest mountain bike resort in Sweden. This means I can find great mountains there!

With a railway station in the middle of the town and the closest airport less than one hour (Åre Östersund Airport) away, it’s very easy to travel to Are. Åre Östersund Airport has direct flights to and from Stockholm and Umeå. I took a train from Östersund to Åre and this was very convenient. It only took around 1,5 hours and I could book my train tickets advance.

I started my adventure with buying a map at the local tourist information shop, located in the central train station of Åre.

The hiking trail to the top of Åreskutan

I had some difficulties finding the start of the hiking trail, but after 30 minutes I managed to find it, and I was in fact, ready to go. The route from the city centre of Åre to the top of Åreskutan is almost 90% uphill. Therefore, the first three hours of the hike was a bit hard, a straight continuous steep uphill path which looked like it was never going to end. Part of the hike was through a forest, which was a very nice area with stunning views. The other part was mainly grassland. We used the marked hiking trails to ensure animal habitat and nesting fauna remain undisturbed.

First campsite at Åreskutan, Sweden

At a height of 1120 meters, I decided to find a camping place, rather than heading to the top which was only 300 meters (1.6 kilometers) hiking left. I found a very nice camping spot, in the middle of two tiny lakes next to the top of Åreskutan which was partly covered with snow.

The following morning, I woke up with an amazing view from my tent. The sky looked even more brighter than it did yesterday. The reflection of the snow on the lakes looked astonishing. After my morning porridge, I was ready for the second day of hiking. It is only 1.6 kilometers (300 meters in height) left to the top of Åreskutan.

Head to the top of Åreskutan

After 1.5 hours of hiking over the beautiful rocky and partly snow covered mountain, I reached the top with a height of 1420 meters. The view was amazing! I could spot a huge part of Sweden, Norway and in the distance, I saw plenty of mountains covered in white snow.  This reminded me of my hike in the Himalayas from last month.

Continue to the 2nd campsite

After taking some pictures, it was time to head down again via the other side of the mountain. After four hours, mainly walking downhill, I arrived at a beautiful lake called Ullsjön. It was located at an altitude of 737 meters high. This huge lake was my second campsite.

Walk to lake Bräckebäcktjärnara

After facing lots of rain last night, it was time to pack my tent and continue my way. After having a look at the map, I decided to head to the next lake called Bräckebäcktjärnara. It is very handy to camp near a lakeside, because you always have access to water for drinking, doing the dishes and taking a morning shower.

The way to this lake, mainly consisted of crossing wetland, which was very unpleasant for my shoes and feet.  My shoes often disappeared in the wetland and I struggled to get them  out. It was a huge (wet) experience.

After three hours I arrived at the lake, searched for firewood and made a fire in order to cook and dry my shoes and socks. After dinner it was time to sleep. The night was unfortunately not that comfortable. It was very windy and I was forced to move my tent in the middle of the night to a more pleasant place with less wind. I managed and could still enjoy a couple of hours of sleep.

Walk back to the centre of Åre

The next morning, after making my porridge on fire again, I continued my way back to town. According to the map, I could walk over a cycle path and good smooth road, so it would not take long before being back in the centre of Åre. Well, indeed it just took me two hours before I set my final step back in town.

What to bring when hiking in Sweden

Where you are hiking and camping, the style of camping you are doing, the conditions you are venturing out in and who you are traveling with will all impact the camping equipment you will need to bring. However, for most first time campers, there are certain items that you will definitely need to have on your list.

Best time to visit Sweden

I hiked to Areskutan in June and this was a lovely month. During the day the temperature was great for walking and in the evening it got a little cooler. At the top of Areskutan, it is still cold in June and there may be snow. Wildflowers bloom everywhere and nature awakens from the slumber. You can use the information below to see what the weather is like during the year.

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This hike was a pleasant experience and I could recommend everyone to explore the untouched and incredibly beautiful nature of Sweden. I hope you enjoyed reading about my personal hiking experience to Åreskutan, Sweden. Please let me know your thoughts about my hike or about your own hiking experience in Sweden in the comment section below.

Author: Daphne

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