Having been approached by a returning customer and friend of Woodland Ways, on behalf of a group of close friends, I was tasked with developing a River Journey in a remote area. I set to, and spent a couple of days doing some research on rivers to satisfy the client’s brief.
The Härkan River topped the list. A beautiful river in central Sweden, the Härkan offered everything I hoped for. Easily accessible by flying to Arlanda, then on to Östersund (relatively inexpensive and no hassle), access to supermarkets and outdoors shops, an outfitters for canoe hire and shuttle transport, and the right type of water for the journey we wanted to do. Finding somewhere truly remote, so you don’t see or hear civilisation can be very challenging, as you also need the infrastructure to buy food, hire equipment, and travel to the start point (or be collected at the end!). Especially while staying within Europe and keeping costs reasonable.
On arrival at Östersund, the air smelled amazingly clear, not what I expected when stood on the tarmac of an airport! Rob and I headed to the supermarket to collect our food shop for the trip.
We met at the campsite, where we held a brief to discuss the first day’s plan. Loading the boats and driving off to the start point, the anticipation grows, as the team, eager to get on the water, was treated to some local knowledge from our driver; on the river, the flora, fauna, and weather of the area. Even the drive to the start point offered some excitement, as we saw the first moose of the trip. The road travelled offers some amazing views, very much akin to the mountains surrounding Whitehorse in Yukon.
The journey starts on a lake, we loaded the canoes with all of our kit, the group kit and food, and took our first photo. The bay we start in offers a great sheltered section to get comfortable in the canoes, and offers a safe harbour for a short shakedown paddle. This can be a great way to identify any issues with Trim in the canoes before starting the journey. A later start than we’d anticipated (the outfitters had another group out that needed some items taking to them) meant that the mileage covered on the first day was less than planned, but it led to a great camping spot.
Introducing the group to the camp routine that would be a daily activity for us. It saw some basic skills being shared by Rob and myself. Safe use of sharp tools, looking for good quality firewood, where to pitch a tent, how the toilet process works when in the wilderness. Many overlook these basic skills, but on a River Journey they can make or break a comfortable trip. We were treated to swathes of Bilberries (European Wild Blueberries) and Lingonberries. A small stream ran past the edge of camp which offered stunningly clear water to filter and drink. As with all Woodland Ways expeditions, we don’t skimp on the food. Hearty meals ensure the group are sustained and warm in colder weather, with the calories to burn on days of longer paddles. We enjoyed the warm glow of the fire, before settling in for our first night in the wilderness. My set up of choice was hammock and tarp, while there are areas for tents, the undulating terrain can be difficult to site them.
That night the temperature dropped to near zero, maybe slightly below, which makes calls of nature harder to answer. Still, in the early hours, I reluctantly left the warmth of my sleeping bag for the brisk autumnal air. What I was treated to, was an incredible display of the Aurora Borealis. What appeared at first as strange looking clouds to tired eyes, became the first display of this incredible phenomenon on this trip. This presents a moral quandary, do I wake the rest of the team at an unsocial hour to share the experience, or do I trust that it’s likely to happen tomorrow and pre-warn them? I opted for the latter.
The second day’s paddle was fueled by a cooked breakfast, saw us finish the first lake, and complete a 2.5km portage. To portage is to journey on land with a canoe around an obstacle. As we’re travelling with a week’s worth of expedition kit, food and things we’d rather not see floating away from us, portaging is a sensible option and is very common, especially in Canada. This portage was around a very large Dam, using forestry tracks which are solid and level enough to be relatively easy. The canoes here are walked on trolleys, which also take the weight of our kit.
Lunch was had with a view of a small weir in glorious sunshine. We continued with our journey and cleared Lake Lövsjön, before entering the first moving water section of the trip. Roughly 1.5km long, this offers a grade 1-2 experience to build some confidence on the moving water. No particularly technical moves were needed, but picking a good line down the 1.5km long section kept everyone dry. I love the excitement moving water offers, I love the change in pace and scenery as you soak in the views and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings. We saw another moose stood at the river bank, and later a Reindeer on the shore of Lake Ockern. This made for a long day, but very rewarding.
We camped at a Vindskydd, a wind shelter, which are dotted all over Sweden. As a refuge for anyone when they’re outdoors, they’re usually a wooden shelter with an established fire site. Good practice is to leave some firewood inside so the next person who needs the shelter has some dry wood ready. They’re a welcome refuge from the wind and rain, and allow the group some admin space, or a communal eating area. This particular site was closer to a road than we’d usually choose, but the evening was drawing in and a decision was made. While this camp had an established long drop toilet available, it’s one that we’ll skip next time, to steer clear of any road noise from logging vehicles. No aurora that night.
Dawn on day 4 treated the group to a mirror like Lake Ockern, and an equally calm river section. We joined the last lake of the journey after a short portage round a Hydroelectric Dam. The last lake, Sandviksjön, gave us some more headwinds, which seemed to be a theme on the lakes we’d paddled so far. Luckily, the shoreline features meant that there were large areas of wind eddies, sheltered water giving us easier progress on our journey. This challenge helped build a sense of satisfaction that the trip wasn’t just something you can come along for the ride on, it was a journey fuelled by us. It takes effort to achieve the distances, but with that effort comes the reward. It’s something consistent with amazing experiences, the days you put the most in, you take the most from.
We had lunch at the end of the lake, a perfect natural pause before moving onto the more advanced section of white water. This section offers little in the way of areas to stop, especially at the levels we paddled it. Large areas of shallow gravel, downed trees and other rocky obstacles made for an exciting section. Rob and I scouted the route, using a path, down the bank on the left hand side. This meant we could assess any difficult areas to ensure the group’s safety. We set off down the rapids, picking a path through the obstructions and safely out of this Grade 2 section. Depending on the water level, this section could be grade 3, so approaching this cautiously is a sensible call. An unmistakeable buzz filled the air as we continued on our journey. The rush of paddling moving water in the rapids energised the group. That evening, the group picked the campsite. Taking the experience gained so far, we made a couple of stops before deciding where we wanted to set up. Lots of space for tents on flatter ground, an abundance of firewood, Birch Bark, and suitable sites for the fire, it was a great choice. The fire lit, toilet dug, and dinner prepared, the group enjoyed down time for the evening. I carved a very simple spoon, the aptly named style being the Canoe spoon, from a piece of Birch harvested there. The figure in the timber hidden until I’d finished it with a couple of coats of oil. The two strong swimmers in the group enjoyed a swim in a sheltered area, feeling revitalised from the remarkably clear water.
That night, the aurora returned. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen, the group were treated to an incredible display lasting hours. The whole sky, North, South, East and West, lit up with dancing patterns and pulsing lights. It was genuinely breathtaking.
The following morning, while the group were full of excitement still from the previous day, we continued on the river towards our destination. We breaked for lunch on a small spit of land that was home to an old fishing shelter. A log cabin with a genius construction of birch bark lined log walls, packed with moss, and a grass roof, now leaning heavily to one side after over 200 years of being exposed to wind, rain and heavy snows. The inside of the structure still accessible, had walls covered in dog photos from news papers, a site for a stove, two long benches that would serve as beds, and a table. Lots of notes from previous visitors, as well as bottles and tools, left for the next visitor, or someone in need. I can only imagine how many people this shelter has served in it’s life, the memories made there. This was very reminiscent of Canada, the log cabins of the Yukon, abandoned but still standing after all this time. Paddling on from here we’d seen a white tailed Eagle.
Our last camp site was another Vindskydd, a very flat area up a short incline made for a comfortable night and plenty of space to spread out.
The last day’s paddle was with mixed emotions. Awe from what we had seen and accomplished, of the Aurora, the wildlife, the views of this beautiful environment. There’s always a sadness towards the end of a journey, I find peace and comfort in the outdoors, especially in areas of remote wilderness, and to be reminded of the noise and business of civilisation only a day or so away sits in your mind. That said, the landscape change for the last day’s paddle offered a very fitting final day on the water.
Progressing down the river, you’re treated to some beautiful natural landscape changes. Views from the river are often wildly different to travelling the same area on land, and that perspective is something I really enjoy. This last day had one more small portage, but a stunning section of paddling through a canyon, the high banks just so similar to some of the landscape on the Yukon. Towards the end of the day’s paddle, a railway bridge marked our egress and our return to the campsite we met the group. While a very small and quiet town, it was still a marked step back to civilisation. We were back to showers, WiFi, ovens and hobs. This particularly eccentric campsite has a character of it’s own, which I felt I understood a little more as we arrived for our last night. We shared a final evening meal together, and the group decided to hold their own debrief of the journey.
My reflections didn’t come until much later. A busy summer/autumn season, and a second trip to Sweden almost immediately after this one ended, meant my mind was elsewhere. For me, this trip offered everything I would want from a canoeing trip. There was variety in the scenery, the water paddled, the experiences had. The wildlife in the area, and just the serene calmness of it all. The Yukon expedition has been a huge milestone in my life, and to see so many parallels with it here, on a smaller scale, highlighted to me how exciting this trip is. We’re running this trip again in 2026, and I cannot wait. This time, we’re adding a day to the journey, to better allow us time to soak in the environment and to truly appreciate our surroundings. This journey offered an amazing learning opportunity for me, so I can take this trip and improve on it. I can’t wait to share this experience with those who join us, to share how exciting it is, to share the campfire and the crafts, and hopefully, the aurora.