At the beginning of the summer, I was lucky enough to be invited to the 20th edition of the Fjallraven Classic in Sweden in August. A 110 km trek along the northernmost stage of the Kungsleden (King’s Trail), deep in the Arctic Circle. The event has between 2500 and 3000 participants from across the globe take part with tickets selling out in hours. It is the chance to be immersed in the Iconic brand’s values and where it was born – as you go through the places many of the products are named after. Keb – Singi – Abisko.

Having done my fair share of long-distance walking, I knew I wanted a light, comfortable pack. My target was around 15 kg, including food and water. So with my luggage loaded, I headed to Heathrow (You’ll find my packing list at the bottom of this post).

After a long day of travel with the rest of the UK retail team, we arrived in the Mining town of Kiruna. We checked into the Classic and picked up our map, passport and food for the next few days.

Walking the Scandi way

I have been lucky enough to trek in Sweden a couple of times before – and know that the people there take a different approach to trekking and walking than most of us in the UK. They often talk about being “in the Nature” and I have since learned that this means to take your time, absorb your surroundings and bathe in all the sensations nature provides while you’re out.

It is about being part of the scenery and not conquering it, the Fjallraven classic is an experience to enjoy and savour not a challenge to tick off. There are no summits or trig points to claim – just incredible scenery and many places to stop and reflect. We did 20-25 km a day and with it being light from 3am to 11pm had plenty of time to cover the distance required at a leisurely pace with plenty of stops.

Day 1

Day one was a 22 km trek starting at Nikkaluokta, through Birchwood forest alongside Lake Laddjujavri, and into the shadow of Kebnekaise – Sweden’s highest mountain.

There was a great atmosphere from the starting line and we were on in the first wave to be sent out by bus from Kiruna – there was a band playing, a place to pick up some wood for the midpoint Sauna and the Sun was shining through the light rain clouds.

After 5 km or so along boardwalks and an undulating forest track, we reached our first stop – coffee, waffles and Reindeer burgers put on by the local Sami. Maybe a bit too early for a stop – but a couple of people took a swim in the Lake and tasty food was had!

Eventually, we headed on, feeling the light pitter-patter of rain. After a couple of hours, as the rain intensified, we decided it was time for another stop. So I pulled out the tarp, and we had some lunch in the relatively dry. A couple of Swedes joined us to get out of the rain for an hour, and we shared some Swedish vanilla cheese and bread.

I would certainly suggest a 3X3 tarp for any group walking – they make being out in the rain OK and create a great place to congregate at camp, especially in the evenings.

Once the rain calmed down we decided to get a move on to the Keb mountain station – walking through the afternoon rain and eventually, early evening sunshine. We had a pit stop at the mountain station.

It was now time to find a camp spot and the next 3km after the station offered plenty of space to set up camp. We had agreed to meet the other group members after the 2nd metal Bridge – so were on the lookout for a Red Hilleberg Akto we knew one of them had. The valley looked amazing in the evening sun – dotted with tents but plenty of room for everyone.

Day 2

A wet start to day two – walking about 25 km to camp somewhere near the Salka station – Rumour had it there was a sauna there! We left the shadow of Keb behind us as we headed along the undulating rocky path in what was some pretty heavy rain.

In the morning the rain blew through – and we were treated to our first reindeer sighting – until they were scared off by someone shouting “Guys come look! It’s like a Swedish Postcard” I was swiftly shushed by one of the locals!

Singi station was our next checkpoint and perfect place to stop for lunch, including a snack from what only can be described as a reindeer sausage roll – now feeling not so great about the above scene, I cracked on with my reindeer stew meal…

The trail from Singi to Salka in the afternoon felt like a slog, it was very wet and windy, but we were treated to more reindeer and some more amazing scenery, including a very special Kanken user.

We took our time with plenty of stops for snacks and coffee and eventually arrived at Salka station at about 6pm. I was met with bad news – only I had carried a Sauna ticket (a piece of firewood, for 2 days!). We wanted to pitch our tents somewhere quieter beyond Salka station. So alas I would not be ‘Saunaring’ this night. We found a great spot to pitch the tents, and even set up a Tarp so we could spend the evening as a group – out of the intermittent rain.

Day 3

Today we had 26 km to cover and headed over the highest point on the Classic in the morning. This was probably my favourite day on the trail, having the most varied terrain, incredible views and great company as everyone got to know each other much better.

Having packed up early we headed for the high pass, stopping for coffee under the Tarp before tackling the steep climb.

The highest point sounded daunting and looked it on paper – but the reality was different, and the steep climb was very short and over quickly.

What followed was a long gentle descent to the next checkpoint, Tjaktja across boulder fields and into a valley filled with glacier rivers and lakes – it was magnificent.

From lunch at the Tjaktja station, the afternoon lakeside walk was spectacular even if we did get caught out in the occasional rain shower. It just made the scenery even more dramatic. Circa 6pm, we arrived at the Alesjaure hut and checkpoint, where we could restock our food for the final time. We found a lovely camping spot, set up the tarp, and had a great evening as a group, sharing stories and our experiences from the trip so far.

Day 4

Day 4 would take us 18 km to the Kieron Checkpoint on the edge of Abisko National Park. Wild camping isn’t allowed in the national park, so we would camp just before entering.

We followed the undulating track along Lake Alisjavri for a couple of hours and found a perfect rocky outcrop for a coffee break, where the lake turned back into a river. We stopped for a while to enjoy the views of the turquoise waters and snow-capped mountains. It really felt like we were in the Arctic wilderness now – we even spotted a local Sami in his small fishing boat, reminding us that people live here year-round.

The rest of the morning, before a late lunch, we followed the lower section of the lake, gradually gaining elevation and moving away from its bank. We had blue skies, turquoise waters, and the sun on our backs – a pretty great combination.

Eventually we turned away from these scenic views as we made our way to Kieron checkpoint. A late lunch was had before a steep descent to the camping area – the first non-wild camp. This was a wilderness camping spot with long drops, designated fire pits and obvious tent pitches.

The final checkpoint was a real treat – we had pancakes, cream, and homemade blueberry jam, a perfect end to a wonderful day.

As we enjoyed our final night on the trail, not everyone was so lucky and we found ourselves involved in an emergency situation. A participant had arrived late to camp, and suffering from what turned out to be severe dehydration, had collapsed. Luckily, an experienced medic from our group, along with the Fjällräven checkpoint team, safely carried her to an area where she could be evacuated by helicopter to the nearest hospital. We were relieved to learn the next day that she was stable and expected to make a full recovery, phew! It left us in a sombre, reflective mood, and after some hot drinks, we turned in for the night.

Day 5

Our final day on the Kungsleden. 16 km to the finish line at Abisko Mountain Station. We were woken by sunshine and it was HOT! I am glad I packed shorts that’s for sure – although I was reminded it’s the Fjallraven Classic, not the Patagonia Classic…ooops.

We now entered Abikso National Park – a pristine slice of Lapland wilderness – as we descended we were treated to the bright greens of late summer. A lunch stop by a babbling stream in the sunshine encouraged a quick nap for myself. The trail began to get busier as we headed to the station with more day hikers coming the other way to enjoy the sights and sounds the national park had to offer.

Eventually, we saw signs for the finish – and made our way to the Mountain station. I was feeling melancholic that the experience was coming to an end. However, being cheered over the finish line by other trekkers and receiving our final stamp on the passport left me feeling elated instead. The weather was still brilliant so we spent the afternoon sitting outside enjoying brewed for-the-event beers and a last meal together.

As the sun began to set, the crew gathered with an incredible view over Lake Tornetrask to the Mountains of Norway. Moments spent together in quiet contemplation at what an amazing trip we had shared together.

A big thank you to Fjallraven UK for giving me the chance to go on this event, especially Rich, Chris and Georgie.

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