Wednesday 12 May 2010

Summit meeting...

In a little over two weeks time I will be leaving Bergen to take part in the inaugural Scandinavian Bloggers Meet-Up where several of your favourite Scandinavia based ultralight backpacking bloggers will be meeting for the first time to spend 3 days hiking and camping in the Vålådalen national park in northern Sweden. Joining me on this trip will be Hendrik from Hiking in Finland, Gustav from The Bearable Lightness, Roger from Nielsen Brown Outdoors and Jörgen and Martin from Fjäderlätt.

This trip has been a long time in the planning and as it draws near I'm starting to get pretty excited about it. Not only will it enable us to enjoy what promises to be a spectacular part of Swedish wilderness but it will also allow us to put faces to names and let the inner gear geek run wild!

Fingers crossed we will have some tasty test equipment from Gossamer Gear along for the trip and a wide selection stoves, especially wood/multi burners, will be evident. Hopefully my Evernew Ti DX set arrives in time to come along. Relying on wood for cooking, especially in a mountain environment is a skill I'm hoping I'll learn on this trip from some of the other, far more experienced attendees. I also hope to learn more about the use of ultralight shelters and I'm taking my DuoMid in the hope that I'll become more competent with it.

We will also have a chance to discuss the future of ultralight backpacking in this stunning part of the world that lends itself so readily to this form of wilderness travel. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and visiting Sweden for the first time. Vi sees!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are a bit more organised than the UK outdoor bloggers where we've failed to get it together for a meet recently. Have a great time. I'm hoping I'll make it over to Scandinavia soon, perhaps next year.

Joe Newton said...

Thanks Robin. It will be a rich and rewarding experience whatever happens (I'm looking at the weather forecast intently...).

I'm sure a similar meet could be organised for UK outdoor bloggers later in the year.

Good luck choosing somewhere to visit in Scandinavia. There is soooo much variety it makes my head spin!

Unknown said...

Sounds great! Good shake down for your trip in the far north. Very interested to hear about your experience with the Evernew stove.Will partly determine whether I take it along to Norway in June. Did I just say June? Better get working on my kit list!

Joe Newton said...

Dave - My Evernew is sat with Bob & Rose with an order that is waiting on some Mountain King poles to arrive. As soon as it gets here I'll try it out, even if it's just for a cuppa in the woods behind my apartment! I know Gustav has lots of experience cooking over wood with a BBU in alpine environments and it's that kind of knowledge that I hope to take advantage of on this trip.

Going for two night shakedown-before-the-shakedown trip tonight, primarily to try out my DuoMid.

Martin Rye said...

We English outdoor bloggers do try to get out and meet up. The Scots (PTC, and the others do manage a meet up) Anyway have a good trip and learning experience Joe.

Unknown said...

Ah. Perhaps I'll even have my DX before you then. Mines shipped I think. Sakedowns for shakedowns. Taking it all very seriously. Thats what I like to hear.

Joe Newton said...

Martin - thanks, I'm sure I will.

Dave - the race is on! My DX and Carbon Compacts have now been shipped too!

Anonymous said...

I hope Sweden doesn't disappoint you, I just got back from my first hike in Norway and the Norwegians I met told me there was no more boring country in the world to hike in than Sweden!

And frankly, after experiencing to Hardangervidda, I can see their point.

Joe Newton said...

Tomas - Ouch! Sounds like a little bit of national pride being aired there! There are many varied areas of hiking in Norway as well as Sweden and I'm sure Valadalen will be spectacular in it's own unique way!

But I agree, Hardangervidda is particularly special and I will always have a special place in my heart for it.