Svärdlång

We had a very nice kayak trip on one of Sweden's most paddled lakes. This is a 15 km long and narrow lake in Dalsland that is not connected to the Dalslands Kanal. In June, July and August this lake is probably the place in Sweden where you see most canoes, open canoes and kayaks. People from all around Europe come to this part of Sweden for canoeing and most of them end up in this lake sooner or later.

I try to avoid Svärdlång during that period and go there either early spring or in the autumn. This time I brought some friends with me who some of them had never paddled in the area. We stayed at a prepared camp site which is mandatory on this lake. Normally in Sweden "Allemansrätten" applies but as there are so many people camping here at summer the land owners like to lessen the impact by concentrating the visitors to certain spots. The camp sites are managed by DANO rangers and there are a fire pit, fire wood and an outhouse. 

October can be very beautiful with all the colors in the nature and that was what we had. Very windy but int this narrow lake with high cliff sides we were not so affected by the wind. And in the night and morning it was completely calm.

Camp fire, evening kayak trip, sleeping outdoors, no rain, good company, good food and a lazy morning with some rays of sunlight. What more can you want?

I was very pleased that I could show my friends this paradise.

A blue lake

Nils & Magnus (son & father)

Frida and my daughter Paula are having breakfast in bed

Breakfast

October colors

Making coffee

Lena

Kayak morning

October morning

Kajsa and Anders

Kajsa

Night paddling 

Very low water on the lake this beautiful morning

Magnus is taking a morning trip

We are all having breakfast

Ghosts around the camp fire

Nils at late evening

Svärdlång

Susanne in the evening

Making waffles

Tea and coffee for breakfast

Sun is coming up also this day

Nils on a morning trip

My daughter Paula in my Nordkapp

Guiding

Early June I hade five days guiding with a Norwegian school class. It was 24 students 14-15 years old, three teachers and one parent. This was the forth time I was guiding a class from Steinerskolen at Nesodden in Dalslands kanal. We startled on Monday, June 6th (the Swedish national day) at Kanalvillan where I have been working for about ten years as a guide.
The first night was at Baldersnäs and day two we paddled through seven locks upp to the lake Lelång at Bengtsfors. After a very nice evening we woke up to a rather windy day. As we were on an island there was no chance for us but to wait until the wind had calmed a bit before continuing. Around 2 PM (14:00) I considered it safe enough to enter the canoes and proceed towards Kråkviken. It was a long day before we arrived at Skifors at midnight, everyone was very tired and it was just strait into our tents (and me into my hammock).

The last day I paddled with them was down Svärdlång, one of Sweden's absolutely most beautiful lakes for canoeing, and then onto Laxsjön and the camp at Baldernäs again. During the last night a sudden storm came through our camp and one big tree was boken in half! I had to sadly leave this nice school class an my boss Åke was in charge the last two hours. It was probably the hardest trip I have done with this school but the kids did very well and their teachers should be very proud of them. Once again I met my friend Jonas (PE teacher for the class) and Grace who is the class head teacher. That was very nice to see them again.

Two of the canoes arriving att "Världens ände" at Baldersnäs

One of the kids and Grace is going up the first lock.

Behind me in the lock

Hammock camping at it's best.

View from inside my hammock

Canoes

Lazy paddling 

Nice and warm