Last July my husband and I went to Berner Oberland and trekked there for a whole week. We absolutely fell in love with it. This year are thinking of heading to another European country to trek. We are thinking of maybe going to a Scandinavian country? Any recommendations / suggestions would be welcome.
Thank you.
Yes, Norway. The scenery is a lot like Switzerland, with rugged peaks, glaciers, and waterfalls. You can get a lot of information from the Norwegian Trekking Association:
http://www.turistforeningen.no/english/index.php?fo_id=3609
You can join for a discount at their huts.
You should also get a copy of ''Walking in Norway'' by Constance Roos (Cicerone).
Norway, in the mountainous west.
When there, we heard that there was a law that camping was allowed on any private property as long as it was not within a certain distance of the dwelling. Maybe there are a few more restrictions than that, but the point was that there is a tradition of hiking in Norway that the laws and general customs support.
Anywhere from Stavanger in the south to the Lofoten Islands to the north (above the arctic circle, but warm) would be great for hiking.
We were in Norway a few years ago and we remarked to our hotel desk clerk how many Germans we were meeting. He said, "The Germans are very outdoorsy people, and in the summer they all come to Norway."
So I'm sure the other posters are correct.
I agree that Norway has spectacular scenery and is a great choice for outdoors activities. It would probably be my first choice.
For a complete contrast to Norway, you might consider looking into either the island of Gotland or the Stockholm archipelago in Sweden.
Gotland is located in the Baltic. You can get there by taking a ferry from Nynäshamn which is about an hour south of Stockholm by train. The ferry takes a little over 3 hours. The main town of Visby still has its medieval walls. I haven't hiked here, but when I visited, I stayed in Visby and rented a bike and rode to several places around the island. There are some nice beaches.
There are many islands in the Stockholm archipelago where you can rent a cabin, go hiking, biking or swimming. Utö is one that I particularly like.
The law that Randy refers to is common to the Nordics. In Sweden it is called "allemansrätt" (every man's right). It basically means that you have the right to enjoy the land and nature, regardless of ownership of the property. There are some limitations and common courtesy applies. If you plan on trekking in the Nordic region, read up on this.
Enjoy Scandinavia. I hope you are planning your visit in July. It really is the best time.
Norway! lots of mountains and parks and fjords. Check out the Tourism web sites they have so many choices in Summer! Especially around the summer solstice!
