Day-Tripping in South Sweden - Icy Adventure at Söderåsen

I love day trips. I like everything about them. I like being away. I like seeing new places. I like having new experiences. I like the photo taking opportunity they present. I even like just being on the road. And I like coming home again. I also like reliving the memorable moments of a good trip - which is another way of saying that this post will probably be quite long...



The icy skiing track



The first day trip this year did not quite turn out as planned. Still riding high after our skiing weekend, the plan was actually to go for a day trip to do some cross country skiing. That did not work out, because where there was supposed to be snow, was only ice. But it was such a nice day - the sun shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, and we had already come this far, so we decided that we were going to make the most of it. We were quite close to Söderåsen Nationalpark at that point, one of the many national parks in Sweden. It is supposed to be a beautiful forest area with a hike up to a fabulous viewpoint. Thus it was an easy decision to drive another 25 km to Söderåsen to to do the hike instead. Despite the fact that ice had shattered our skiing plan, and that we were walking around on ice at the time we made this decision, somehow I failed to consider the ice factor.



Söderåsen





View from the top



Exhausted from the early rise in the morning and from the failed ski attempt, we headed first to the café for some much needed coffee and cake. Thus revived by caffeine and sugar, we headed off for the hike. We started past the café up a flight of stairs which turned out to be steepest but perhaps also the easiest part of the entire trail that day. After that, the trail took a gentle sloping climb towards the view point. Even so, it was not easy to navigate. The ice which road-blocked our skiing was also present here. So when I say walking or hiking, I really mean crunching on icy snow (to avoid the glossy ice patches) or gingerly taking tiny steps over the ice, or slipping and sliding over the ice like some poor moonwalk attempt all the while struggling to keep balance and remain in an upright position. When we got to viewpoint, which was a little platform built specifically for people to stop and admire the views, that was exactly what we did. The view was gorgeous. But having taken the quickly way up via the steps, it felt a bit like we had not yet earned it, as such. In hindsight, I think it might be intended that people start their hike at the other end of the trail, slowly making their way up the hill to the view point, then down the quick way back to the restaurant. Oh well, we enjoyed the views nonetheless, then continued the long way back down the hill, which proved to be much more difficult than the way up.

It was treacherous enough trying to navigate over ice when the ground was flat, even worse when most of the trail thereafter was downhill. To avoid the icy trail, we often walked on the crunchy snow beside the trail. This made the going a bit easier, but where the trail was relatively even, the ground beside the trail was uneven and often sloping, which put a lot more strain on my injury prone knees and ankles. Then we reached a point where the path curled around a slope, so there was nowhere else to walk but on the icy trail. 

How exactly does one stop if one slips?



Luckily, there were lots of leaves collected at the side of the path, and that was what we walked on to give us a bit us friction on the ice. At some point though, I looked up and saw that the path ahead turned round a corner, and right there, the leaves disappeared leaving only smooth shiny ice to walk on. One person in the group decided to slide down the side of the hill, thus circumventing a loop in the trail which included that icy patch. Another person slid down the icy patch in a surfing position. A third took a million tiny steps up to a slightly lower point, then slide down the side of the hill in the snow. I took a million tiny steps as far down as I could then slid the rest of the way with my feet in a surfing position, but with both hands somehow on the ground as well for extra balance. I have no idea now how I did it. All I know is that it turned out to be so much fun that I was laughing out loud in unexpected delight. The others joined in the laughter, although I suspect they were not so much laughing with me...

Shortly after, we met a couple on their way up the trail. We stopped to exchange reports of the condition of the part of the trail which we had respectively survived. They told us that for the most part, the remaining part of the trail for us was generally alright, except for one part which was horrible. Hmm... But the rest of the trail was generally quite flat, they said. And so we set off again.  

The iced up boardwalk

The rest of the trail was in fact generally quite flat, and for the most part there was a boardwalk built over the rocky bits. The trail ran alongside, and at certain points over, a little stream, so the ground beside the boardwalk was rather rocky. This meant that we often had to stay on the boardwalk. there were times though, when this was not possible as the boardwalk was covered in ice.

One wrong move and it´s slip and splash!

By that point we were beginning to wonder what they meant when they said that there was a horrible part. I say 'we', but really, I mean 'I'. It did not seem that horrible. I mean, there were icy bits, but easily overcome. We started to make jokes about how they started on level ground, they had not be through what we had been through, so they had no idea what horrible means. Uh-huh, famous last words.

We had reached a point where the boardwalk ran slightly over the stream, and for whatever reason not a railing in sight. It was flat and presumably a beautiful stroll along a babbling steam in any other weather. Just not when the entire boardwalk is covered in ice. The only bit which was not covered in ice was a thin strip at the edge of the boardwalk closest to the water. Did I mention that there wasn´t a railing? Also, the boardwalk was actually not entirely flat, although that could have been because of how the ice had frozen on it. Whatever the case, it sloped ever so slightly in the direction we were heading. Which meant, every time we tried to stand still, we found ourselves sliding forward. At some point I was tip-toeing sideways on the iceless patches at the edge of the boardwalk with my back towards the water, trying not to think about toppling backwards in case that it made me actually topple backwards!  In the end, I opted for the sliding option. The guys went first and then galantly placed themselves at the end to catch the rest of us as we came sliding along.

We all made it back in the end without any major incidents. And despite our fears of slipping and falling into the stream, it was actually a lot of fun to be out. All the slipping and sliding and the laughing and screaming about it, will probably make sure that this trip that will stand out so much more my memory than many other day trips. The iciness added an edge to what would have been an easy walk in the forest. We had an adventure instead! I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and am really glad for it.  It was well worth it. 

Söderåsen is definitely on the “must go again” list. It must also be beautiful in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. But when I really want to go back, is in the autumn. For a few days in October, the leaves turn golden - it is supposed to be spectacular then!

The plan is to go for a day trip at least once a month. Assuming we manage to keep to the plan, the chances that we will be back there again are quite high. Let´s see how that works out.