King's Trail - Snowshoe Adventures in Europe's Frozen North

The Northern reaches of this globe are well known to be cold and icy.

And it is here where the adventure and hardy members foray along the King’s Trail.  

Ah, but what on earth is the ‘King’s Trail’? Well, if we are to take its native name we would be calling

it the ‘Kungsleden’,and it’s a world-famous route which take you through some of Sweden’s most

amazing scenes.

The is in the borders of the Sami folk’s ancestral domain. The expanses of birch forest, glaciers,

rivers and the highest peaks in all of Sweden.

Those seeking a snowshoe winter trek in Europe need look no further.

Sweden’s Beautiful Wilderness

The adventure has its beginnings in Abisko, one of Sweden’s oldest national reserves.
It’s famous for having one of the greatest vistas to witness the ‘Aurora Borealis’ (Northern Lights)
out of anywhere in the world.

This adventure averages a distance of 14 km a day, venturing through the winter wilderness
bequeathed with an ever changing landscape. Each and every night shall be spent in a new location
in remote mountain huts. If you are a fan of saunas in the temperate weather of the United Kingdom,
then you haven't experienced anything until you enjoy a hot sauna after a day in the snowy mountains
.

A real Adventure.

If this sounds like the kind of adventure you would be interested in, Adventurous Ewe has the perfect package.

The real appeal of this adventure is that you will be entirely self-sufficient,
carrying 12kg-14kg of equipment yourself for the entirety of the trip.

As a result, you will need to be in a good level of fitness in order to be able to take part in
the challenge.

Those who go on a trip with a real desire to taste the local cuisine will be most pleased
that throughout the journey you will be eating traditional Sami food, that is reindeer meat.

You will also need to employ specialist equipment in order to traverse this snowy plain, as you will be in many cases stepping atop freshly fallen snow. For the purpose of this
you will have to make use of a snowshoe. But if you have never even seen, let alone put on a
snowshoe before, never fear! As you will be instructed on how to properly walk wearing them.

The Three Peaks Challenge – Top Tips

Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon. In 24 hours. Sound easy to you?

The Three Peaks Challenge is definitely far from easy – but the venture is a perfect one for anyone wishing to test their fitness and endurance, or to feel the great sense of achievement that comes with the completion, or even to build stronger bonds of trust and friendship within groups. 

To ensure that you stay safe and well in order to complete each peak - here are some handy Three Peaks tips that you may find useful.

Plan ahead - Get the right postcodes for your starting point to avoid extra stress. Getting lost before you start would be a nightmare! By choosing timings and routes you can plan which mountain to climb in the evening/night – which is sometimes inevitable – to do so safely and in a prepared manner. Importantly - use the most up-to-date maps and ensure everyone is able to read maps and navigate, in case the group is separated. 

Chauffeur, anyone? Driving in-between walks is a huge no. You won’t be your most alert after a long day climbing – and you will need this time to rest up for the next mountain. Ensure you plan driving routes and parking to avoid stress. Take travel sickness tablets for the drive – just in case you feel car sick. Feeling sick will make it difficult to eat; something you must do to keep your energy up.

Be prepared for any weather – A common tip is to start off cold as you will get warmer. However this doesn’t mean to say you won’t get cold again throughout the journey! Carry extra layers as it can get cold at the summit – as there is always a chance the weather will make a dramatic change. 

Bring plenty of fuel - lots of high calorie snacks such as cereal bars and dried fruit/nuts are perfect for the cause. Eat little and often even if you don’t feel hungry – you will need the energy. It’s a great idea to bring sandwiches and pasta as they are high in carbohydrates, and slowly release energy.

Stay hydrated – This is incrementally important! You’ll need lots of water; at least 2 litres of water per mountain is recommended. Hydration packs are perfect as you won’t have to carry your water bottle by hand. Ensure your back pack is fitted with a water pack function.

Don’t overdo it – don’t ‘push on’ if the situation is unsafe. Admitting defeat can be really tough, but you need to be sensible. If you are hurt, the likelihood is it’s going to get harder the more you troop on. Remember that mountains are unpredictable and situations can change fast – especially where weather is concerned.

Let the slowest in the group set the pace – this ensures everyone will keep up and stay as a group. For faster walkers, this could be seen as a tactic to preserve energy!

Buy decent walking boots – Boots are arguably the most important part of your kit. You need proper support on rocky terrain. Breathable and waterproof materials are ideal, so look out for those functions when purchasing. Break your boots in some months before you embark on the challenge to ensure they will not rub or cause pain. Blisters are one of the largest reasons why challengers fail The Three Peaks – don’t let that be you!

Practice is key – ensure you reach a good level of fitness before attempting the challenge. Familiarise yourself with the types of terrain you will face by going on long walks or by attempting one of the mountains beforehand to build stamina.

 Photo credit: Henry & Jane

Winter Toubkal

We've just returned for yet another amazing Winter Mt Toubkal Trek, the conditions were sweet and we couldn't have ask for a better snowpack. Summit day the sun shone with no wind what so ever and if you've ever been to the High Atlas Mountains you'll know the wind can blow pretty hard at times, which is what happened on day 2 when attempting Quankrim summit. Unfortunately we had to retreat from the summit early but it was certainly a blast trying, with strong winds of 40mph + it felt like Arctic conditions.

So now it's to wait until the end of 2015 until we head out for yet another Winter Moroccan Epic Adventure.
We have now been running trips to Morocco for over 5 years, working with the same team through out, If your looking for a true Moroccan experience with super friendly local stuff then give us a shout and I hope to see you in Morocco soon.