Coast 2 Coast Sweden

This month, LightHeart Gear founder Judy Gross will be taking on the Coast2Coast hike across Sweden, and we can’t wait to hear all about the adventure. She will be trekking from the eastern coast of the Baltic in Kalmar to the western coast in Varberg, with the total distance around 248 miles. The event has been held annually since 2013, and attracts hikers from all over the globe. Coast2Coast Sweden was originally organized by Jörgen Johansson and Jonas Hållén, who continue to aid as guides for the event each year. 

This route will take Judy through a gorgeous area of Sweden and she will spend a few days along the famous Halland Trail. The hike is relatively flat, and many of these trails are actually ancient footpaths that have been used for centuries. She will also be hiking along sections of the Gislaved Trail and the West Sigfrid Pilgrim Trail that meanders through picturesque villages and alongside one of over 100,000 beautiful lakes Sweden has to offer. 

Unlike some other thru-hikes Judy has done, she won’t be able to make her own dehydrated food and instead is buying all her trail meals out in Sweden. There are also plenty of stops in villages to grab lunch or supplies if needed. She will need to find fresh water though, the same as thru-hikes in America. Here are some other fun facts about the Coast2Coast hike and Sweden:

·        The hike always begins in May - when Spring is in full bloom!

·        The climate is mostly maritime, influenced by the Gulf Stream (so not too hot or cold)

·        The largest climb is only about 650-820 meters above sea level

·        Strong winds are unlikely, so some hikers choose tarps for shelter. Judy will be bringing her LightHeart SoLong 6.

·        The hike will take exactly two weeks.

·        It is possible to resupply food every day.

·        The main language of Sweden is Swedish, but the country also has 5 other official languages - Finnish, Yiddish, Sami, Meänkieli and Romani.

·        The country of Sweden consists 50% of forests, perfect for any avid hiker!

·        Sweden has their own Twitter handle and gives the account over to a Swedish citizen every week to manage.

The first 'Coasttocoasties', class of '13, on the beach in Varberg.

We are so excited for her big trek and will post updates as she hikes! Judy will be hiking the trail from May 14th, 2017 to May 27th 2017 so keep an eye out soon! You can also keep a track on Coast2Coasts Facebook Page, Instagram Account or Twitter Account!