An Immersion into the World Overgrown with Moss and Riddles - Upplandsleden

And so I stepped on a 400 kilometer long route through thick forests, bogs and moors, fast rivers and fresh springs. Ready to follow me?

It all went all of a sudden - an unplanned journey that is likely to become one of the greatest events this year. 

I asked a friend of mine to give me a lift to a lake - just to take some nice photos and enjoy the silver surface of the water - and found myself on a pass leading into a thick forest. A pass called Upplandsleden (Uppland's route). That's so strange to discover a half-forgotten route to some ancient world of mermailds, trolls and wood goblins, to jump from one mossy stone to another equipped with a bottle of water, some bananas and a camera - and that's all!

I am not a person who can be easily taken aback by the challenges created by the roads untravelled and sights unseen; so I chose this route without hesitation, tête-à-tête with nature and its mysteries. 

I am used to hiking. My parents have been taken me with them to hike from the age of five and I don't see anything strange in spending a night or two under the stars and eating berries. Though, if I set off for a daily hike I never take much stuff with me, it's easier for me to do without snacks than to pull a sack with many useless things and water supplies, so I don't look like a usual hiker. A pair of jeans, simple sneakers and a T-shirt - what else do you need going to nowhere?

Upplandleden. A rapidly changing landscape, glades covered with blueberries and cowberries, bogs hiding some awful secrets, cliffs and fallen trees - and no people. I met only one old pair near the motorway - and that was it. So I went whistling and singing to myself as I felt that I was one of the few people in miles and miles ahead - so, why care?

That was a necessary break after some very stressful business experience, a gasp of fresh forest air full of power, energy, native emotions. When you're alone following a long route through an old forest you have you hear, vision and smell to become more sensitive, you get closer to nature, more accurate in your movements.

I fell in love with this native world, with this forest lost in the heart of Sweden, I fell in love with September, its fine smile and its soft Sun. I felt that I was full, full after the emptying life in a city, after troubles and knockdowns. All the difficulties seemed to be so far away, so far from this forest as if there was a guard standing on the edge of this world and not letting the troubles in.

There's also something mysterious in this forest. Such runestones without any runes on them - ancient marks of the pass or something else, much more scary? I don't kmow. All the attempts to google the stuff in the Internet have failed and I would be extremely grateful to everyone who would reveal me the truth about these stones.

The next surprise was waiting for me quite soon - a house for tired hikers with logs, a spade, a saw and even a post box - in the middle of the forest!
There was everything needed for a safe and nice rest and that was extremely clean there - the thing that was actually the greatest wonder. I adore people who take care of those who are yet to come and leave some logs and matches for the newcomers. This is a trait yet to be cultivated in Russian people and that's really disappointing that I can't imagine anything like that in any Russian forest I have ever been to. Unfortunately, not.

After resting a bit in this forest house I set off to a homestead situated just on the other side of the forest - a friend of mine was waiting for me there to take home.
This was just a tiny piece of Upplandsleden to be covered this day - but I am in love with this route and I'd like to move on tomorrow with some better hiking equipment and desire to discover something new, hidden between the mossy stones of this magic route.

Venture, dare, accept challenges.

Anastasia