That's the thing about childhood dreams. Most of them never come true. Who hasn't wished to sail down the big river like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn on a homemade raft and experience many a unique adventure? Unfulfillable? Not at all.
It's even relatively easy. You don't have to travel overseas, and it doesn't have to be the Mississippi. You can sing "Ol' man river" at the top of your lungs when you're on the mighty Kläralven in the Värmland region of central Sweden. And there's a chance to become a real hero for one or more days.
The Swedish flag stands at attention in the wind
The morning of an exciting day begins quite contemplatively at first. At the breakfast table of "Ulvsby Hergard" in Sunne. The view is of Lake Fryken, just a few meters away, and the wonderfully nostalgic sauna house, where the German vacationers treated themselves to a few rustic, relaxing hours the night before and, after a good sweat, found the perfect place to cool off directly in the refreshingly cool lake water. What is today a hotel with real gourmet cuisine was in earlier centuries a manor house, whose origins go back to the 16th century. In 1649, the Swedish Queen Christina already had her fingers in the pie here. 200 years later, Sheriff Anders Wahlstrand had his seat on the same spot, including the associated jail. It is even said to have served as the basis for Selma Lagerlöf's famous "Gösta Berling's Saga". It's almost too good to be true that a flock of Nils Holgersson's wild geese flies by on this beautiful morning as if on cue when we think of the Nobel Prize winner for Literature. The Swedish flag stands at attention in the wind. Had a good breakfast? So get out of your comfort zone.
Lake Vänern, the largest inland water body in Western Europe
The Klarälven flows lazily through the landscape in Värmland, Sweden. Coming from Norway, it flows 478 kilometers into Lake Vänern in Karlstad, the largest inland waterway in Western Europe. Up until 1991, rafting was still carried out on the Klarälven, transporting vast quantities of logs to the south. Today's potential rafters must first learn about the construction and steering of the raft, which must be built by their own hands. Guide Jan is exactly the right person to give the necessary tips. One thing quickly becomes clear: strong plucking is not only desired, but absolutely necessary. But long "waders" made of neoprene that reach up to the thighs and - almost like suspenders - are attached to the belt of the pants - is that really necessary?
Three and six meter long logs, also of different thicknesses, are stored on the riverbank. Lots of ropes and other equipment. The raft will later consist of three layers of 3×6 meters, which will be lashed together by means of said ropes and expert knots - and weigh more than two tons in total. On the uppermost platform, a tent is to be made from poles and a tarpaulin - as sun and rain protection during the trip. The whole thing requires a lot of physical effort and normally takes two to four adults easily half a day or a whole day. With professional help, it goes faster - thanks to Jan and his colleagues. But adventurous tourists can't get around the fact that the actual construction of the raft involves getting into knee-deep water. The neoprene waders still serve their purpose.
First pee, then paddle
"Hey Guys. Ready to Start?" Logo. But don't forget to pee first. Jan pushes off vigorously with an overlong pole, the rest of the crew paddles with a good effort, and the handsome raft with its two kayaks in tow is already moving away from the shore. "The Klarälven flows along quite comfortably. You can entrust yourselves to it and don't have to row or steer all the time," Jan becomes almost a little philosophical. Good thing. So the relaxation phase can begin. Take a deep breath and enjoy. Above all, the beauty of nature and the almost indescribable silence, No wonder this ecotourism adventure was included in the list of "50 Tours of a Lifetime" by National Geographics. "You know, we get all kinds of people of all ages coming to us," Jan gets chatting. "Families with kids, adult groups - even companies that use a raft trip as a team-building seminar. It's all about trust and self-confidence here. About being in tune with nature and getting away from the stress of everyday life. And the feeling of having accomplished something at the end of the day that you might not have thought you could do. Many of our guests decide to go on multi-day trips to cover 50 kilometers, maybe even up to 100 kilometers on the river. Sleeping is on the raft, in tents on the shore or in cabins - depending on taste and willingness for adventure. The Swedish Everyman's Right allows you to spend the night in the nature practically everywhere. And believe me: in the evening, around the campfire, the self-caught fish tastes best of all."
Various whirlpools have to be circumnavigated
We move forward at a leisurely pace of two to three kilometers per hour. Occasional obstacles such as sandbanks or hanging branches near the shore should not be underestimated, however. Steering the ponderous raft is quite laborious and may require foresight and intervention. There are also various whirlpools to be circumnavigated if you don't want to spend a long time just spinning in circles. A small excursion with one of the accompanying canoes provides variety and perfect photo motifs. The river sets the pace and the landscape slowly passes by. Five or six hours on the raft fly by. It's a good thing that Jan has also provided warm coffee and a delicious picnic. But the mooring maneuver, which has to be prepared well and in good time, is exciting. Jan is the boss. He knows what has to be done and he gives the right commands. And he is responsible for ensuring that his guests don't get their feet wet this time either. The end point Gunnerud is reached. Funny, but somehow you really feel like a little, no even like a big hero.
Eaten in the cowshed
Two hours later, it's time to relax at Hotel Sahlströmsgarden on the outskirts of Torsby, which can also look back on a hundred years of history and is particularly impressive for its artistic appeal. By the way, we dine here in the wonderfully rustic atmosphere of a former cow barn. But first it's back to the warm, again in a rustic sauna hut. Another jump into the ice-cold water - this time into Lake Sirsjön. And the consideration to give himself the ultimate kick and the complete seven-day tour on the Kläralven next time. Could be exhausting, but also crazy romantic and relaxing. Maybe, who knows.
Tomorrow we will go to the Dalarna region. Not far from the town of Särna, a German couple runs their own elk and husky park. This also promises new exciting impressions. But that's another story from central Sweden.
More info about the trip to Värmland
Värmland: The land of lakes and forests
Large bodies of water and natural attractions characterize the Värmland region in central Sweden: There are 11,000 lakes here. Sweden's longest river, the Klarälv, flows through the middle of the province before emptying into the Vänern near Karlstad. It is the largest lake in Western Europe and an ideal vacation spot for water sports enthusiasts. The region, however, has not only water, but also a lot of space to offer. Around 320,000 people live in an area of more than 19,000 square kilometers - just 17 people per square kilometer. The blue mountains described by the Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf can be found here, as can the lonely, snow-covered forests of the painter Gustaf Fjaestad.
Dalarna - the heart of Sweden
The province of Dalarna is located in central Sweden, bordering Norway and the Swedish mountains to the west. Here, much revolves around animals, nature and the color red - and not only because the famous Dala horse seems to be omnipresent and you can't get enough of the dark forests, the glittering lakes and the cute red wooden cottages. Cheerful Swedes in folk costume dancing around the maypole at Midsummer is also a part of Dalarna, as is the famous Wasa race, where every year some 15,000 cross-country skiers romp along the 90-kilometer route between Sälen and Mora. Dalarna has about 280,000 inhabitants in an area of about 30,000 square kilometers, which corresponds to a population density of nine people per square kilometer. The provincial capital is Falun.
Journey to Värmland
For example, in just under three hours by plane from Frankfurt to Karlstad - twice daily with bmi regional.
More information
www.visitdalarna.se/de
Note: The trip was made by invitation
