Norway - Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a treeless, arctic landscape with no big valleys, hence it is called a plateau. It is protected by the biggest Norwegian national park. The idea was to cross the Hardangervidda from south to north, from Haukeliseter to Finse on the Bergensbanen, with attractive points on route such as the Harteigen, the Simadalsfjorden, a waterfall, and last not least the icecap of the Hardangerjokulen. We moved on marked trails, and without the many bridges it wouldn't have been possible to cross the majority of the rivers.
Sweden - Sarek
Above the arctic circle in northern Sweden wilderness prevails. The Sarek National Park, together with its immediate neighbors, forms the biggest protected area in Europe. Contrary to other national parks in Scandinavia the interior of the park does not have marked trails nor huts, thus requires a tent and a heavy backpack. The weather is colder and more rainy than we had been hoping for, and the resulting rivers have to be crossed without the help of bridges. Many high mountains, combined with high precipitation and the northern latitude, give birth to Schweden's biggest collection of glaciers.