Walking Holidays Sweden: Self-guided Hiking Tours in West Sweden

Dates & Prices

Duration: 4 or more days

Dates/Period: 07.05-03.10.10, start days by arrangement

Price: from £147/person.

Accommodation: 2-person camping cabins.

Required: General good health, able to hike around 20km over rough terrain. Swimming ability required if canoeing.

Photos from top: 1: M. Jonsson; 2,3: B. Carter

Hiking and Trekking > Self-guided Hiking in the Kynne Hills

Guided Hiking and Trekking
Hiking in the National Parks of Laponia
Hiking on the King's Trail from Abisko to Kebnekaise
Sarek National Park Expedition
Trekking in the Mountains of Western Sweden

Map of Sweden

The Kynne Hills

The Kynne Hills are a high plateau in the county of Bohuslän in West Sweden. A landscape of cracked valleys has created a large number of watercourses and lakes - the area is sometimes referred to as the "vattenfjället" or "water mountain".

In this area, many tree species such as the mountain birch and grey alder have their most southerly habitat. The region is also rich in wildlife, including deer, elk, wolves, lynx and beaver.

The highest point of the Kynne Hills is Vaktarekullen at 207m above sea level. One of Sweden's long-distance hiking trails, the Bohusleden, passes through the hills on its way to the coastal town of Strömstad. As well as being wonderful for hiking, the area also offers many opportunities for canoeing, fishing, and mushroom and berry picking.

Hiking tours from a cabin base with a feeling of the wilderness

Hiking holidays in Sweden: Bohuslän

The Kynne Hills lie in the county of Bohuslän, just a short distance inland from the coast in West Sweden. The area is ideal for hiking, offering a feeling of the wilderness and landscape in many ways similar to the Taiga areas of northern Sweden.

From your base at a simple but comfortable 2-person cabin, you will head out each day to explore the area on a different self-guided walking tour. Depending on the route, your host will transfer you to the start point of the day's tour or you will hike out from the camp to be collected at the end point later in the day. You will be provided with detailed description including points of interest and map for your day's hiking.

Some of the trails have been specially created by your host, and guests at the cabins are the only persons permitted to hike in these areas. Self-guided Hiking in the Kynne Hills is a tranquil and very private hiking experience with a real taste of the vast wilderness areas found much further north.

Photo: M. Jonssson

This is a region of atmospheric forests, open moors covered with heather and quiet, clear lakes. The area is rich in wildlife, and in the skies above you may see an osprey silhouetted against the sky, hear the lonesome calls of the black-throated diver and golden plover echoing across the still water, or spot a majestic crane strutting proudly through the wetlands.

The distance covered each day is around 17-20km depending on the route chosen. You take the day at your own pace, pausing to enjoy the view across a lake or perhaps explore a beaver hide, returning in the evening to the welcoming atmosphere of the camp. The camp is simple but has fully-equipped kitchen for self-catering and a lovely wood-fired sauna with private lake - perfect for soothing tired muscles after a long walk! The evening is yours to enjoy as you wish: barbecue your dinner over hot coals, warm your toes by the campfire, or simply sit back and reflect on the day's adventures and listen to the evening birdsong.

Self-guided Hiking in the Kynne Hills is a relaxing and flexible experience. From the freshness of early spring through the long, heady days of summer to the rich forest colours of autumn, each season has its own special charm. If you wish, you are welcome to extend your stay in the area with additional hiking days, or why not take a canoe for a day and explore the quiet waterways? Whichever options you choose and whenever you visit, the stresses and anxieties of modern life are likely to feel a world away!