We began our weekend adventure in Kärringsjön, at the end of a long private gravel road. There were cozy cottages available if needed, but we were happy just to park the car and set off with our kayaks.
The area is dotted with small lakes, which meant getting in and out of the kayak several times a day. But it was worth it.
On the first day, we paddled as close to Skedbrostugan as possible, then walked the final stretch and stayed there for the night. During the afternoon it started to snow, and watching snowflakes land softly on my kayak felt magical. Gustav suddenly shouted that he had spotted something running along the shoreline. For a second we thought of wolves — then realized it was reindeer. Still magical.
On the second day, we paddled southeast toward Rogen. We carried the gear and kayaks in stages between the lakes, still wearing life jackets and spray skirts. Out on the lake, the waves were big and we surfed quite a bit. It was my first time experiencing that, and I felt slightly out of control. The water was cold and Rogen is a vast lake. We stayed close to the shoreline and close to each other.
We made it through without getting wet and finished the day with our final paddle strokes in Norway. I nudged the front of my kayak into a small waterfall before we pitched the tent nearby for the night.
The next day was the complete opposite. No wind. The water was perfectly still, and the morning fog looked like something from a fairy tale. The mist lifted before we started paddling, and we moved silently across the lake for a long time — eyes wide open, completely calm.
On the final day, we paddled to STF Rogen for a short break before crossing the last stretch of Rogen. We dragged the kayaks over marshland and paddled across the small lakes all the way back to the car.
