Close to certain trails, a comfortable night’s rest at an STF hostel is also possible.

More information about local trails is easy to find through the Internet pages of local nature conservation foundations and sport associations and there are even many tips here at STF’s websites. Below, you will find more information about the two longer European trails that stretch through parts of Sweden.

There are 11 European long distance paths (E-Routes)
The designations E1, E2 up to E11 represent European long distance paths, somewhat more exciting than European highways. Eleven E-Routes today travel through Europe. Two pass through Sweden: E1 and E6. E1 continues via Denmark down through Germany and Switzerland to Italy. E6 continues through Denmark, Germany and Austria, onwards over the Balkans and ends in Greece. In other words, you can hike from Norrtälje to the Mediterranean.

The idea with E-Routes is to give solidarity between people in other countries in Europe. Can you imagine a better way to learn the nature, culture and people in another country than through hiking?

In Sweden, joining existing regional trails in a natural manner has created E-Routes.


Why hike E1 and E6 in Sweden?
When you hike on any of the trails included in E1 and E6, it can fun to think that you are actually walking on a path that joins together with other paths that start and end very far away. It is fascinating to think that if you continue on E1 after a boat ride to Denmark, you can continue hiking through Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and end off with a view over the Mediterranean near Genoa. If you continue along E6 from Malmö and cross the Öresund Bridge, you can hike through Denmark, Germany, Austria and Slovenia, and look out over the Adriatic Sea not far from Trieste.

E1 in Sweden – from Varberg to Grövelsjön
E1 begins in Varberg and enters the Hallandsleden Trail, onwards to the Bohusleden Trail, Vildmarksleden Trail, Knalleleden Trail, Sjuhäradsleden Trail, Redvägsleden Trail, Västra Vätterleden Trail, Bergslagsleden Trail, Malingsbo-Klotenrundan, Sméleden Trail, Gagnefs Paths, Siljansleden Trail, Vasaloppsleden Trail and from Sälen to Grövelsjön. The trail keeps to lowland and enters mountain terrain only in the far north. E1 was inaugurated in 1992 and covers approximately 1,200 km in Sweden.

E6 in Sweden – from Malmö to Grisslehamn
E6 starts in Malmö with Skåneleden Trail, and onwards to Hallandsleden Trail, Gislavedsleden Trail, Höglandsleden Trail, Östgötaleden Trail, Sörmlandsleden Trail and Roslagsleden Trail, and ending in Grisslehamn. Hence, E6 is about lowland trails. Inaugurated in Sweden in 1990, E6 totals almost 1,400 km.

How do you find further information about the paths?
In Sweden, information in the form of brochures and maps and in certain cases guidebooks about the regional trails included in E1 and E6 are used. Lars Magnusson’s book ”Vandra i Sverige” (“Hiking in Sweden”, in Swedish, from Rabén & Sjögren in collaboration with STF, 2000) has useful information about most trails in Sweden. No particular guidebook exists about the Swedish sections to E1 and E6, but you can get a downloadable overview map here.

How is it to hike on E1 and E6 in Sweden?
Hiking on E1 and E6 in Sweden means hiking on regional and local trails. It isn’t particularly complicated and you can hike from early spring to late autumn in many places and in such places of southern Sweden that do not receive hindering snow year-round. No particular equipment is needed. Good shoes or boots and rainwear are need, but you do not need to buy them especially for hiking.

The trails are marked, often with oranges bands around trees and poles. Information boards are usually located at appropriate starting and ending points. To indicate that a trail is included in E1 or E6, special information boards are located at longer distances from each other, and between them with greater frequency, European Path signs – blue bottom and 15 gold European stars that encircle the E1 and E6.

Many trails offer rest shelters and lean-tos, and occasionally even toilets, water and fire rings. With a sleeping bag in your packing, these shelters can be used for overnights even if small and light packing is important when hiking. Some trails have unattended huts for overnights. Otherwise, the hiker can use hostels, camping sites, bed & breakfasts, inns and hotels for multi-day hiking. Such possibilities are sometimes near the trail and sometimes you have to search a little further from the trail. STF hostels in close proximity to the trail are stated in the information below. You can get more information about this if you click on the respective hostel. 

Links to information pertaining to regional and local trails included in E1 and E6 from south to north are below.

More information about E1 and E6 in Sweden

E 1 in Sweden

E 6 in Sweden

Map

European paths (PDF, A3)

European paths (PDF, A4)

Information boards are located at larger rest spots along E1 and E6.

Read more at http://www.era-ewv-ferp.org/