If you haven’t heard of wild camping, you probably aren’t alone. It is a really cool trend though, whereby you don’t have to book at a campsite, but instead you find places that allow people to stay for a night or two and then pack up and leave. It is more prevalent in countries like Sweden, in fact, there it written into their law. Allemansrätten (Right of public access) in Sweden means that more people are able to camp where they like and really see some beautiful sights. Of course, before you go, you should make sure that you have got your choice of beer for the occasion, checked over your camper van, and researched the best camping mattress for the nights under the stars.

Sweden – Wild Camping Locations

Upplandselden 

This a beautiful 400-kilometer (approx. 240 mile) trail in Uppland county. There are swimming areas along the inlets of Lake Malaren, and fire pits too, perfect for kicking back with beer in hand. If you go north, you’ll find the Dalalven river. You can hike through most of the forests and swim pretty freely also. You can pitch your tent anywhere you like for a maximum of 24 hours, after that you’ll need to move. You need to adhere to the rule ‘do not disturb, do not destroy’.

Glaskogen

This nature reserve is situated in the province of Varmland. You’ll find it between the municipalities of Arjang and Arvika in the southern part of Sweden. There are 28,000 hectares (approx. 69,000 acres) of lakes and forests that you can explore. Inside the park itself, you can rent kayaks for around 220 kronor a day. You can also rent mountain bikes and fishing permits if that is something you fancy doing. There are cottages, cabins and camping pitches all through to location but if you want to stay there, you will need to buy the Glaskogen card.

Kungsleden

The King’s Trail is a hiking trail in the north part of Sweden. It is based between Abisko (north) and Hemavan (south) and is around 440km (approx. 265 miles) long. It goes through the Vindelfjallen Nature Reserve and is one of the largest protected areas in the whole of Europe. You are very likely to run into reindeers, small mammals, bears and plenty of birds.

This trail was designed originally to make Sweden’s Lapland more easily accessible. The large rivers, huge mountains and forests are spectacular, and now you can take your time to soak it all in. You’ll only want to camp here between June and September though – the weather is more agreeable then.

When you are wild camping, most places have a list of rules that you must stick to. You will only be welcome for a set amount of time – typically between 24 and 48 hours. You aren’t permitted to get too close to local houses, and you must respect the area that you are in. There are apps that are available to check for local places that are recommended and legal for wild camping.

Always remember that where there is a lot of wildlife, you must take extra care of any food waste that you have with you, as well as cans and any other trash, and dispose of it properly to avoid attracting any unwanted visitors. Keep these ideas in mind and you can have the time of your life wild camping in this beautiful Scandinavian country.