Höga Kustenleden - 7&8 August 2022

tags: running - solo - unsupported
08 Aug 2022 - teufen

I had a 2 day adventure in Höga Kusten in Sweden. I carried everything on my back: a 9kg backpack.

Covered 154.7km in 28h (walking+hiking), over tough tough terrain (boulder fields, rocks, tree roots, steep hills,…) But also with oh so beautiful views!

hk-strava At the time I ran Höga Kusten, this was the hardest run I ever did. I still think of it as one of the most beautiful runs and a great adventure.

Strava activity

I didn’t wrote a report at the time, but posted on twitter about it (yes, I know).

Ik beleefde een 2 daags avontuur in Höga Kusten in Zweden. Ik had alles op mijn rug mee, 9kg rugzak.
154.7km afgelegd in 28u (lopen+hiken), over stevig pittig terrein (keienvelden, rotsen, boomwortels, steile heuvels,...) Maar ook met o zo mooie zichten! pic.twitter.com/NFaAtUvlAX

— Teufen (@teufen) August 8, 2022

Here are some images to give you a glimpse of why you should run or hike Höga Kustenleden! In between the images I’ve put some of the messages I sent to my family and friends at the moment. Those help to capture the mood I was in.

day 1: Högakustenbron - Skuleberget

2022-08-07 06:01
Here I go!

here i go

2022-08-07 08:35
View from the top of Valkallen.

hogakustenbron

2022-08-07 10:05
4h in. Everything is going well. Already switched to short sleeves. Very technical trail at times, pace is a lot slower than expected. First water tank place I didn't find any water, luckily I have half a liter reserve, so I can continue for a while.
2022-08-07 11:06
✅ water
2022-08-07 12:09
Backpack is quiet heavy. I feel it in my shoulders al ready.

difficult terrain

2022-08-07 13:08
I am now exactly one hour behind schedule. This is the end of the schedule, I suppose.
2022-08-07 14:01
Some self-care: a cup of coffee on the terrace of a café along the route.

lake in forrest

2022-08-07 16:10
Thick 10h in. According to my watch, I already ran 61km and 2020Hm. Time for a little break. Fatigue is starting to set in. Bit of pain left and right, especially on the right hip, but nothing that justifies giving up, so I continue. 60km in 10h is not something to write home about. I suspect that the 9kg backpack has something to do with it, and the terrain.
2022-08-07 17:34
Just got water from a Swedish bomma with purple hair and matching tie dye T-shirt. She couldn't speak English, but I know the Swedish word for water, so that worked out fine. The whole explanation she did while I was mixing my powder in the flask I just responded to with affirmative humming.

forest path

2022-08-07 18:03
A hard climb leads to a beautiful view.
2022-08-07 18:50
Eating the first freeze-dried meal in my life. There are tastier things.
2022-08-07 19:09
I am leaving for the last stage of the day. Let's see how much I can squeeze out of myself.
2022-08-07 21:15
Decision made: I'm going to the nearest shelter to roll out my mat there.
2022-08-07 21:28
Or not: those are rental cabins and they are rented out. On to the next one.
2022-08-07 21:56
Clambering up rocks in semi-darkness.
2022-08-07 22:06
In the shelter on top of Skuleberget. I have a room with a view.

night in a shelter

day 2: Skuleberget - Örnsköldsvik

2022-08-08 06:29
I started running again.
2022-08-08 07:34
Legs are good. Quadriceps a bit sore, rest is OK.

view from skuleberget

2022-08-08 10:11
It is very beautiful here in Skuleskogen! But also hard. 😅

lake in forrest

2022-08-08 11:13
Slåttdalsskrevan in Skuleskogen!

skuleskogen

2022-08-08 11:35
Pfff, I'm having a hard time. It's a bit hot. Tired and my quads are sore.
2022-08-08 13:42
I fill up on a "petrol"-coffee in a dingy café.
2022-08-08 16:29
Last water resupply. Another good 20km to go. 💪 Come on myself!

a last view of the sea

2022-08-08 18:33
(as an answer to why my tracker is not on course)
I am following the marks, maybe the GPX on their website wasn't correct? I fell flat on my face by tripping on a protruding root. Quickly turn off that accident detection ...
2022-08-08 19:22
I did it!

i did it

bonus

2022-08-08 20:03
The winning picture: Siegert laughing hard because I "walk like a penguin" when I'm getting out of the car.

walk like a penguin

my pack

I carried:

the content of my pack me, wearing my pack