The Kungsleden - Day 3 - Alesjaure to Tjäktja

Distance: 19.3km (12.0 miles)

Climbing Elevation: 834m (2,736 ft)

Maximum Elevation: 1,142m (3,746 ft)

After yet another solid and quality night sleep, I woke up to discover clear blue skies and a crisp chill in the air. The apprehension in my body, thinking about summitting the highest peak on the trail today, kept me under the comfort of my sleeping back for an extra half an hour. They say that, once you complete day 5 of a long distance trek, you start to get used to the solitude and the great outdoors and, although the complexity of the daily hikes may vary during the remainder of the trek, the new routines embed to become the norm and society, with all its luxuries, is a distant memory. It was certainly heading that way for me. The new morning routine was definitely kicking in... Wake up, check the weather outside, wipe the condensation of the walls of the inner tent, boil a pot of water, brew a cup of tea and make porridge, sit and ponder whilst observing the aches and pains around my body, get up, jumped in the river to wash and clean my teeth, get dressed, pack up my tent and backpack, make sure my waterproofs are packed at the top of the backpack. Check that I have "Left No Trace" and start walking. The best news is that I was already loving every moment of it.

Today's hike, the hike between Alestaure and tjäktja is a rewarding stretch; lush moors surrounded by majestic mountain peaks and glaciers. It really is a magnificent trail which offers the hiker many different experiences, and the first taster of going over a mountain pass. The path follows the eastern shore of the wide and winding Alesatno River, with its verdant delta landscape and its rich birdlife. If you are lucky, you may also be rewarded with your first glimpse of reindeer wandering alongside.

I checked the weather on my Garmin and the forecast was for heavy rain/sleet showers, mixed with short periods of sunshine. Right on queue, no sooner had I reached the first km of the hike, the rain began. My goodness, when the heavens opened, they really did open. Sometimes visibility would drop down to just a few metres and the winds whipped up a decent gale. Not that I was complaining, as I love walking int the rain and wind, and the moments of sunshine brought the most enchanting rainbows. Walking south, you have the breeze on your face for most of the time. For those that know me, know that I have a low body thermostat and being cold is my comfort zone - hence choosing a trail north of the Arctic circle in autumn. This cold crisp breeze was exhilarating and kept me cool during the ascent.

I still found myself pinching myself about where I where I was, and what I was doing. Each blast of wind, every drenching of rain, every bridge crossed, it would all invigorate me. Then came the first stream crossing with no bridge. Fortunately, it was no more than ankle deep, with plenty of rocks and boulders to make the crossing reasonably trouble free, but none the less, another first for the trek.

One of the things that would become prevalent along the whole trail was the lovely people you meet on the way. Whilst crossing the stream, I met a lovely Dutch lady who was also trying to cross. It was a wonderful opportunity to share the experience and have a few laughs as we both over exaggerated the danger of task and crossed with melodramatic vigour. After supporting each other across the river, and offering each other encouragement for the rest of the day's hike, we both headed further up the pass.

A short while later another amazing trekking experience occurred... I spotted my first group of reindeer. Four of them trotted past me without a care in the world. For me, it was a moment I had dreamt of, but wasn't sure was actually going to happen, and it happened on Day #3! To say I was overjoyed was an understatement. Any sense of tiredness, any feeling of aches and pains, any tiny element of doubt I can reach the top of the mountain pass, they were all swept away in that magical moment.

The trail continued up the side of the mountain pass, initially at a gradual incline, but with every km complete, the steeper the incline became. I definitely felt a bit more assured than on Day #2. My strides were more purposeful. Soon I could see the hut at the top of the peak. Alas, not as challenging a climb as I imagined. I kept reminding myself that this was the highest peak, and I was reaching the summit. I had done it! Completing the whole trek suddenly felt within my capability, and I was going to love it! Day #3 was proving to be the perfect tonic to any doubt that sat in my mind.

I was discovering that, no matter where you are on the Kungsleden, or what part of the day it is, each corner turned and each contour ascended provided a new and rewarding view. Every step was inspiring. Each chain bridge providing a welcome excuse to stop, top up my water bottle with fresh water, and gaze up and down stream, giving my back a welcomed break from the weight of my backpack.

Mid afternoon the rain was falling hard again, my hood was done up so that I could just about peer out and see where I was treading. Just behind was yet another amazing rainbow.

Finally I was within a few hundred metres from the hut. It was at this point that I realised this was not the summit at all, but just the STF Hostel. The summit was much further ahead, with a boulder field in between to slow the progress. Little did I realise that false summits would be a 'thing' on the Kungsleden. Walking over boulder fields was another new experience for me. Making covering a short distance take a long time, whilst searching for safe places to put my feet. Walking poles can also slow you up on boulder fields, frequently getting lodged between the gaps between the rocks.

Still, I was in no rush, slow progress is better than no progress. Plus it gave more even more of an opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

Finally to the summit, a short but very stee climb to the top. The sense of achievement was incredible. The views behind me were spectacular. The views of the mountains and valley in front of me were equally rewarding and provided me with my first sight of the trail for the next couple of days. The thought of walking along these mountains gave me a feeling of pure joy. I stood there for a moment, in fact for several moments to allow the feeling of being a real adventurer to sink in.

The return of the rain served as a reminder to pick up my backpack once more and head down to the valley and find a camping spot for the night. Although I had cherished every step of the day's hike, I was ready to rest my feet. You can see from the two photos here, the one above was taken when I was near the top of the pass, with a storm clearly visible in the distance. Half an hour later broken cloud and blue skies are visible along the whole of the valley.

No sooner had I found a spot near a stream, the tent was pitched and I was undressed and wading into the water to wash the grime of the day from my body. Then I climbed into my tent clothes and prepared my banquet. Today's evening menu consisted of mashed potato and vegetables, followed by a cup of hot chocolate, followed by several cups of herbal tea and capped off with a cup of sweet coffee. Never had such a basic meal tasted so good!

Whilst eating my dinner I began reflecting on the day. Reliving every step, smiling at my first mountain pass and river crossing. My closing observation was that it wasn't about how fast or how far I had walked, but instead it was about how purposeful each step was, and how much more aware I was becoming of my surroundings. Unsurprisingly, that is where my day ended. I climbed into my sleeping bag, closed my eyes and, within a flash, I was asleep.