One thing that really does surprise me about Sweden is just how big the country is. It’s the third largest country in Europe yet has a population less than that of London and Paris. When I lived in Australia it was fairly obvious that you could only inhabit certain parts of the country due to the extreme heat in the Desert yet I have always wondered about if there were places in Sweden that were too cold to inhabit.
If you look at the Geographical map of Sweden the majority of the largest cities are in the South and South West of the country, Goteborg being the exception. Yet the answer is rather simple.
Unlike most other European countries that seem intent on building on every available space Sweden knows that it’s love of the environment and passion for the outdoor sports is a legacy to be enjoyed by every generation not just now.
There are parts of Sweden that are still untouched by man and it’s a great honour and privilege to be able to take advantage of this and enjoy a camping experience that only really existed a few hundred years ago. Man vs. nature, outdoor survival, it’s just something that somehow has been lost in these days of package holidays and sun seeking worship.
I’ve heard many comments on how boring the Swedish landscape is and that it’s purely red house after red house, tree after tree yet the past week driving through the autumnal landscape has given me an insight into what natural beauty really is all about. In a European country that is as cosmopolitan as any Sweden is quite possibly the last untouched natural paradise in Europe.
It should be there to be enjoyed and loved by all and during my time here I am certainly going to take advantage of it. England has run out of space, Scotland my homeland, is the only natural escape I had.
How fortunate I am to now have it right on my very doorstep.
Tags: countryside, nature
Very true Dean, I was blown away by the beauty that Sweden has to offer. I am used to a country that has so much space, but I find the Australian bushland very boring, don’t get me wrong I love the ocean and the coast, but when you start to drive inland into Australia nothing really does it for me. Sweden’s natural environment is so green and lush! It almost looks like something out of a fairytale, I have been living with my girlfriend and the area where she lives in filled with great walking tracks through the forest! When it has just finished raining and you get the first strands of sun coming through is really an awesome sight. Being here in the summer I got to experience Sweden at its best, so many days were spent by the ocean and laying around on the many impressive rocks by the sea. Still I found it a nice change not to worry about the types of things that live in the ocean. There is no need to think about sharks, maybe the occasional jellyfish but that was about it….
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What about Norway?
Göteborg is in the southwest….
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