SOCIAL ACTIVITY. Sweden’s Nest 6 recently embarked on a long hike and an overnight stay in the cold mountain forests of northern Norrland.
In the early morning of Saturday 12 November, members and activists from Nest 6 headed to Arvidsjaur Municipality to spend the day on a wilderness hike in the mountains of Vittjåkk nature reserve. The group also had a long-distance visit from a supporter from England, who travelled all the way to Norrbotten to participate in the activity.
When the group reached the site and began the hike, they quickly realised they would face various challenges during the excursion, as the landscape comprised steep mountains, deep forest and treacherous marshland, all of which had to be traversed during the journey. This became even more apparent after the comrades unanimously decided that the designated hiking trails in the area were only fit for weaklings and Stockholmers, opting instead to travel across untracked terrain.
After just a hundred metres into the hike, the men encountered a steep mountain, the ascent of which left everyone needing to catch their breath. Once at the summit they were met by a very strong cold wind, which had a somewhat disorientating effect.
After walking a little farther along the ridge and descending the mountain on the other side, the group were soon met with another, slightly smaller, peak, which they also climbed. During the descent on the other side, they found a suitable section of forest that was sheltered from the wind, where they decided to take a lunch break with a beautiful view of the fantastic landscape. Everyone was impressed with the nature surrounding them, as it bore no traces of the ravages and destructive effect of the forestry industry, which is the case in the overwhelming majority of other Swedish forests.
Full and satisfied, the comrades set off along the side of the mountain and descended to its foot. To reach the next mountain, they needed to go around a large lake, before having to cross an extensive bog. The cold weather had partly frozen the bog, but that didn’t prevent a foot being sucked down into it in places and a boot getting filled with water, which happened a couple of times, to the annoyance of those affected. The group also encountered a rather wide stretch of water that had to be crossed by balancing on fallen trees. Fortunately, it was crossed without anyone having to take an unscheduled bath.
After traversing the bog and reaching the foot of the mountain, it started getting dark, even though it was still quite early in the afternoon. The group increased their pace accordingly and stopped only to refill and purify drinking water from a nearby lake. By the time they climbed the mountain, it was pitch black, but they continued the hike for a while before deciding to go back up the mountain, where they had previously found a suitable campsite. Once there, the group pitched their tents and lit a fire to warm themselves and dry their clothes.
After the camp had been set up, dinner was prepared and eaten by the campfire. The comrades sat for a long time, enjoying interesting discussions and sharing many laughs. Of particular interest were the conversations with the Englishman, which gave an insight into how influential and inspiring the Nordic Resistance Movement is internationally. This can easily be forgotten by a Resistance man who is enveloped in the Swedish public discourse, where we are constantly opposed and marginalised.
After talking long into the evening, everyone prepared to sleep, with mixed results. The very cold night meant that some could not sleep at all. One man was so cold he abandoned the tent and sat by the fire all night, keeping it alight until serving coffee to those waking up the next morning.
When they had gulped down their coffee and breakfast, the men packed up the camp, restoring nature to the way they had found it, before starting the hike back to their cars. The return journey went at a quicker pace, and they got back just after lunchtime. The comrades then said their friendly goodbyes and unanimously agreed it had been a very enjoyable hike. The long-distance guest from England was so pleased that he donated a large sum of money to the Resistance Movement, which was gratefully received!
