WINTER CAMPING AT BJÖRNÖ
It was less than two weeks until Christmas, and I had one vacation day left. When the forecast called for crisp, sunny weather, I couldn’t resist the urge to get outdoors. After all, I hadn’t winter camped since my military training, and neither had I tested my new tent. So, I decided to take a midweek day off and head to the Björnö Nature Reserve for a much-needed adventure.
I worked through the morning and left just before lunch on Wednesday. The sky started off overcast, but it wasn’t long before the clouds broke apart and the sun finally emerged. I followed the trail past Långviksträsk, a spot I’ve run by countless times before, feeling a sense of familiarity as I made my way through.
It was a crisp, sparkling day, with the ground partially covered in frost. The snow from a couple of weeks ago had long since melted away. A little further along the lake, I paused for a coffee in the warmth of the sun. It’s a true luxury to have such beautiful hiking trails right on my doorstep here in Ingarö.
This trip also marked the debut of a couple of new hiking poles. When I ordered my new tent, I had to decide between buying a dedicated tent pole or using hiking poles to pitch it. Given that the lightest hiking poles on the market were only slightly more expensive than the tent pole, the choice was an easy one.
At first, hiking with poles felt a bit awkward. They seemed somewhat unnecessary, but as the terrain became hillier, I quickly began to appreciate their value. I gained more control, especially when navigating the inclines and descents, and I noticed how much easier it was to balance on narrow roots and rocks—something I hadn’t been able to do as easily before. A year and a half ago, I sprained my foot while running, and it still hasn’t fully healed, so having the extra support from the poles definitely felt like a wise choice.
I continued south, listening to Fjällvandringspodden, and after about another hour, I reached Björnö. With the sun beginning to set, time was running short, so I had to quickly find a good spot to pitch my tent before darkness set in.
I had a rough idea of where I wanted to camp, having scouted a few beautiful bays earlier. I figured there had to be the nice spot somewhere along the way. When I finally found it, I was pleasantly surprised. It couldn’t have been more ideal. Nestled in a forest glade right by the water, the ground was smooth and free of roots and rocks, creating a perfect place to set up camp.
The tent was a breeze to pitch and stood perfectly on the first try. It was absolutely ideal as a one-man tent, offering plenty of space for my gear inside, plus a small vestibule at the entrance. Since I hadn’t packed a thermos for the hike, I was really craving a cup of coffee when I arrived. I wasted no time setting up the kitchen and brewing myself a big, warm cup. It was just what I needed—pure bliss!
After a quick exploration on the rocks, it was time for happy hour in the tent. I treated myself to some sausage, cheese, and a warming mug of whiskey. Once I’d enjoyed that, it was time for dinner. I had Chicken Tikka Masala from Real, paired with a beer. Surprisingly tasty for freeze-dried food, it was exactly what I needed after 13 km of hiking.
As darkness settled in, the sky above me came alive with a breathtaking display of stars. To top it off, the almost full moon cast enough light that I barely needed the lamp inside the tent. It felt magical. After a few hours of enjoying different podcasts, it was time to turn off the light. The temperature had dropped significantly by then, so I bundled up in three pairs of underwear, a fleece sweater, my down jacket, and plenty of socks to stay warm.
The next morning, I woke up at 6, and it was freezing. I had slept soundly through the night, but just before sunrise—when it tends to get coldest, I found myself shivering. I’d guess it was about 4-5 degrees below zero. My quilt is rated for a comfort temperature of -6 degrees, but I’m not convinced it would truly hold up to that, at least not for me. For breakfast, I had some porridge from Adventure Food, which turned out to be much sweeter than I prefer. Still, it was probably a good way to pack in some extra calories before heading back home.
Just as I finished packing up, the sun peeked over the horizon, signaling it was time to start the journey home. To save a bit of time, I took a different, shorter route, which turned out to be 11 km. Exactly 24 hours after I’d left, I walked through the door at home, ready to dive into another day of work. It was the perfect escape from the daily grind and something I’ll definitely do again!
A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY GEAR
My new tent is the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, a 1-person, single-wall tent that weighs just 740 grams, excluding the tent pegs. It performed really well overall, though I did experience some condensation—a common issue with single-wall tents. Hopefully, it will be less of a problem once the weather warms up. It’s not exactly designed for winter conditions.
I used Fizan Compact UL Trekking Poles made of aluminum, each weighing around 160 grams. For sleeping, I had a quilt from Gramjakt, weighing about 900 grams in the long/wide version I have. While the quilt has a comfort temperature of -6 degrees, I found it a bit too chilly for winter camping, so next time, I’ll be switching to a sleeping bag for extra warmth.
Altogether, my backpack weighed 8.4 kg without food or water, but that included some heavy warm clothing. All photos were taken with a small Sony RX100 Mk III.