Triple high roads!
When I woke up this morning the sky was covered with a gray blanket but after breakfast it broke open and the sun peeked out. It has been really chilly today with temperatures around 0-2 degrees, but when the sun shone it still warmed up somewhat. So when the weather offered a break and rays of sunshine, I decided to leave Funäsdalen and head towards Nipfjället in Idre, where I have been several times before but which is always beautiful.
The road there was like a scene from a winter dream with a thin layer of snow powdering the ground and glistening in the sunlight.
Since I have already driven both Flatruetvägen, which is Sweden's highest public road, and Vildmarksvägen, which is the highest paved road, it was time to check off the third one on the top list. It is the road to Nipfjället which is the highest of all but which is a private road and which reaches up to 1003 meters.
As I approached the highest point, I noticed how unusually crowded it was and the parking lot was in complete chaos. It took a while before I realized that it was Saturday and most people were off. I walked up all the stairs to Lillnipen and admired the fantastic view of the mountain Städjan. Unfortunately, the sun was just "wrong" and created strong backlight which made it difficult to get good pictures. After a short thought, I realized that it would be both time-consuming and a little impractical to move the sun or the mountain, so I had to make do with what I had.
On the Nipfjället, freezing cold winds were blowing and when I got back to the camper I was completely frozen. I drove on to one of my favorite places where I have spent the night many times before. Just south of Idre and all the way down towards Älvdalen, there are several prepared campsites where you can stay overnight. These sites are beautifully situated and often have gravel surfaces, bins, benches and tables – sometimes even a simple toilet. At my favorite place and a few others it costs a small fee, but at this one it's only SEK 60 per night and it's clearly worth it. The area is exceptionally beautiful and here I sit now looking out over water and beautiful nature.
