ÅNNSJÖN BY KAYAK
Every summer when I head up to Åre, I try to discover something new. It could be summiting a new peak, exploring new bike trails, or, like this year, bringing my kayak along to paddle the local lakes. I’ve been meaning to bring the kayak up for a long time, and this summer was the perfect opportunity. The plan was to run every other day and kayak on the alternate days to recover from the running. Kayaking is generally low-intensity, though it can certainly be tough going at times.
First up was a tour on Ånnsjön. A stunning lake with magical views surrounded by mountains. I’ve ice-skated here before, but I’d never paddled or visited during the summer. I drove to Ånn and headed down to the picturesque boathouses along the water, where I launched the kayak and set off.
The day was completely still, and gliding across the shallow lake felt almost surreal. I paddled counterclockwise toward Klocka, hoping to see more boathouses, but I only came across a few boats pulled up along the shore.
I kept paddling east with the Snasahögarna peaks on the horizon, but then came to a stop. There’s a bird sanctuary here, so I headed south instead. It was extremely shallow everywhere, and my paddle kept hitting the bottom, but it was mostly soft and sandy, so it wasn't a big deal.
A bit further south, I started approaching Handöl and decided to paddle into the bay leading toward the village. I passed a few boats here, and for the first time, the water got so deep that I couldn't see the bottom. I pulled up to a dock to stretch my legs and eat my packed lunch. I’d hoped to catch a glimpse of the Handölsforsen outlet from here, but realized it was located further north in a delta protected by the bird sanctuary, so that didn't happen. It would have taken way too long to paddle in there anyway.
I kept going southeast, paddling between a few beautiful small islands. The water was definitely deeper in the southern part of the lake, and the views were still absolutely incredible in every direction.
Further south, I came across a small peninsula with a really nice beach, so I took the opportunity to stop for a quick fika there too. This would be such an amazing spot to camp out sometime!
I realized that paddling around the entire lake would take way too long, so I decided to cut across toward the northeast and skip the southeastern corner altogether.
By now, my arms were seriously tired and I was looking forward to finishing, so I set a brisk pace straight back toward the car.
Finally, I arrived back at the charming boathouses where my morning had begun. Being my first kayak outing of the season, my out-of-practice arms and shoulders were thoroughly exhausted by this stage. Oddly enough, my right leg didn't go numb whatsoever—a common nuisance on my longer paddles. Perhaps getting back into running has helped with that.
It turned out to be an unforgettable day on Ånnsjön. So calm and incredibly beautiful! The trip ended up at 30 km, making it my longest kayak tour to date.