Scout adventures – experiences for a lifetime
Vildmark i Värmland has log driving on the Klarälven as its origin. But without the scout movement’s leadership training program, Blå Hajken (the blue hike), no one would have come up with the idea of the timber rafts on the Klarälven. Blå Hajken was first carried out in 1948. The part Forsfararna includes both a hike and a trip on a self-built raft down the Klarälven.
An adventure with logs and ropes
It sounds simple: Tie a few logs together to a floating surface and let yourself be carried along by the current. But try it yourself, the challenges can be many. First, a large number of logs must be rolled/carried/thrown into the river. Then it is a matter of tying knots that are both strong and can be untied after the journey is over. You can feel it in your body when the raft is ready!
Now you can finally relax and let the current do the rest, you think. But, this is where the challenges await. Keep an eye out for overhanging trees. Watch out for big rocks under the water. Step into the river and push the raft free from a sandbank. Paddle as hard as you can to get out of a backwater. The raft is heavy and strong, you have to cooperate with the forces of nature.
Experiences for a lifetime
“You have to be prepared that it will be tough, but you can handle more than you think. The Forsfararna are one of the coolest things I have ever experienced.” This is how a participant in the Forsfararna 2020 leadership training program summarizes his experiences. Perhaps this is the biggest lesson we can learn from a vacation that challenges and tests us: We are capable of more than we think.
The experiences we gain in an unfamiliar context can be useful for the rest of our lives. This applies to both the countless practical details and the “soft” values such as community and cooperation.
Do you want to become an adventurer on Klarälven?
With Blå Hajken’s Forsfarana in mind, Vildmark i Värmland has developed and packaged unforgettable adventures in nature. An important part of the offer are the timber raft trips on the river Klarälven. You build your own raft, ride it down the mighty Klarälven river and take it apart again when you reach your final destination. You choose how long you want to be out on the river when you book. Compare the different packages.
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