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This post covers both Stage 18, Lunden-Svarteborg, and Stage 17, Svarteborg-Harska, of the
official guide to the trail.
You can also check out my report on the section before this one (going southbound), Stage 19.
If you have not already read the introduction to this trail guide, you can check it out by clicking here. It has a list of reports on other sections I have hiked plus other important/useful background information in general--so please read the introduction first before reading my reports.
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* These two sections are not exactly the best or most exciting part of Bohusleden, so my first piece of advice would be to just skip these stages altogether unless you are a hardcore thru-hiker that has the need to cover each and every part of a given trail. Both of these sections are almost entirely on either paved or dirt roads, and these are not really isolated logging roads, but meant for locals to get around by car. If you do hike these stages, it should go without saying to be careful, as there will be cars driving by you. It is also a fairly long section, with a combined total of 23km.
You can take public transportation (or hitchhike, but do be careful with this option obviously!) to skip over these two long stretches of road walking, but because this is a rural area, it takes some planning (or luck). Check out Västtrafik's website to find out bus/train times. What I did when I ended my last section hike at the end of Stage 19 was to hike off trail on a dirt road going west of the crossroad at Lunden. After about 5km there is a paved road with a bus stop called Suttene, and there is a lovely waterfall on the way that makes for a nice place to take a break.
To pick up at Stage 16 (which is well worth it, one of my favorite stages), get to the small town of Dingle, then hike east for about 3km to the beginning of the trail for that much more scenic, woodsy, and fun section. See the linked PDF map of Stage 17 above, and you will see that it is very easy to pick up the trail again.
To pick up at Stage 16 (which is well worth it, one of my favorite stages), get to the small town of Dingle, then hike east for about 3km to the beginning of the trail for that much more scenic, woodsy, and fun section. See the linked PDF map of Stage 17 above, and you will see that it is very easy to pick up the trail again.
All that being said, here are some pictures and a few tips on these two sections:
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| Lunden crossroad. To the right is the west road that ends at a bus stop, mentioned above. To the left is the trail. |
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| The big bog that the trail/road goes through in Section 18. Meh. |
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| Eventually you will hit asphalt, and more cars. |
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| The beginning of Section 17. |
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| The cafe in this village looked permanently closed when I checked on it. |
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| Some of the road is alright, but I much prefer hiking in the woods. |
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| The beginning of Stage 16, and soon you will be back in the woods :) |
The village of Dingle has a supermarket, a pizza place (with pretty good pizza, too), and a train station where you can take a direct train to the major city of Göteborg in the south or Strömstad in the north (where you can connect to a bus there to Oslo). There is only one shelter on either of these two stages, which is about half a kilometer from the beginning of Stage 16. I didn't have time to stop and check out the shelter, unfortunately, as I was eager to get back into the woods for some good hiking.
Next is Stage 16, quite a fantastic stage full of different opportunities, sensations, and variety.
