“In Sweden we like a lot of space. We need space,” said Linda as we sat around the fire she had just built and started brewing coffee. She’d been explaining the concept of friluftsliv, a word not easy to translate but essentially meaning a love of being outdoors and connecting with nature. And here we were, in a small clearing within an old beech forest, with only the chatter of birds as a soundtrack.
I was with a small group on a five-day itinerary exploring the area around Omberg in southern central Sweden. Our guide, Linda Staaf, owns a local company called Woods & Water, which specialises in guided tours by foot, bike or kayak.
“The lake stretched away to the horizon in front of us, even more immense than I had imagined”
Self-possessed, softly spoken and passionate about sustainability, Linda had us all hanging on her every word within minutes of meeting her; I wasn’t the only one thinking, I wish I could be like Linda when I grow up. The
