Day 8 | To Jäkkvik | 7km

I had a fantastic night's sleep in the hut, and there are only 8 kilometers left to Jäkkvik. I've noticed that I've been waking up to pee multiple times during the night – am I drinking too much water? The hike promises to be an easier one from this point, certainly better than the challenging terrain yesterday afternoon before reaching the shelter.

I find myself on a lovely plateau early in the day, and I come across some informative signs about herding reindeer in the area. It brings to mind what I had read in the trail book at the shelter the previous day about hikers being awakened by helicopters and snowmobiles used to gather herds and move them to different areas.

As I descend, I decide to capture a video of the muddy trek. However, I experience a sudden mishap as I slip on a plank and find myself knee-deep in mud. It's a nerve-wracking moment, but thankfully, my phone escapes with just a few sprinkles of mud, and it doesn't end up in the mucky puddle. I briefly contemplate continuing to Jäkkvik in my mud-caked state but then decide to put on my other legging. I use some of my drinking water to clean my shoes. Along the way, I pass by another shelter but opt not to stop.

While making my way downhill, I encounter four day hikers collecting mushrooms. I take the opportunity to dip my shoes in the river, keeping my muddy pants securely stored in a plastic bag I had luckily kept from the supermarket in Hemavan. 

Upon arriving at the welcoming hostels, I notice a considerable number of Germans around, including a couple on sabbatical and two guys hiking. I quickly make use of the washer and dryer. Interestingly, the dryer resembles a cupboard and even proves suitable for drying shoes.

A guy called Nick arrives later, having started his journey in Hemavan just on Tuesday. We head to the big supermarket, but there isn't much hiker food available due to the end of the season. I find only large gas cans, so I decide to retrieve one from the hiker box at the hostel. More southbound hikers join our gathering, and at the end, there are about 15 of us congregating in the living room and kitchen. We decide to camp outside, and luckily, the night remains comfortably warm.