Sweden

Sweden – a pocket guide 45
Photo: Bengt Arne Ignell / REDAKTA
Swedes and the countryside
If we are to try to identify something that is characteristically
Swedish, we might choose a love of nature, kärlek till
naturen. Sweden is sparsely populated, with vast tracts of
countryside to enjoy. People who come here from the
world’s densely populated areas are often surprised to
discover that you can spend hours in the forest without
meeting another soul. The right of common access,
allemansrätten, is a venerable tradition, enabling you to
move freely through the countryside, regardless of who
owns the land. There are exceptions, of course. You are not
permitted access to certain military areas, nor may you walk
on cultivated fields or close to private houses. But forests,
meadows and waterways may be freely enjoyed by all. With
this privilege come responsibilities: you may not pull up
plants, break branches or litter. For more information on the
right of common access, see the chapter on Law and order.
When Swedes live abroad, there are certain things they
tend to miss. For many expatriate Swedes, the image of
Sweden is a red cottage on a lake, with a Swedish flag
billowing in the breeze. When visitors come from Sweden,
Swedes living abroad often ask them to bring Swedish food,
such as crispbread, fish roe spread or pickled herring.
Nature is
important to
many Swedes.
The right of
common access
entitles all of us
to move freely in
the countryside,
no matter who
owns the land.
It is prohibited to
walk on planted
fields, however,
such as this field
of rape. Doing so
might damage
future harvests.
Swedes
and traditions