Home Region: The Netherlands
In summer 2025, Joris and Maria were finally able to leave their teenage kids behind and enjoy a long-anticipated paddling trip across Scandinavia - just the two of them!
Over 23 days, they toured from their home in the Netherlands, through Germany, into Denmark, then over to Sweden, Norway, and back south again through mainland Denmark on their way home.
During their first day in Denmark, they paddled along the stunning cliffs of Stevns (Stevns Klint), past an ancient church on the edge of the cliffs (højerup kirke), and took a short break before paddling back to the lovely harbour of Rødvig. Next, they went to Møns Klint, where the cliffs were even more impressive than Stevns Klint. The weather was amazing, the water calm (for the most part) and the water color was Caribbean-like. Next up: Sweden 🇸🇪
Maria & Joris's first stop in Sweden brought them to the Archipelago of Göteborg. They stayed in the villa of a former Olympic diver, right by the sea. From there they discovered a few of the many islands in Kattegat before taking a dinner break on the south side of Galterö, a nature reserve right next to Biggest island, Brännö. The weather was perfect. Beautiful scenery with amazing views!
Joris and Maria's second stop in Sweden was in beautiful Dalsland, known for Dalsland Channel. This links all lakes between Göteborg and the Vänern lake, creating 250km of waterways by only digging 10km of channel. They took it easy and visited a few of the islands in the Leláng lake.
The last stop in Sweden was eco-park Omberg, on the east shore of lake Vättern, where towering cliffs along the shoreline are marked by many small caves and crevices to explore. There were also a few camping spots with shelter right next to the water. Locals helped them find more spots to explore before heading onwards to Norway.
Joris and Maria had always wanted to paddle in the Norwegian Fjords, and they finally made it happen on this trip.
"Such an awe inspiring place. I felt tiny in the presence of those mighty mountains; an insignificant speck on the vast amount of water around us. Nature can be so overwhelming it makes me feel incredibly humble and so grateful to be able to experience this amazing beauty." - Joris
The last paddle of Joris and Maria's trip was around the lovely city of Ålesund. They started in a small harbor about 7km east of the city centre, then paddled the Ellingsøyfjorden to the city center where they enjoyed coffee and a snack. They then traversed through the city via the Borgundfjorden in order to return to the harbor where they started. A truly unique way to explore Norway's urban landscape after experiencing the awe-inspiring fiords.
You can follow each step of Maria and Joris's journey through Polarsteps, as well as through Joris's Instagram account: @qajaqaholic.
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