Anyone familiar with this. Its about 5000km from sweden to italy. Not sure if its backpacking or more road walking
dale
E1 european hiking trail
system
#3
Trails in Europe go across public & private land due the the ancient viking law of the right-of-way; (which Amerika used to have b-4 trains & barbed wire & shot guns)! They also go thru towns every 2-4 days so you don’t have to worry about resupply for the most part (which since some countries don’t have general delivery or poste restante, would be impossible anyway). Methanol & Isopropyl were expensive & hard to find (apotheke or druggist) though I didn’t know about HEET back then: perhaps they have it at gas stations… but if you have a multi-propane or multi-liquid stove you can make it. You may be amazed how much cheap food you can find even in small town supermarkets including health food… even in Switzerland & Sweden surprisingly… although back in the 90’s, the $ was strong so your results may vary… SWEDEN TIP: aluminum cans were worth half a kroner so I paid for all my food collecting them by the roadside on a bike trip & cashing them inside the supermarket in a machine.
For a more adventurous experience, cobble together 3 trails such as my E-AT from Bratislava to Nice in the foothills & plateaus of the alps… using Austria’s 02-A
(Oostereich wanderweg #2 alternative or low option with only a couple flat glaciers)for which the only guidebook was in German so you might just try to get all the maps b4 you start somehow! Then the Alpenpass across Switzerland (Schweiz/Suisse) which is an ez trail & ez to find in english guidebook… although you could also join up with the Zermatt to Chamonix walker’s haute route (no glaciers) guide by Kev Reynolds…, you join the GR-5 already in progress with several guides in English all the way south to Nice (or Menton for smaller town finish & to see the pictographs of Merveilles). This is a very short trail, even shorter than the AT, but Alps has a short season! Join the British Alpenverein club for hut discounts & about $50,000 rescue insurance!!! Camping is discouraged in much of the alps as much of the hiking is above treeline!!! PS: Small towns you can get cash at the PO, at least a decade ago, which are often also the bank.
gingerbreadman