u/Chip-Mysterious

We started in Grindelwald and took the cable car up to First in the afternoon. Cable cars in switzerland are quite expensive but since we started in the afternoon, there really was no other options if we wanted to spend the night on the mountain. Camping is only allowed above the tree line, didn't have time to hike it. From First station we hiked the first couple of miles and set up camp at around 2,000 meters elevation. Not a bad place to spend the night, with huge mountain views all around.

The next morning, we did a longer hike of around 12 miles towards Schynige Platte and back to Bachalpsee, where we spent the second night right by the lake. The hike is not super challenging, there is are no super steep passages and the trail ist well maintained. I would say it's beginner friendly.

Bachalpsee is already beautiful during the day, but waking up there with the mountains reflecting in the water was something else. We even saw a couple marmots near the trail.

The weather also reminded us that the Alps can change fast. We got surprised by a pretty big thunderstorm, which was intense, but luckily there are mountain shelters along the way where you can rest and wait things out safely.

On the final day, we hiked back down the mountain to Grindelwald. Overall, it was an awesome route with insane views of some of the highest mountains and glaciers in Switzerland. Definitely not just a casual stroll, but absolutely worth the effort. We packed most our food supplies but there are a couple places to buy food on the way

I spent two weeks camping with a tent in the Lofoten Islands in Norway this June, and honestly, it was one of the most unreal trips I’ve ever done.

Because of Norway’s right to roam, you can camp in a lot of places, as long as you’re respectful, keep your distance from houses, and leave no trace. That made the whole trip feel incredibly free. Some of the best spots were on absolutely insane beaches that you can’t even reach by car, like bunes beach, where you have to take a ferry and then hike in, but waking up next to turquoise water, white sand, and dramatic mountains is 100% worth carrying the gear.

June felt like a decent time to go. It was just before the main season, so it wasn’t too crowded yet. From July onwards it apparently gets much busier, and I can imagine that finding good camping spots becomes a lot harder.

One of the craziest parts was the midnight sun. It never really got dark, so you could go hiking at night and still have this endless sunset feeling the whole time. It completely messes with your sense of time in the best way. Hiking there doesn't really compare to places like the alps, the trails are usually way shorter and steeper, so its more about getting to the top and enjoying the view than enjoying the way there, tbh.

That said, it’s definitely not a classic summer holiday. Even in June it was pretty cold, and we had a few nights with proper storms. So you really need decent gear and a tent you trust. But the landscape more than makes up for it.