E1 Resupply

Once you have planned which maps to take and how to navigate a hiker’s most essential question will come to your mind: “What will I eat and where can I buy my food?” Which resupply options are along the trail and how far are they apart from each other?

Prior to my attempt to hike from the Danish/German border to the North Cape in May 2018 I had a close look at all the maps and put together a spreadsheet with all the essential E1 resupply information needed for the Scandinavian section.

Before I was stopped by another hiking injury I could hike a fair section of the E1 in Denmark from Krusau near Padborg and the German border to Norre Snede. At first I wanted to resupply every three to four days and marked these places in my spreadsheet. But due to my very heavy backpack I decided to resupply just what I needed for the day in every supermarket right next to the trail. In Denmark there’s a supermarket nearly every 20-30 kilometers along the European long-distance trail E1.

I also bought my water in supermarkets and shops along the way. I have seen many rivers but due to the high amount of agriculture in Denmark they are definitely not the best source for drinking water. Another way would be to ask the locals for water what I have done a couple of times. The people in Denmark are very friendly and it’s a good way to get in touch!

In Sweden the resupply situation along the European long-distance trail E1 looks a lot different and changes immediately once you will reach Varberg. Right from the start 5 to 7 days of food need to be carried as there are not many resupply options along the way.

Besides supermarkets and small shops along the trail, the Swedish hiking association Svenska Turistföreningen maintains backcountry mountain cabins. These cabins often have some supplies for sale and offer accommodation. You can also just use the facilities of the hut for a small fee and camp nearby.

In Norway is also a very good backcountry hut system available. The Norwegian hiking association Den Norske Turistforening maintains more than 500 staffed or self-service cabins all over the country. To access most of the self-service cabins and to get a cheaper price it is necessary to become a member of DNT and rent a standard member key for the huts. I planned on picking up my member key at Svukuriset which would be the first staffed cabin after the border crossing.

A brief description of all huts including their location on a map can be found here: UT.no

In regards to resupply a very good pdf-document – unfortunately in Norwegian – can be found online. It covers the E1 from the North Cape to Grövelsjön. Here’s the link. Maybe Google can help you with the translation as required.