Moa's Trail
Moa's Trail (Moaleden in Wortsproke) is a hiking trail in southern Vittmark, connecting the railway station Ex. Bengts Gäddedevida with the upper valleys of Kulla Crown Domain and the domains of Blåkulla and Herrkulla. Since Gäddedevida and Kulla both have a large religious, cultural and historical significance, Moa's Trail is considered to be one of the most important pilgrim routes in the Orkanan world. The trail between the natural habitat of the trunkbull and the (Mellanhand) Orkanan sanctuaries in Kulla is walked by thousands of visitors, tourists and pilgrims each year.
The trail connects to Kullaleden in the west, making it possible to continue towards the other 14 Kulla estates. To the north it is possible to continue towards the Ryttsadel Trail, part of Kungsleden ("King's Trail") leading all the way to Östervallen.
History
After the fall of the Greater Stoldavic Empire the remaining royal family retreated to Kulla. Since they still had possessions and economic ties with the Sanddala and Östervallen regions, a regular connection through Gäddedevida was necessary. The route from the estates Grönkulla, Herrkulla and Knutskulla got some stopovers, of which Blåkulla is the only remaining one. The trail Kungsleden did however follow a different route through most of Gäddedevida.
Construction of the Blue Mountains Railways in the 7570's can be seen as the starting point of Moa's Trail. In order to gain support of the Bengtist Stift, caretakers of the highly endangered trunkbulls in Gäddedevida, a passenger stop at a passing station was proposed right in the middle of the plateau. Since the royal family partially resided in Blåkulla and Herrkulla, and a reliable telegraph connection through the mountains still was difficult to maintain, a courier path between Blåkulla and Gäddedevida station was needed. A special division of the postal services started this pony route, also delivering mail to the upper Kulla valley more efficiently than the long detour with a railway, cableway, railway and another railway change in Lovis Bruk and Kronsta.
The same route was used by (then) crown princess Tovemor, using an off-road motorcycle between Blåkulla and Gäddedevida on her journeys to and from the capital. It's her nickname Moa that has given the trail its name.
Erosion from horse's hooves and motorcycle tyres led to the construction of plank- and duckboard ways on parts of the track in the 7570's and 80's. At the same time, the trail became an informal pilgrims' route, connecting the Bengtist Stift sanctuary, the Blåkulla mansion as managed by Fjällsta Stift and the Herrkulla mansion by Kulla Stift, offering a journey with a meaningful religious content for Vittmarkers and foreign visitors alike. Due to the popularity, the crown princess' journeys would take much more time, since she didn't simply want to pass citizens without greeting them or having a little chat. It is from these spontaneous meetings the trail got its nickname, which later (7611) became the official name. But when the railway line between Övre and Nedre Högdala opened in 7592, the crown princess took her motorbike to Kronsta instead.
In 7611 all motorised traffic and domesticated hooved animals were banned from the tracks, since maintenance of the duckboard became too expensive. In 7681 even cycling got banned, since new types of bicycle made a quicker crossing possible. Only on certain days, cycling is allowed.
The trail
Moa's Trail is officially 82 km long between Herrkulla and Gäddedevida, even though it is possible to continue at both ends. The trail can be walked in both directions and takes about 3-4 days. The trail is well-marked and many sections are well equipped and maintained by the Moa's Trail estate, funded by the state of Kulla, Kulla Stift, Bengtist Stift and the Vittmarker Tourist Association. Plank walkways cover swampy ground. There are four bridges across non-fordable streams exclusively for the trail. The winter trail takes a somewhat different course in locations where it runs over swamps or lakes that can not be negotiated in summer.
Walking conditions can be treacherous all year round, with low temperatures and possible snow even during the summer months. The summer trail (which is the most used one) opens just before the summer solstice and can be walked for 2-3 months depending on weather conditions. The winter trail has a longer season but is more difficult to navigate due to the unpredictable weather.
Facilities
There is a sufficient amount of accommodation in Herrkulla and Ex. Bengts Gäddedevida, but most hikers book early anyway. In Blåkulla, Fjällsta Stift is operating a hostel at the royal estate's ground. There's a staffed cabin halfway Gäddedevida and Blåkulla called Halvvägs ("Halfway"), maintained by the Vittmarker Tourist Association. The huts provide a mattress, pillow, blanket and simple cooking facilities. For a small fee, it is possible to pitch a tent outside and use the facilities of the huts. It has a limited capacity and should be booked well in advance. Officially, hikers are not allowed to leave Blåkulla or Gäddedevida if they are not able to show a reservation or are hiking with a tent. Camping is only permitted at designated locations, but hikers are allowed to pitch a tent anywhere in case of weather events or injuries. Some emergency shelters can also be found on the route.
Pilgrimage
It is not unusual to encounter groups of hikers 18-21 years of age walking the trail. Many Orkanan congregations are using the trail as a part of the becoming-of-age ritual among Vittmarker juveniles. This practice is becoming more and more popular outside Vittmark as well. Both the preparation for the hike, as the long walk itself are used for extending the knowledge about Orkanan principles and self reflection. The size of these groups today is limited to 18 persons (including guides and clergy) in order to avoid a caravan of walkers on the trail. The amount of groups allowed to cross Gäddedevida is limited per day. This has led to many congregations taking their pilgrimage to other parts of the trail system, like the more easily accessible Kullaleden.
Smaller groups up to 5 persons can use the trail at any time, which has led to larger parties starting in smaller groups to avoid the limitations. Strict regulation at the Halvvägs and Blåkulla accommodations is trying to prevent this abuse. There are talks about restricting access for hikers in a single direction, since meeting people walking in the other direction is affecting the experience of walking through an empty landscape providing inspiration and reflection.