Starting on Swedish TV (SVT) this week, earlier than usual due to warmer April weather: a livestream of northern Sweden’s annual ‘Great Elk Migration’ (Den Stora Älgvandringen).
What started in 2019 as a minority ’slow TV’ interest has since blossomed into a phenomenon with a mass fanbase. Thus during April this year millions of Swedes – and increasingly, people from all around the world – will be dropping everything for days at a time to follow these sturdy, quizzical-looking creatures on their annual springtime trek through northern Sweden.
While much of the time on the livestream you’ll see peaceful rivers and forests where not a lot is happening – a calming treat in itself – every so often you will be treated to the sight of some elks wending their way across river and through forest, solitary or in groups, towards their summer pastures. As you begint to settle into the rhythm of life among the elk there’s something curiously uplifting about the whole experience.
All in all, TV – slow or otherwise – doesn’t come any more captivating than this. And if you can’t manage the livestream, there’s always the YouTube highlights to fall back on. P.S. Intimate knowledge of Swedish not required.