Travels in Sweden
story and photos
by Martha V. Lasichuk
 What
a coincidence that I returned to Canada in September around
the time the Walk21 Conference was being held in Toronto, whose
vision is to create a world where people are able to walk as
a way to travel, to be healthy and to relax. A coincidence because
I had just enjoyed three days of walking in beautiful Stockholm,
Sweden, which has plenty of designated hiking and bicycle trails
along its shores. Toronto could certainly learn a lot from their
extensive network of pedestrian and cycle ways.
Our
strolling on parts of the Djurgarden and Stadsgardensleden Trails
totalled about 25 km of comfortable sightseeing all within sight
of the Gamla Stan (Old Town) monuments. There is plenty to do
and see in Stockholm as you may remember reading in Editor Ann's
article in the April 2000 edition. I won't repeat any of that
here, but would like to add the Scandic Sergel Hotel Brunkebergstorg
9 (www.scandic-hotels.com/sergelplaza)
as a centrally-located hotel near the Kulturhuset (Culture House)
within walking distance of the Central Station Terminal.
It
is a great place to find after getting into town so quickly
from the Arlanda Airport on the Express Train which leaves from
the lower level of the Terminal (SEK 240 per trip - about C$40
- purchased from Kiosks at the platform. SEK100 = approx. C$16.75).
The hotel had a weekend rate of SEK1,300 per night and it is
right off the pedestrian mall, close to the Old Town and City
Hall. We pre-booked our three-night stay since Stockholm has
many conventions and can be busy. Besides exploring the city
on foot, we were able to get tickets (SEK140) at the Culture
House a concert featuring the Swedish Folk group "Ranarim" at
a local club which quickly filled up with locals and sold out.
We
enjoyed hearing authentic folk Swedish music and bought the
CD. Too bad we didn't understand much of what was said! Enjoying
a taste of city life was a big change since we had been driving
around central Sweden for four days on well-signed, well-maintained
minor roads, enjoying the beautiful countryside. We stayed off
super-highways except where necessary and followed the shores
of Sweden's two largest lakes - Vanern and Vattern. The area
is similar to Ontario's Muskoka and Georgian Bay regions - beautiful
lakes, small tree-covered rock islands and breathtaking scenery
at every turn. Much of this landscape is dominated by coniferous
forests, birch and aspen. Deciduous forests (beech, oak) used
to grow along the southern and southwestern coast but have been
replaced by farmland.
These
and other hardwoods such as linden, ash, maple and elm trees
are found throughout southern Sweden. We started to see some
of the leaves beginning to change and autumn in this area must
be magnificent! In any season, it is worth a visit. I came to
Sweden after a two-week golf holiday in the Highlands of Scotland,
flying from Glasgow to Stockholm on SAS Airlines (internet booking
converted cost C$312 return). This magazine's favourite - European
Car Service (www.european-cars.net)
- was used to book a Hertz rental for four days ($250 included
all taxes) and I enjoyed a free upgrade to a Volvo S40.
At the airport I met my friend Patti, a Canadian from Thunder
Bay whose husband is working on contract in northern Sweden.
She flew down from Kiruna, high up in the Swedish north, to
join in this adventure. Kiruna is 145 km north of the Arctic
Circle and has perpetual daylight from 30 May to 15 July. But
after a cool and wet summer season lacking in sunlight, she
joined me in what turned out to be a week of sun and warm weather
in the south central Sweden. It was lucky for me that Patti
is studying Swedish and could use her skills during our trip.
Even
though many Swedes speak English, they still appreciate attempts
to speak their language and it sure helps to know what the signs
mean! We heard Stockholm would be busy with a big medical conference,
so headed north and west stopping at Uppsala and Sala to see
if there were any accommodations there, but had to keep travelling
to find an available place for the first night. It was lovely
to find room including breakfast available at Satra Brunn (www.satrabrunn.se)
Conference and Spa Centre near Sala (SEK1,200). Satra Brunn
has a unique collection of timber buildings set in 60 hectares
of parkland.
These
historically-important buildings have been built over the last
300 years and offer a variety of activities devoted to the outdoors,
relaxation and spa services. In general, accommodations in Sweden
are more basic than we are used to in North America. A typical
room is small, simply furnished - almost Spartan - usually with
a shower, rarely a tub. I would describe the furnishings as
“bed-bed-lamp-lamp-desk-chair”. A hearty buffet breakfast is
usually included. Many travellers stay in guesthouses, B&B's,
hostels or cabins at camp sites, many of which may be open all
year round.
A
hostel usually has separate bedrooms and can cost SEK80-280.
Sheets and towels are required or can be rented at many of these
places. A mobile phone is a great thing to have with you since
you may find just a phone number posted when you drive up to
a B&B or guesthouse and need to call to make the arrangements.
Another tourist aid is the large ‘Valkommen’ areas you can pull
into before going through a town. This rest spot usually has
information on amenities, maps of the area and even some brochures
in several languages.
What
a great idea to help travellers get their bearings and find
local and regional attractions. Leaving Sala and near Kopparberg,
the lakes looked so inviting that I just had to stop the car
at a pull-off area and have a refreshing dip. In Sweden you
are entitled to walk about freely and enjoy access to the lakes,
woods and open scenery thanks to "Allemansratten", the common
right of access to private land. It was wonderful! Driving on,
near Filipstad I again stopped to play a tough, but lovely golf
course, Saxa Golfklubb, then travelled through Karlstad at the
north end of Lake Vänern. Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden,
is about 80 miles long and 43 miles wide with numerous harbours
and about 800 islands (although one brochure claimed it had
over 20,000 islands, islets and rocks). Feeling the effects
of pollution from pulp and mining activities in the 1970's,
it has since been cleaned up and is purported to be one of the
cleanest waters in Europe.
It
is said to have about 10,000 shipwrecks and diving is popular,
along with all water and recreational sports and activities
to complement this, the fourth largest lake of Europe. Continuing
down the coast, we stopped for an overnight in Amal (www.amal.se)
and found a delightful campground with lovely little self-catering
cabins on the lake shore. Evening entertainment was provided
by the sailing lessons going on right out front. Ornas Camping
(www.ornasfiske.se)
on Lake Vänern is open year-round and is especially equipped
for families. Its grounds are very well maintained; its facilities
spotless.
There
are many different categories of cabins set on the lake, near
the beach or in the forest among pines and birches. Our cost
for the evening (large shared toilet and shower facilities;
no towels or bedding provided) was just SEK400.
In the morning we continued down the picturesque west coast
of the lake, with a stop just outside Mellerud (www.mellerud.se)
at Dalslands Glashytta and Coffee House where master glass blower
Johnny Persson has a shop and studio (www.dalslandsglashytta.se).
At the bottom end of the lake we said goodbye to Vänern and
drove through Boras to the outskirts of Jonkoping at the southern
tip of Lake Vättern. Lake Vättern is a very popular fishing
destination amongst the Swedes and is said to be home to some
of the best salmon and char fishing in Europe. Brochures claim
that untreated water can be safely drunk from almost any point
in the lake and it has been suggested that Vättern is the largest
body of potable water in the world.
There
are other activities in the surrounding areas of the lake such
as hot air ballooning festivals and the annual 300 km cycling
race around Lake Vättern in June called the Vätternrundan that
attracts some 15,000 participants from all over the world. Continuing
up the west side of Lake Vättern, we stopped at the town of
Habo (www.habo.se)
to see the famous Habo Church which is in the form of a basilica
but is made entirely of wood. The paintings and carvings covering
every wall and ceiling were carried out between 1741 and 1743.
Habo
is one of four churches whose pictures were reproduced on Swedish
Christmas stamps sent abroad in 2002. After Habo we followed
B&B signs to Roda Stallet Bed & Breakfast (www.rodastallet.se).
It has 13 large bedrooms, each with private bath and exit to
a large porch area (SEK700). As well, huge comfortably-furnished
living and dining room areas include a pay-as-you-use fully
stocked fridge, extensive library and entertainment centre.
The
town of Hjo is nearby; one of three ‘wooden towns’ unique in
Sweden (with Eksjo and Nora) which has preserved their special
building heritage. Originally a spa centre, it is a compact
town with narrow, cobble-stoned streets and many of the older
homes are decorated in various colours with elegant windows,
shaped mouldings and beautiful verandas - a lovely place for
further exploration (see www.tretrastader.se
for a virtual walking tour of these historic towns). After Hjo
we continued up the west coast of the lake, skirting Askersund
as we rounded the top and drove on the east side through Motala
which must have been having a flag fest.
Its
downtown core was strung with the flags of many nations but
sadly we noticed no Canadian flags. In fact, Canadian flags
were noticeably absent from flagpoles and we wondered whether
our Government should provide our diplomats with a few to hand
out to get the message out that Canadians are around too!
At
Vadstena (www.tidernaslandskap.se)
we stopped at the famous Vadstena Abbey Church which boasts
a three-star rating in the Michelin Guides. The Abbey was built
under the direction of St. Birgitta, the most celebrated saint
in Sweden who was also named Europe's patron saint by Pope John
Paul II. The church contains a unique collection of medieval
art and has been in use by the parish of Vadstena since 1829
and serves as a pilgrimage centre as well. We finished our lakeside
driving by turning inland near the lovely city of Granna, renowned
as the prettiest town in Sweden.
Incredible
views while driving in the interior continued - many small lakes,
wonderful forest and pines and miles of neatly laid-out farms
and pretty towns such as Tranas, Osterbymo, Kisa and Atvidaberg.
Our next water target was Sweden's famous Göta Canal area, which
was celebrating its 175th anniversary (www.gotacanal.se).
Here we got to try Hostel Bergs Slussar (SEK450) which was a
good, clean facility with four bedrooms (with private toilet)
sharing a common kitchen and large shower area. The Göta Canal
is one of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken
in Sweden. It stretches 190 km through 58 locks from Sjötorp
on Lake Vänern to Mem on the east coast, 87 km were man-made.
However,
for me, originally from Thorold (‘Where Ships Climb the Mountain’)
on the Welland Canal and having seen the Panama Canal, the Swedish
version was a tiny bit of a let down! But the Swedes are understandably
proud of the canal system and it is used by all sorts of sports
enthusiasts - walkers, hikers, cyclists, boaters, and so on,
and information on its website is extensive.
The
previously-mentioned world's largest recreational cycling event
around Lake Vättern starts and finishes in Motala on the Göta
Canal. From there, the next water we viewed was from the bridges
in downtown Stockholm!
What
a trip and what an adventure. I'd go back in a swimstroke -
anybody ready for a trip to the ‘Muskokas’ of Sweden?
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