Tag Archives: Europe

07 June 2015 – Hamburg and St Pauli, a day off

Well, almost a day off, I did a bit of cycling (28km), some to get to St. Pauli and the hostel where I was staying, and then a quick sightseeing tour of the city. Routes and stats below:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/799081745

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/799081879

After a somewhat restless night I had a bit of a lie in, I didn’t have far to go after all, but was still up and ready to go by about 10.00. Yannick, who I’d met the day before, pedalled off on his way to Puttgarden, to get the ferry over to Denmark; one of the routes I’d considered, but from the other direction.

Yannick – off to Denmark and then Sweden to Norway

Good luck with your tour Yannick; hope the new saddle works and your leg improves. Nice to know I’m not the only one who encounters bike issues that can have knock on effects.

It was only a short ride into Hamburg centrum, and pretty straightforward in comparison to some cities (mostly British ones). After riding past an Ikea, who’d have thought it, I passed the Specialised bike shop Yannick had mentioned yesterday, where I’d hoped I might be able to get new inner tubes and fix my stand. Unfortunately like most shops in Hamburg/Germany it was closed on a Sunday; cool Fat Bike in the window though.

An Ikea in Hamburg, what a surprise…

It’s actually quite refreshing to see shops closed on a Sunday, and a city calm down a bit. I know for a lot of people it’s very convenient to be able to shop on a Sunday, especially if you work the rest of the week. Still think it would be nice if everyone could have Sunday off, and give everything a rest; restaurants, cafes and pubs aside, need them to stay open for calorie loading purposes!

Specialised bike shop, closed unfortunately, but cool fat bike

I made it down to the River Elbe, and realised I’d forgotten to take a photo of the online map showing the location of my hostel.

Made it into Hamburg unscathed

I didn’t want to use any more data roaming, after clocking up a rather large unintentional bill, so went to the tourist information office instead and got a free local map. Not sure if I’ve already mentioned the rather unexpected bill I got from Vodafone, however I thought I could use the free data test drive I’m on, which gives me unlimited data until later this month, in Europe with the £3 a day Eurotraveller deal. Unfortunately it turns out I can’t, and that the £3 a day deal only applies to the 3GB standard data I get each month; I really wish they’d told me this in the shop when I said I’d be going to Europe for 6 months. Needless to say the resulting bill is a lot more than my standard £19 a month, but I’ll just have to put it down to experience and move on. I did talk to a Vodafone rep about it online, and they gave me an extra 2GB of data for this month, but wouldn’t refund what I’d already been charged for because apparently it says the test drive isn’t included somewhere on their website.

Anyway, back to Hamburg; loads of bikes around again, including lots for hire like the ones below.

Lots of Boris Bike equivalents on offer, and red too, good choice

As is normal with all the European towns and cities I’ve been through so far on this tour, you can cycle on most pavements, with a lane allotted to you, and you have right of way most of the time. Really very impressed with cycling in towns in Scandinavia and Germany; good signs most of the time too.

Using the map from Tourist Info I located the street the Backpackers Hostel is on, in the St. Pauli area of Hamburg, and slowly made my way there after checking out a bit of the waterfront and Fish Market. I also rode down the Reeperbahn, Hamburg’s Sinful Mile, centre of a lot of the city’s nightlife and Red Light District; maybe Europe’s most famous Red Light District.

Reeperbahn means Rope Walk, as it’s where the cities ropes used to be made in the 17th and 18th centuries. Close to the river I expect all the sailors used to pile into the Reeperbahn to spend their money after being at sea for ages, and hence the entertainment area took shape. It’s really quite a bizarre place with theatres, restaurants, a big market and bars, intermingled with sex shops, strip joints, and McDonalds, as well as Currywurst stalls! I also noticed a lot of people living on the street, quite literally, a theme repeated throughout much of Hamburg, which is a big contrast to the obvious wealth of the city, with a lot of millionaires living here.

The Backpackers hostel is on the side streets of St Pauli, in a quiet area. Upon arrival I was greeted by Tanya, who manages the joint and is very friendly and helpful. I couldn’t check in until 15.00, so relaxed for couple of hours enjoying a local beer, Astra, in the sunshine. Beer in Germany is so much cheaper than Scandinavia, where I didn’t really drink, and Astra is excellent at €2 or less a bottle. I also got talking to Alex, who was staying at the hostel and offered to show me around later. He’s a veteran of Hamburg having lived here for several months a few years back, and is passionate about the city. He was just visiting for the weekend this time around, and recommended a local kebab shop, so after checking in I nipped out to get some food, being forever hungry as usual.

Mr Kebab – a most excellent Turkish purveyor of quality foodstuffs

The Kebab was excellent, probably the best Doner I’ve ever had; delicious lamb surrounded by crisp bread, with salad and a yoghurt based sauce, all for €4. Whilst enjoying it I had a walk around the back streets of St Pauli.

Best Doner Kebab I think I’ve ever had

There are a lot of Turkish immigrants in the city, many having moved here after the Second World War; I think they helped rebuild Hamburg after much of it was destroyed by the RAF and USAF. I read that in one operation called Gomorrah, the RAF and their US counterparts bombed Hamburg with incendiaries, creating firestorm that killed over 40,000 civilians and practically destroyed the city. It felt a bit odd wandering through the narrow streets, years after those terrible times, thinking about such things and what it would have been like in war-time.

It’s a very relaxed area now, especially in the sunshine, and has a very Bohemian atmosphere to it. There’s a lot of graffiti too, and not all of it good. People were sitting out in cafes, or just on the pavement, chatting and drinking coffee or cold beer.

St Pauli wall art

Post Kebab I had a bit of a rest, then went out for a cycle around the city, heading to the centre and some of the parks. As well as the impressive looking town hall the parks were lovely, along with the lakes and waterways. Tourists abounded, as did street performers, expensive cars, and as mentioned before homeless people.

: Hamburg Rathaus – town hall

: Hamburg Rathaus – town hall 2

: Hamburg Centre – lots of waterways

: Hamburg Street performers 1

: Hamburg central lake – Binnenalster I think

: Binnenalster from other direction

: Smaug and Lobster in Hamburg

: Hamburg Centrum

: Rathaus through an arch

: Rathaus 3

: Hamburg Street performers 2

: One of Hamburg’s many parks

: One of Hamburg’s many parks – many people lounging in sunshine

Being on a bike I could see a lot of Hamburg quite quickly, so was back at the Hostel in an hour and a half, in time for a quick shower then to meet up with Alex to head out for a few beers.

Alex proved an excellent guide, his passion for Hamburg coming across as he walked me around St Pauli and down to the waterfront. He showed me the house where the Beatles lived at a point quite early on in their careers, when they were resident in the city for quite some time. I think Hamburg proved quite a formative experience in shaping the band and their music.

Beatles house – plaque showing they live here

If you didn’t have someone to show you, you probably wouldn’t find this vine shrouded doorway, and know this world-famous band once lived here; as always local knowledge is much better than any guidebook in getting to know a place.

Beatles house 2

We also walked past the Kaiserkeller, where the Beatles used to play, including at least one gig that went on for 12 hours. I think they played one show here with toilet seats around their heads for some reason.

Kaiserkeller – venue where Beatles used to play

Typical Reeperbahn side street

From a cultural point of view I guess no visit to Hamburg would be complete without a wander through the Red Light District, a slightly odd experience having not encountered anything quite like it before.

Reeperbahn Red Light District – this street is closed to under 18’s and women, unless the women work there

We walked through fairly swiftly, ignoring the invitations from various ‘shop’ windows and their employees!

Waterfront – the Elbe

After a walk along the waterfront we headed back into St Pauli for a few beers, and a Curryvurst. An excellent evening was had taking in a few different bars, one of them very English (the London Pub), and chatting about travelling, life, the universe and everything.

: Currywurst – brilliant invention

: More Union Jacks here than you see in most of the UK

: London Pub, St Pauli

Alex also introduced me to a few of the local spirits/shots including one called Mexicana, which is like a Bloody Mary but with chilli, and different degrees of chilli depending on the bar; it was lovely. Here are a couple of others I tried, both warming.

Kuemmerling

Underberg

Feeling decidedly merry we headed back to the hostel, stopping for another kebab on the way, just cos they’re so good here; I did mention I’m always hungry when cycle touring didn’t I?! It was nice to chill out with a few of the other residents in the common room; a few Australians over visiting Europe with their guitars, and one guy who works for VSO and has just got back after several months in Malaysia and China. Hostels are great places to meet up with diverse and interesting people, and to find out about new places you then add to your list of destinations you want to visit someday.

So a late night, but a great night, and many thanks to Alex for hosting it and bringing the city to life. Back to cycling posts tomorrow.

05 & 06 June 2015 – to Bad Bramstedt and Hamburg

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After an entertaining evening with Claudio, Larissa, Alex and Romulus I had a bit of a late start on 05 June, and still half asleep I left my shampoo in the campsite shower; won’t be the last time. I think there’s something karmic about leaving shampoo in campsite showers, as generally you find someone else has done the same at one of your subsequent campsites, and you can use that instead.

Morning in Jarplund; Stuttgart crew heading off to Flensburg

Claudio headed off early to get to a nearby garage for a tyre change before Iceland, and the others pedalled into Flensburg for a day’s sightseeing. It was good to meet them all, and probably marks the start of running into more tourers at campsites now I’m further South, and the touring season has started in earnest.

Sunny day in Jarplund – thumbs up to meeting more folks on the road

I set off about 10.00, and had a great day’s riding down to Bad Bramstedt, most of it on cycle paths, or pavement doubling as cycle paths that run next to the road. I covered 119km in 6 hours and 45 minutes of pedalling, but was on the road for quite a bit longer than that due to a puncture repair session. Here’s a link to my route and stats for 05 June:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/794919245

The only drawback of riding on some of the marked cycle paths, especially in the towns, is they’re a bit juddery, and can be stop/starty due to junctions, so I have to admit I didn’t use them all the time as it made progress too slow and increased discomfort in various body parts.

My route took me down to Schleswig, and on through gorgeous countryside, often lovely woodland; a lot of it Beech which is my favourite.

Riding through Beech woodland

It was the hottest day of my tour yet, and the first time I’ve worn only one layer; just my Icebreaker top, plus my lightweight buff under my cycle helmet to stop sunburn on receding spots and the back of my neck.

Schleswig waterfront

Close to Dannewerk I decided to follow a cycle route that pointed in the right direction, disappearing into farmland. I was a little dubious as to what the route would turn into, after yesterday’s experiences on Route 8, but thought I’d give it a go.

Pedalling through farmland following a marked cycle route

It started off well enough but deteriorated into a farm track, which the bike coped with fine, but it knocked me about a bit; no suspension!

Cycle route turns expedition like near Dannewerk

I think there must be an airbase near Dannewerk, as I’m pretty sure that’s what I passed at one point. I also passed a lot of wind turbines, doing their bit to help save the environment. I hope they checked the areas for bats, as wind turbines can have unfortunate effects on these delicate creatures due to the air pressure changes they create; causes bats to haemorrhage. Nearly everything humankind does has some sort of adverse impact on another species, even if we think we’re doing right; wind turbines can screw with bats and birds, tidal power with whales and dolphins. It’s a bit depressing really however I guess it’s a case of choosing the lesser of evils; got to be better than fossil fuelled power-stations.

Pedalling past lots of wind turbines

I reached the 60km mark and noticed my front tyre was going flat. This was slightly vexing, but on such a fine day it was going to take a lot to annoy me. And besides, I was able to stop next to the village bakery/ice-cream shop so it wasn’t all bad.

Puncture repair in Hohn, Lobster claiming he’s trying to help but pincers make it awkward

On examining the inner tube the last patch had come loose, maybe due to a combination of hot weather and friction. I tried to patch it but it wouldn’t take for some reason; I might’ve rushed it. I stopped for an ice-cream break to consider my next course of action.

Ice-cream break in Hohn

Whilst mulling things over, and trying to keep Lobster away from MY ice-cream, a friendly local pointed me in the direction of a bike shop a few hundred metres down the road. Great I thought, I can just get a new inner tube. Unfortunately they didn’t have an inner tube in the right size, which is an issue I’ve previously had on this tour, however I dug out an old one I’d repaired from my panniers and put that on instead. It’s still going over 100m later so the repair job seems to have been a good one, touch wood. I’ll definitely be buying a few spares in Hamburg.

After a protracted break I got back to it and rode to the Nord Ostee Kanal, which I had to cross via a car ferry; only a short jaunt across the canal.

: Transport across the Nord Ostsee Kanal

: Smaug on board the ferry

: Crossing in progress

: Nord Ostsee Kanal

: Crossing the Kanal – superb weather for it

I still had quite a way to go to get down to Bad Bramstedt, so after the canal tried to speed up a bit, making good progress, aside from on the cobbled bits.

German roads often cobbled through villages

Riding along wooded roads very pleasant and shaded

I arrived at Campingplatz Rolande in Bad Bramstedt a little later than anticipated, but reception was still open; I think the owner lives on site as he was wandering about doing stuff for most of the evening, including trying to speak to me in German which whilst appreciated wasn’t very successful as far as a two-way conversation goes.

The Campingplatz Rolande is a little small and quite noisy, but did the job for me after a fairly long and hot day in the saddle. The owner was able to supply me with a couple of cold beers which went down a treat.

Cold beer always brings a smile to my face

Note – beard still present, decision still pending on its fate.

I passed quite a lot of other cycle tourers today, including one guy looking very relaxed on a recumbent. I noticed a lot of them seemed to be around retirement age, or older. I guess people have more time on their hands for touring once they’re retired, however I wonder if this was just today’s sample or if the trend will continue; great to see people travelling by bike well into their sixties and possibly seventies though.

I spent the rest of the evening trying to decide what to do next, settling on a short leg tomorrow to a campsite just on the outskirts of Hamburg, followed by a hostel for one night on Sunday. This will allow me to see a bit of the city, whilst not getting trapped there for too long, and it’ll save on money too; hostels are expensive on Saturday nights. It’ll also give me a chance to do some laundry! I need to think about getting Smaug serviced, as I’m pretty sure he’ll need a new chain soon, and maybe a new rear cassette, and the stand needs tightening; don’t have the right allen key and too wobbly to use at present.

Top tip: If there a flying bugs in your tent, and I had quite a lot mine, shine your torch into the porch area to lure them out, then shut the door quickly; worked well for me.

Luring the bugs out of my tent via head torch

–> 06 June 2015

I had a rather broken night’s sleep, partly due to passing traffic which proved pretty noisy, but also due to the massive thunderstorm that struck about 03.00. I didn’t get out of my tent to watch, as I could quite happily see the lightning flashing from inside, followed by thunder and heavy rain. Thankfully I stayed dry again, and it probably explained all the thunder flies around earlier.

Today’s ride was just a short 38km down to the outskirts of Hamburg, which only took around 2 and half hours, at a pretty slow pace. Here’s a link to the route and stats:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/795595199

Not a lot to report from the ride. I did go around some road closed signs at one point, and just carried on to the next bit; they were resurfacing, but no-one was working on Saturday, and it was fine to cross the short stretch by bike.

Road closed – thou shalt not pass, unless you’re on a bike

I made it down to the Knaus Campingpark in Hamburg just before midday, and checked in. To my surprise there was another cycle tourer with a Hilleburg Akto Tent right next to my spot. Yannick is from Belgium and currently touring up to Norway. It as great to meet up and chat about routes, bikes and share a few stories.

Another tourer with a Hilleburg Akto

As the day progressed 3 more cycle tourers turned up, however I’ve only spoken to them briefly so far as I’ve been busy doing laundry, and a bit of bike cleaning/maintenance. One couple are on their way up to Sweden for some island hopping, so we shared a few route suggestions.

Laundry dome and drying; feeling accomplished

I’ve also discovered that, at least so far, MasterCard isn’t so widely accepted in Germany. This proved a problem whilst trying to get supplies in an Aldi earlier. I ended up having to take some cash out on my debit card, which’ll cost a lot more than using my Prepaid Travel card; something I’ll have to prepare for in Germany, however I reckon l be able to use it more easily in the centre of Hamburg.

That’s all for today. Blog now up-to-date. Tomorrow I head into Hamburg for some sightseeing, but also to visit a bike shop or two to top-up on inner tubes and get a couple of things fixed.

04 June 2015 – willkommen in Deutschland

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I woke up and listened; only a faint rustling of the tent canvas, the wind had dropped, and it was sunny! Could this be the glorious day’s cycling I’d been waiting for?

Morning in Svendborg – glorious day

Feeling buoyed by the thought that today was going to be a good’un, and with a new country in my sights, I was up, breakfasted and packed in good time. The campsite cat brought me a present, a mouse wrapped in leaves, which was a bit odd, and then ducks started following me around.

Stalked by Mallards

When the goats in the mini zoo started bleating I started to wonder if I’d developed Dr Doolittle traits overnight, or maybe this was all a dream and I was in fact still asleep, and it wasn’t such a nice day after all. Not wanting to consider the latter a possibility I got on the road quick.

Svendborg Sund Camping morning view 2

There were plenty of people up early, paddling in canoes, or sailing in small yachts down the narrow stretch of water between the campsite and Svendborg. It all felt very relaxed and holiday like.

Goodbye Mallard

I rode over the bridge to Svendborg and then turned left, following nice cycle paths alongside the road to Faaborg. The scenery was more varied and interesting than yesterday, with a few hills thrown in for good measure.

: View from Svendborg Bridge

: Svendborg Bridge panorama

: Pedalling through Danish countryside

: Windmill on the way to Faaborg

: Descent to Bojden – ferry awaits

: Arrived in the nick of time for the ferry

It was so nice to be cycling without a headwind. I hardly looked at my Odometer, and could just relax and enjoy the sunshine and countryside. Before long I reached Bojden, just as the ferry arrived from Fynshav; a short 10km crossing to Als and Jutland.

: Ferry to Fynshav

: Smaug looking cool next to motorbike

: Off to Als, then Jutland

: Leaving Bojden

: Happy days! No wind

: Ferry – looking back to Bojden

: Ferry panorama – on way to Fynshav

: On board ferry – everyone out in the sunshine

After enjoying a hot chocolate and pastry on the ferry I pedalled on from Fynshav to Sonderborg, which didn’t seem to take very long, arriving in time for lunch. I walked through the town stopping to buy a hotdog from one of the many purveyors of such fine foodstuffs.

Sonderborg and first hotdog of the day

Hotdogs in Denmark appear to be very popular, with several different varieties. I preferred the Ristet, which comes inside a bun and is topped with pickled cucumber, crispy onions, mustard, ketchup, and remoulade.

Lots of people out in cafes in Sonderborg

Needing to use up my Danish Krone and I decided I’d eat my way through the rest of Denmark, and had another Ristet for good measure; I’ve been losing too much weight anyway, at least that was my excuse.

Sonderborg waterfront

I paused on the bridge out of Sonderborg, hoping that the folks at home might be able to see me on the webcam, but also to stop as the middle section was raised for a boat to come through. Unfortunately I couldn’t delay long as it was just too busy, and I’m not sure I timed it right for the webcam. I cycled on to Dybol, then turned South and crossed the small island before rejoining Jutland; lovely quiet roads and cycle paths again.

Marina – Egernsund

I followed the Route 8 cycle path a lot of the time, not out of any particular design, it was just going in the right direction. I was also having a day of being open to possibilities, so if I saw a cycle track or nice road that went the way I wanted it to, I took it. I rode down the side of Flensburger Ford, through a number of small towns. This is obviously quite a big tourist spot, and very beautiful, with some lovely yachts out on the water (when I win the lottery etc).

: Flensburger Fjord 1

: Flensburger Fjord 2

: Flensburger Fjord 3

: Ristet number 3

: Followed by a humongous icecream (Lobster helped)

: Flensburger Fjord 4

: Flensburger Fjord 5

After relaxing next to the Fjord for a bit, and of course taking on vital nourishment, I thought I’d better get on with the task at hand. I continued to follow Route 8, which decided to take me off-road and through the woods for a bit, as I got closer to the border with Germany.

Route 8 goes off road

It was slightly awkward cycling for a bit, and my bike developed an annoying squeak which I couldn’t identify the source of; it’s still doing occasionally now, a few days later, and I don’t know what’s causing it – I’d better investigate further in case it’s a problem that’s going to get worse.

Route 8 – the forest continues

I finally made it out of the trees, which had provided some welcome shade and smelt nice, and could see Germany across the bay. There was a beach and people swimming; in fact one cyclist arrived in the spot below and decided to go for a swim; I nearly joined them.

Route 8 – that’s Germany over there

In this case I resisted the temptation of a dip, as I needed to get through Flensburg, and carried on towards the border. I was keeping an eye out for customs officials as I’d seen a few signs suggesting they might patrol round here, but didn’t see any. In fact, when I got back on the road, I barely noticed crossing into Germany.

Beach just across the border in Germany

For some reason my Garmin decided to switch off at this point, so I had to restart it and my route tracking, hence there are two links to today’s ride; a total of 119km pedalled in 6 hours and 45 minutes:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/793985036

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/793991399

I was in country number 6 of this tour! I rode on to Flensburg and walked through some of the city. Again there were a lot of tourists out and about, enjoying the sunshine and street cafes. Flensburg looks nice, with some lovely older parts to it.

: Flensburg – shoes a dangling

: A square in Flensburg

: Flensburg street

The cobbled streets were slightly jarring on my still wonky hand, and always make me worry about my wheels, however I made it through and cycled South the Jarplund, where the ACSI app on my phone told me there was a campsite. It was a bit of a maze getting out of Flensburg whilst trying to avoid the busier main roads, and stay on cycle paths. I made it to the campsite but had to go around the houses a bit to get there.

At the campsite I met up with 3 other cycle tourers from Stuttgart, as well as an Italian motorcyclist from Italy; Larissa, Romulus, Alex and Claudio. Claudio is on his way to Iceland, and will be getting the ferry with his motorbike from North Denmark; there are a limited number of ways of getting to Iceland by ferry. Larissa, Alex and Romulus were just finishing a week of touring around Northern Germany, and are heading home on Saturday; Romulus has done loads of cycle touring in the past though.

Campsite in Jarplund – fun evening with new friends

Needless to say a fun evening was had, with a few beers and lots of chat about Europe, travelling, politics, and the economy, to name but a few topics. Claudio cooked pasta for everyone which was most welcome; in fact he kept producing food from his motorbike panniers. Thanks Claudio! Hopefully I’ll meet up with the all somewhere on the road in the future.

One thing about a new country – you have to relearn things in the supermarkets; took me about twice as long to pick up supplies, however at least they still have mountains of Haribo still.

All in all, a splendid day!

03 June 2015 – a bridge too far?

02 June 2015 – spoke trauma and short leg to Vordingborg

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Okay, today was a bit crap, until the evening bit anyway. It started off alright, with no sign of rain, and a successful fix of the puncture in my front tyre, then I headed into town for 09.00 to see about getting my broken spoke fixed; tip of iceberg springs to mind.

Morning at Koge campsite – dry at the moment

Unfortunately I discovered the bike shop I’d pinpointed last night doesn’t open until 10.00, so in a fit efficiency I whizzed back to the campsite and packed up my stuff, so I could get straight on the road after maintenance was completed.

I liked this big Oak Tree

About 6 kilometres later I was back at the bike shop and checked-in Smaug, or at least his wheels, for a bit of TLC. The bike shop owner recommended a local cafe whilst he performed an initial diagnosis, so I headed there for my own bit of maintenance.

Smaug undergoing maintenance, so I thought I would too

The cafe did a very good Danish pastry and hot chocolate, and feeling things were moving in the right direction I ambled back to Garant Cykler to get on the road. It started to rain; not to worry I thought, it’ll only be a shower, the forecast said overcast but dry all afternoon. Hah!

Garant Cykler – great bike shop in Koge

The bike shop didn’t have the greatest news on Smaug’s wellbeing. Unfortunately the spoke issue was not contained to just one spoke. A few days ago the chain had slipped off the top rear cog, and had slid down in between the rear cassette and spokes. I’d extracted it but unbeknownst to me at the time, it had chewed up several of the spokes on the drive side. This meant they were also in danger of snapping and needed replacing. You can’t see this sort of damage unless you remove the rear cassette, which I don’t have the tool for. Thankfully the owner is also a proficient wheel builder, and did a great job of replacing the dodgy spokes and truing the wheel, despite being stacked up with other work. It took him quite a long time and one broken set of clippers to remove the compromised spokes, which due to being chewed up didn’t fit back through the spoke holes very well; tricky. Whilst he was doing this I mended the punctured inner tube I’d kept, for future use.

If you’re familiar with my Bike around Britain tour in 2013 you’ll perhaps know I had a lot of trouble with my back wheel and broken spokes then. It seems to be a feature of cycle touring, with so much weight on the bike, however hand-built wheel help with this, and I’d hoped having 26 inch wheels, which are stronger than their larger counterparts, would also assist in preventing issues. So I had a feeling of ‘oh no, not again’ building, with not a small amount of dread. I was therefore extremely happy when the owner presented me with the fixed wheel to put back on Smaug, and we then adjusted the gears to stop the chain slipping off again; I reckon the shifters got moved slightly out of alignment during the plane flight to Nordkapp, as I’d noticed a few things knocked out of kilter and tried to move them back into place.

Smaug fixed – thanks Garant Cykler

I was also going to pick up a couple of new inner tubes, just in case, however it appears Schrader valves are pretty rare in Denmark, where they go for Presta more. I’ll just have to fix any punctures I get before buying some new ones in Germany. I’ve still got one spare, even after another one blew up in the bike shop due to a weak spot. I bought up a couple of new tyre levers after breaking one this morning; getting Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres on and off is hard work, and I’m not the best bike mechanic you’ve ever met, very amateur really.

Just realised my pump will fit either Schrader or Presta valves; reversible hose. So I could get Presta valve inner tubes.

If you’re cycle touring and pass through Koge, I’d recommend Garant Cykler if you need anything fixing or tweaking; good skills and really helpful. I really appreciated their assistance, and don’t know what I’d have done if the breakage had happened somewhere more remote; I’d have no doubt coped, and improvised something, but it would have been a much more painful experience.

I eventually got back on the road and started pedalling South, in the rain, at about 12.30, so quite a bit behind schedule for the day but not too worry, these things happen. It was wet and windy all the way to Vordingbord, so not a lot to report other than rain, spray, wind, and crankiness. I did get another puncture in my front tyre, which I fixed, however I’m developing a suspicion that the replacement Schwalbe tubes I’ve got aren’t as tough as the original Continental tourers I had on.

D’oh – yet another puncture

My no puncture stat from the other day definitely jinxed my run good luck on the wheel/tyre front, however hopefully that’ll be the last of them for a while; I don’t know why I say these things!

Break from the rain en-route to Vordingborg

For a while my morale really dipped on the ride down to Vordingbord. It was only 60km, but the incessant rain, coupled with the driving wind, really grinds you down after a while. After a break I enforced a change of mental state on myself, accepting the weather, putting a big smile on my face, and belting out a few songs; American Pie always a favourite. It always seems to work, you can either gradually spiral down to a meltdown, or pick yourself up and think positive. The weather certainly hadn’t got any better but my morale suddenly improved, although I probably confused a few people in the towns I passed through by smiling at waving at them.

Vordingbord achieved I decided that was far enough for the day, and checked-in to the Ore Strand campsite, still smiling; insanity can’t be ruled out.

Arrived at campsite in Vordingborg – still smiling

It’s a great little campsite, right next to the beach, with a good kitchen area I could sit in to get out of the wind; thankfully the rain had stopped. I nipped to Lidyl once I was set up, to resupply, then settled in for the evening, munching my way through a lot of pasta, salad, and snacks, as well as a glass of wine or two for medicinal purposes.

Haribo heaven – visit to Lidyl

I took a wander down to the beach, just to stretch my muscles after the short but arduous ride; bit damp but would be nice when the sun shines.

: Ore Strand beach 1

: Ore Strand beach panorama

: Ore Strand beach 2

: Ore Strand beach 3

There was meeting of the Ore Strand beach committee in the kitchen building that evening, which I kinda inadvertently gate-crashed by being there at the same time. I chatted to several of the locals, and got given a Danish pastry to top up my energy reserves; a good result. Really lovely people, interested in what I was doing, and they recommended I take the island hopping route rather that getting the ferry straight over to Germany, so I think I’ll do that.

Link to today’s route and stats, shortest leg for a while at 58km in about 3.5 hours:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/792180933

The weather forecast doesn’t look great for tomorrow. It’s supposed to improve later in the week, so finger’s crossed. However, if one more person in Scandinavia shrugs and says ‘that’s Danish weather for you’, or insert Sweden or Norway to that statement, there may be violence. I’ve heard that in every country I’ve been through, including the UK, in response to changing weather and it not matching the forecast!

News just in; I’m in Svendborg tonight typing this up, and the campsite owner just told me there’s been 2m of snow in parts of Norway, which is really unusual for this time of year. The bad weather is supposed to continue for the next few days, so I’m glad I’m not there now, and hope no other cycle tourers are stuck in it.

01 June 2015 – København, Koge, and things that pop and ping

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To say it rained a bit last night would perhaps be regarded as an understatement. I awoke in the early hours of the morning to the thunderous roar of rain hitting my tent, and was somewhat alarmed I’d spring a leak, or get washed into the Oresund, however I’m happy to report I remained dry; another win for the Hilleberg Akto, now 3 years old but still going strong.

Smaug looks damp after torrential rain overnight

After the overnight rain at least there was sunshine in morning to dry off everything off, including a rather despondent looking Smaug. And for a change I didn’t have to pack my tent up wet! Today was also a new map day, always exciting; time to explore Denmark. I’m still wondering if I can get to Tarifa by 05 July, my birthday. It seems a bit of a stretch and might mean rushing things too much, but would be nice to celebrate my fortieth at the Southernmost point of Europe, or thereabouts.

New map day, always exciting

Got on the road about 09.30, pedalling out of the campsite past the small tent of the cycle tourer I met last night; no sign of life, I hope she didn’t drown. The tiredness I first felt wore off quickly as I rode towards Copenhagen (Kobenhavn – havn means port, but can see where the word haven comes from) in the sunshine. Even the wind seemed to die down a bit as I approached Denmark’s capital, on the island of Zealand.

Road to Copenhagen – sun’s out

I made it into the city centre after riding along lovely quiet cycle paths, to suddenly find myself immersed in masses of traffic and pedestrians, a bit of a shock to the system. Copenhagen also turned out to be somewhat of a building site, with development going on all over the place, including a new subway station right in the centre.

Copenhagen centre, flash hotel

I overheard a tour guide talking about the hotel in the above pic; I think she said One Direction stayed there recently, woohoo. Of more interest was the story about a Danish hero who attempted to assassinate Himmler when he was travelling back from Norway to Berlin during the Second World War; Denmark was occupied at the time. Unfortunately Himmler bypassed Copenhagen in the end, otherwise certain historical events might have turned out quite differently. I think tagging on to, or drifting between guided tours, might become a new hobby.

Copenhagen- canals

It was tricky to do much sightseeing with all the crowds and traffic, whilst laden with a heavy bike, so I didn’t end up delaying long in the city, instead pedalling slowly South West and stopping occasionally. I could have detoured to see the Little Mermaid statue, and Tivoli Gardens, however it would have been awkward and I wasn’t really in a sightseeing mood.

Copenhagen – bikes in abundance, bit of a building site though

True to what I’d read Copenhagen really is full of bicycles, they’re everywhere. It will be interesting to see how Amsterdam compares if I go that way (still not decided).

Copenhagen – cool cafe

Before I knew it I was out of Copenhagen, which I guess isn’t that large in comparison to other European capitals, and pedalling through suburbia. There’s not a lot to report from the ride down to Koge, it was fairly flat, straight, and boring. I did keep having to stop for traffic lights which was a bit tedious, and interrupts your rhythm. The cycle paths are good but I’m really noticing the increase in cars compared with Sweden.

I arrived in Koge after having to stop to pump up my rear tyre several times. After recording in my last blog post a puncture total of zero, I fear the tables have turned, and perhaps I have attracted the attention of Loki again. Luckily it was only a slow puncture so I was able to get to Koge campsite, book in, and get set up before addressing the issue.

Bike repairs – 1st puncture of tour

I mended the puncture successful, thankful of the dry weather, but noticed a more nefarious problem during my endeavours.

Found a bigger problem – broken spoke

Unfortunately a spoke had broken somewhere along the way; I thought I’d heard a distinctive ping earlier. It was on the rear drive side too, which I can’t fix as I don’t have a cassette removal device; maybe I should have bought a hyper cracker . Thankfully there are loads of bike shops in Koge, and the guy at reception recommended a couple for me to try in the morning, so I’d be able to get it sorted. There was no point in just suring up the surrounding spokes and carrying on, as it’d just get worse, more spokes would break, and I’d find myself really in the lurch.

Koge – nice house

One good thing; as I was fixing a puncture I changed my front and back tyres around, thus prolonging their lives with any luck. I felt quite chuffed to be following sage cycle touring advice successfully, however those Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres aren’t half stiff to get on and off.

Koge central square

Bike maintenance partially completed I paused to chat to a couple of German cycle tourers who turned up towing trailers, on their way to Finland. They don’t like their trailers, and recounted how unstable they make the bike, meaning you can’t really stand up on the pedals or go fast down hills. I’ve often wondered about one myself but am quite glad now I didn’t go that direction, and will stick with my panniers.

After a shower, but still with slightly blackened hands (impossible to get them completely clean after maintenance session) I headed into town to grab some food, and ended up succumbing to temptation and eating out at the Cafe Vivaldi, in the town square.

Dinner at Cafe Vivaldi – Burrito boost

It was truly awesome burrito, with a nice beer on the side; portion size worthy of any cycle tourer, and with a salad too, so health bit covered. Post dinner and after a quick walk about I headed back to the campsite.

Cafe Vivaldi, Koge

Koge square – pretty flowers

Nice house again

Streets of Koge

On the way back I noticed my front tyre going flat, so I’d either pinched the inner tube when changing the tyres round earlier, or picked up new puncture somewhere; it turned out to be a small metal staple, but I didn’t fix it until the morning.

Here’s a link to today’s ride – route and stats, a slow 75km, taking 5 hours, best speed up soon;

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/791586108

Not sure on route for next few days. Could go direct to Germany by ferry from Rodby, or round the islands; will depend on the weather and if I want to get serious on challenge of getting to Tarifia for my birthday. I think I’d prefer the island route, as it’ll be nice to see a bit more of Denmark. I did try to work out the number of miles to Tarifa; think I’ve got about 2,000 left, or 4,500 to get to Istanbul, or 6,500 to get all the way round and back home. Should be doable in the 5 months I’ve got left, considering I’m already over 1,700 miles in under 1 month. I guess it also depends on any problems I have with the bike, which as I’d discover tomorrow should never be underestimated.

31 May 2015 – to Denmark

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It feels really good to be writing this from a new country, having spent about 3 weeks pedalling through Sweden. Whilst I enjoyed Sweden, the weather over the last week has been dubious to say the least, and whilst it may not improve in Denmark it’s like a fresh start, with new adventures ahead.

Here’s a link to today’s ride, 103km in about 6.5 hours, although 4km of that was on the ferry from Helsingborg to Helsingor; got to get over the Oresund somehow!

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/790146713

It was good weather for ducks again when I woke up, quel surprise! Seems to have been a consistent theme over the last few days. At least I was feeling energised after last night’s feast of hot dogs and potato salad, with a side of tomatoes and chocolate milk.

Hearty dinner in Markaryd

Nice weather for ducks

I was up early to try and get to Helsingborg in good time, and then over to Denmark, so I packed up quick after a breakfast of cheese and tomato sandwiches.

Morning on the lake in Markaryd

As with yesterday this involved packing stuff into panniers inside my tent, however I had the added bonus of a porch to scurry to, to get out of the wet. Still had to pack my tent up damp though.

Packing up in the porch

I was pedalling out of Markaryd by 08.15, through a very sleepy looking town, with evidence of last night’s festivities strewn along the main street and around the central square; food wrappers and empty cans/bottles in abundance. It must have been a good party! In fact I knew it had been a good party as I could hear it from the campsite last night, although it didn’t stop me falling asleep – noise rarely does when I’ve cycled a long way.

From Markaryd I rode South West, following small roads alongside the E04. Passed a sign warning about moose again, but I still haven’t seen any in Sweden.

Still not seen a moose in Sweden

The weather initially improved, with the rain abating, and sun coming out; nice to feel the warmth after being damp and chilly for while. I got some singing going to keep morale up as the dark clouds gathered on the horizon.

Biscuit break on the road to Helsingborg

I liked this bridge, marvellous masonry

Around Orkelljunga the weather turned again, with a fierce squall coming through, leaving in its wake a blustery headwind. To add a little bit of the exotic to the weather menu it started to hail at one point, a break from the rain at least, but it stung rather; nowhere to hide when your pedalling along an exposed road through fields. I did spot a bear though.

Closest I’m going to get to a bear in Sweden

On the outskirts of Helsingborg, with only about 15km to go, I retreated to a Max Hamburger restaurant feeling somewhat beaten and bedraggled, but at least the sun had come out.

Feeling a bit bedraggled, burger stop!

Having frequented Max several times whilst in Sweden, it felt only right that I partake one more time of the bacon cheeseburger meal, a morale booster in itself, and perhaps my last meal in the country; okay so not very flash or healthy, but loads of calories.

Last stop at Max burgers?

Then it was just a case of getting into Helsingborg, how hard could it be? Quite hard as it turned out, due a few confusing road signs and lack of cycle paths taking you into the city. Yesterday I cycled along deserted country roads, that had wide cycle paths running alongside them, through forest. How come when you get to a big city like this there aren’t any? Maybe they were there and I couldn’t find them. At least the drivers were their usual patient and polite selves. After a bit of cursing, partly due to the wind, and partly due to navigational issues, I made it into the centre where a plethora of cycle paths spring up, which was a bit maze like until I found some signs pointing me in the direction of the ferry. It wasn’t really that tricky as I just needed to head SW until I hit the coast, I was just in a bad mood due to battling headwinds and hail.

My sour mood evaporated as I got into Helsingborg and saw the Oresund for the first time; the narrow stretch of sea/strait that separates the Baltic from the Atlantic. It was exciting to see Denmark just 4km away, with pastures new to be pedalled. The strait looks very busy, with lots of ships going back and forth, or through it; apparently the Helsingor-Helsingborg car ferry is the busiest the world. I wondered how submarines make it through without bumping into something, or in the case of the Russians, undetected; maybe they don’t.

I had a look at the old Keep above Helsingborg, the only remaining building from the once mighty Helsingborg Castle. The original castle was built by the Danes, and has origins maybe as far back as the 11th century, however the present form was built in the 13th century. The castle was demolished in the 17th century when the Danes were kicked out by the Swedes, with only the keep remaining; think the keep was meant to be demolished but the Danish king never gave the final order. Here are a few pics from my brief tour of Helsingborg.

: Helsingborg – Karnan Keep

: Karnan Keep history

: Helsingborg

: Helsingborg – Karnan Keep 2

: Helsingborg fountain

: Helsingborg – medieval looking house

: Helsingborg – looking back up to Karnan Keep

: Helsingborg – map of medieval town

: Helsingborg – made it to ferry terminal

: Last stop in Sweden – Helsingborg with Cycle Tour fest bottle

After the Keep I rode down the hill to the Skandlines Ferry terminal, taking the lift, with my bike, to the ticket office on the 2nd floor. I purchased a ticket, 35 SEK, a bargain, but as it happened I could have just pedalled around to the car embarking point and bought one there. Still, it was fun taking my bike in the elevator. There were a lot of other road cyclists getting the ferry over, presumably after whizzing about in Sweden for a Sunday afternoon ride.

: Onboard the ferry to Helsingor

: Leaving Helsingborg – bike safely stowed below decks

: Bit windy above decks!

: Happy to be on my way to Denmark

: Onwards to Helsingor

: Looking back to Helsingborg

: Approaching Helsingor harbour

I got out of the wind for a bit and raided the onboard shop for a few supplies of a confectionary nature; Toblerone and Haribos mostly. I was trying to use up my remaining Swedish Krone, so I bought a celebratory beer too. I must have looked a bit of a sight swigging beer from a bottle, looking rather dishevelled and weather-beaten. I got a few curious looks from other passengers and MAMILS, but just smiled back at them, feeling very satisfied that I’d completed the Swedish leg of my tour.

Arriving in Helsingor I was first off the ferry, along with all the other cyclists who quickly left me in their wake; they weren’t carrying +25kg of gear! Unfortunately I managed to forget about Kronborg castle, which I had intended to have a look at, it being the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet and an impressive edifice. I think I caught a glimpse of it from the ferry, and have just looked at pictures of it on Google anyway; the wonders of the Internet. I could go and take a look tomorrow but hate going backwards, so unlikely.

Arrived in Helsingor

Instead I pedalled along cycle paths alongside the coast road towards Copenhagen, noticing immediate changes from Sweden. The road signs are different colours, as are some of the road markings; blue around roundabouts for cycle lanes. Some of the house are very similar, whilst others are covered in carvings and have thatched roofs. It also seemed busier, more built up and more people, but that might just be the proximity to Copenhagen.

I made it to Niva and found a good campsite for the night, after being passed by dozens more road cyclists out for a spin; cycling seems to be as popular if not more-so in Denmark, compared to Sweden.

Double thumbs up for Denmark

It really was a relief to stop for the day, in a new country and somewhere that felt a lot warmer; which is odd as it’s only a few kilometres from Sweden; might just have been on my head. It was just nice being out if the wind and having some sunshine to relax in, and even nicer to have a hot shower. I was slightly concerned by the campsite goats, which I think are used to keep the grass short; I hoped they didn’t nibble my tent, not sure how I’d fix such colossal varmint damage.

Niva campsite goats – friendly varmints

Once set up I headed down to the Marina to the restaurant recommended by the campsite owner, for a celebratory meal and a couple of beers. It turned out to be an excellent meal, of lamb, new potatoes, green beans, asparagus, red current sauce and gravy; nicest meal of the tour yet.

: Pause for thought at the Marina in Niva

: Hat makes an appearance, good for keeping the rain off

: Niva marina – many a yacht

: Dinner is served at Restaurant Lagunen

: Restaurant Lagunen

: Restaurant Lagunen menu

Feeling relaxed I rode back to the campsite, to do some planning and write this. I chatted to a fellow cycle tourer for a bit, out on her first 2 week tour and enjoying it despite the weather. As always you learn lots on your first tour, and I think she’s caught the bug!

To finish up here are a few stats from the tour so far.

Distance covered: 1,738 miles, that’s about 2,800km
Number of days pedalling: 26 since Nordkapp
Average distance per day: approx 108km
Number of punctures: 0 (touch wood)
Number of brake pad changes: 1 – rear set
Number of new chains: 0 – but might need to consider new one soon, will check stretch
Number of wild/stealth camps: 3
Night’s indoors: 5 I think – hostel or cabin
Beard growth: significant, but not sure whether to keep it still
Chafing: was getting bad (7 out of 10) until I replaced saddle, now fine
Cleanliness: not too shabby, been washing things as I go along, although reckon some of my clothes smell a bit from the damp
Morale: dipped due to weather but now back on track

If you think of any other interesting stats to share let me know.

P.S. It’s raining again…

29 and 30 May 2015 – the road to Helsingborg, & the gloves are off

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–> 29 May

I burnt a lot of calories today; 4796 according to my Garmin device, not that I entirely trust it. It’s hard to eat enough to replace all the calories you burn when cycling every day, but good fun trying. This isn’t normally an issue when not cycling, when it’s usually the other way around.

I wasn’t sure how far I’d get today, and had planned several possible ‘outs’ should the need arise. The uncertainty was down to the weather, with a strong headwind and showers forecast, which isn’t a pleasant combination. At least it was dry and sunny when I packed up.

Packing up at Oninge Camping

I bid goodbye to the friendly campsite owner, and pedalled my way towards Lake Vattern, back through Odeshog.

Leaving Oninge campaign – windy

As it turned out today was one of my most successful days yet on this tour. I was on the road by 09.30, after a slightly late start due to laziness, but made good time after that. This was despite the weather; the initial sunshine disappeared behind clouds, and then the rain literally rolled in across the lake.

Lake Vattern through the trees

I could see the squalls coming in, as a dark line moving across the surface of the water, with the area behind it very grey and obscured by rain. I took shelter behind the occasional large tree, however in the end there was nothing for it but to keep pedalling and not worry about it. Needless to say I got a bit damp, but my core was dry under by anorak, and my legs are waterproof anyway.

Verdant flora alongside Lake Vattern

The sun came out between the showers, helping to dry me off prior the next soaking, and allowing a moment of respite from the elements. During these periods it was a lovely ride, with the birds singing, and the smell of Wild Garlic infusing the air. The sun quickly dried off the roads too, which meant less spray from passing cars and lorries.

Lake Vattern – next squall approaching

Another view of the Lake

I arrived in Granna, one of my possible ‘outs’ should I have needed it. It looked like a nice town, and set up for the tourist trade, however as it was still raining I pressed on heading towards Huskvarna.

Strange building on hill near Granna

As I pedalled along I started to pass a number of teenagers on bikes, replete with rucksacks, rain coats, and a support van. They must all have been on a charity or challenge bike ride, and appeared to be struggling somewhat with the hills and headwind. I passed more and more of them, strung out as they were over a couple of miles, with some resorting to walking up the hills. It made me realise my legs have got a lot stronger over the past few weeks. I soon left them behind but it was nice pedalling along saying hello to them all for a while.

Road to Huskvarna – sun comes out

It was a bit of a wriggly route to Huskvarna, including a few biggish hills, and passing lots of apple trees in blossom; must be a few weeks behind the UK.

Apple tree orchard – lots of blossom

I avoided Jonkopping, and had to deal with a big climb up to over 900 feet as I rode South. My Garmin device thought I was below sea level at one point, but I’m pretty sure it was just having a senile moment.

Heading South from Jonkopping

After the big climb it was a lovely ride down through pine forest, interspersed with the odd lake, and the headwind eased up; a big relief.

I crossed under the E04 and flew the last 40km down to Varnama, pushing hard to get to the campsite.

Biscuit break before the push to Varnama

Varnama was my stretch target for the day, but with little in the way of wind, and the rain holding off, I decided it was worth the effort. It also put me in a good position to get to Helsingborg and over to Denmark on Sunday.

Some great cycle paths alongside deserted roads

I cycled 143km in 8hrs 12mins, and felt pretty chuffed by the time I stopped. Here’s a link to my route and stats:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/788333282

In other news I’m very impressed with my new Brooks saddle. I’m still wearing it in, and will be for a while, however there’s no chafing and it’s already more comfy than my old saddle, if a little hard still.

And another major breakthrough; I took off my cycling gloves! This seems to have alleviated the problems I’ve been having with my right hand in a major way. I’m not getting any pain in my hand or elbow anymore, and whilst it’s still a bit wonky it is recovering. I still need to remember to change my grip regularly to avoid numbness but seems like I’ve sorted the biggest issue; either my gloves are too small, or they don’t work with Ergon grips. I read somewhere that sometimes gel padded gloves can be counterproductive with Ergon grips. It does mean I have slightly cold hands, but I’ll change to wearing thin gloves with no padding instead; got some somewhere in my panniers, along with other excess baggage!

Set up at Varnamo camping

Other points of note from today include seeing a Red Squirrel, with very tufty ears, and lots of biker posses out on tour. I could hear the rumbling of motorbikes from a long way away, with the roar increasing as they got closer, sometime numbering 20 to 30 bikes in total. One of the larger groups had Swedish Fire Rider badges on their jackets; I looked this up and it’s a biker association for active or retired Swedish Fire Fighters, pretty cool. I love bicycle touring but reckon a tour by motorbike as part of a large group would also be a lot of fun, and something I’ve thought about doing since I was a kid; maybe something to explore if my legs go on strike.

Oh, and dinner was excellent; I opened the can of baked beans, delicious.

Baked beans and noodles for dinner

After a bit of planning I retired to my tent, and wasn’t long before falling asleep, listening to the rain as it renewed its efforts at dampening everyone’s spirits; a few very bedraggled looking hikers had appeared at the campsite after my arrival.

Listening to the trees in Varnamo

–> 30 May

Today was tough riding, and in contrast to yesterday not fun at all. It was still satisfying to cover 94km in about five and a half hours, putting me within striking distance of Helsingborg and Denmark, despite the wind and rain; crazy weather today. Here’s a link to my route and stats:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/789136788

Morning in Varnamo – raining outside so slow start

Whilst I’ve enjoyed Sweden I’m looking forward to pastures new, having been here for a while; it’s a very long country. I’m still not sure if it would have been better to come down through more of Norway, however I think that would have involved a lot more hills, and distance, and is perhaps one to save for a standalone tour in the future.

It was raining hard when I woke up, so I put off getting up for an hour, instead going over my maps with Lobster who was his usual ‘helpful’ self. I eventually emerged after packing up as much as possible inside my tent, and was on the road by 10 o’clock. I had to pack up my tent wet which I hate doing, as it means it’ll be wet when I put it up in the evening.

Leaving Varnamo campsite – brief respite from the rain

I pedalled out of Varnamo as people were setting up stalls for what looked like some kind of carnival; there was a marching band and baton twirlers getting ready too. It being the last weekend in May there must be similar events going on around Sweden, and probably Europe, as there was a carnival finishing up in Markaryd when I arrived. I say finishing up, the day time stuff was being packed away, but from the sounds of it the party is still going on as I type this up; there’s a disco playing some classic tunes (including Grease) enthusiastically, and a lot of roaring of motorbikes and classic cars.

Varnamo – setting up for a carnival?

Varnamo – not sure what these figurines were about; a celebration of farming or animal worshipping cult

My route South West took me down a road with a lake on one side, and the E04 on the other, accompanied by worsening weather as the showers and wind got more blustery and intense. I followed the Lagan River to Ljungby, feeling a bit damp, then on through several small towns and villages to Markaryd.

Close to Ljungby I passed a lot of rally cars parked up for a break/lunch; they later starting passing me on the road South, before turning off on to tracks through the forest. I’m not sure what rally it was, however there was a mixture of old Volvo estates, Subarus, Vauxhalls, Saabs, all sorts really, and all making growling noises. The unfortunate side effect was me getting covered in a lot of spray, however I was already pretty wet where not under my anorak, so it didn’t really matter and was a welcome distraction.

Not a lot else to report from the ride, which was generally unpleasant, however these cows amused me.

Under scrutiny from a group of cows/bullocks

Bovines again, because they were amusing

Break from the wind and rain

Double thumbs up despite the conditions

Markaryd is an average sized town with a good campsite – Sjotorpet. I could have cycled further, but with the weather as it is that was enough for today, and puts me within 80km of Helsingborg. Reception was open, an excellent start, and after pitching my wet tent I went for a hot shower whilst it dried a bit; the damp seeps into the inside when it’s packed up. I went for a wander around town but the food stalls from the daytime session were packing up, perhaps calling it a day due to the foul weather, so I grabbed some food from the Coop and retreated to the campsite kitchen.

I did pass a ‘disco tent’, which had a lot of enthusiastic children jumping up and down to the sound of rap music; bad rap music in this case.

Markaryd’s answer to Ant and Dec?

Disco tent – party is still going on by the sounds of it

The campsite restaurant was closed due to the festivities in town – which now include fireworks by the sounds of it (or cars backfiring), bit concerning with the wind still blowing quite hard – however I was able to sit in it to plan out my route roughly for the next few weeks. I think it’ll go something like this:

Next few weeks, maybe: Helsingborg to Denmark – Helsinger – Copenhagen – round islands to Sonderborg – Hamburg – Bremen – Amsterdam – Brussels – Mons – Saint Quentin – Compiegne- Paris

I’ll be incorporating parts of Eurovelo routes, and my own navigation to get between them, or to places I’m interested in not on a Eurvelo route. As always my plans remain pretty flexible, other than wanting to get to Tarifa in July. Pretty excited to be getting to some new countries, although the rain has reminded me I must do some washing soon, otherwise they might not let me in.

Finally got a pic of an American classic car; so popular in Sweden

I noticed some kids swimming in the lake in the photo below earlier, pretty brave if you ask me, however I’ve heard it’s the norm here in Sweden. The campsite owner says the kids often go swimming as there is little else to do.

Markaryd Lake – still a bit cold for a dip if you ask me

So tomorrow it’s on to Helsingborg and over to Denmark, and my next blog post will probably be from Copenhagen. I’ll leave it there as the yodelling appears to have started from the direction of the disco/live music tent now. If I wasn’t planning an early start, and if today hadn’t felt like the dampest and coldest of the tour so far, I’d go an investigate; fiestas will have to wait.

Thanks for all the comments and tips on here or on Twitter! Useful advice and morale boosting banter always welcome. Drop me an email or leave a comment if you’ve any questions, and charity donations to the Big C always appreciated.

26 to 28 May 2015 – heading South from Stockholm, and a saddle change

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I’m in a place called Odeshog now, close to the shore of Sweden’s second largest lake; Lake Vattern. It’s been a busy few days since leaving Stockholm, mostly involving pedalling, a headwind, getting a new saddle, and today getting a bit damp. All good though and feel like I’m making real progress with over 1,500 miles cycled, and only about 2,200 to go until I reach Tarifa; something like that anyway, I tried to work it out earlier and it really depends on the route I take.

Quick mention of the campsite I’m staying at tonight; Oninge Camping. It’s probably the best campsite I’ve stayed at in Sweden, it being cheap at 70SEK for the night, with excellent facilities, free Wifi, a very reasonable and open restaurant, and someone actually present at reception who’s really friendly and helpful. All in all excellent; plus I was very glad to set up my tent up and get out of the wind and rain.

Here are my routes and stats for the last few days.

26 May: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/786446324

27 May: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/786450488

28 May – finding a new saddle: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/787078306

28 May – actual ride: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/787374076

–> 26 May 2015

After a somewhat broken night’s sleep, probably due to it being too hot in the hostel, and noisy in the dorm with people coming and going at all hours, I was keen to get on my way. It had been a good stopover, and excellent to see some of Stockholm; I’d recommend the City Backpackers Hostel.

I had breakfast in the hostel cafe before leaving, which set me up nicely for the day ahead at just 65SEK for a breakfast roll, fruit, orange juice, tea, and yoghurt; pretty healthy too I reckon. I didn’t end up leaving until gone 10.00, and just as it started to rain, but thankfully it didn’t last long.

City Backpackers Hostel, Stockholm

I pedalled South through Stockholm, over a few bridges between islands and through the Gamla Stan. It was a bit tricky finding the right route out of the city, maybe because of the beer I’d consumed the evening before, but I eventually made it despite going around in a bit of a circle at one point. Again there were good cycle paths to follow alongside the main roads, so I didn’t have to worry about the traffic, although I did have to divert into a town due to road works at one point.

As I headed South West the sun came out and quiet countryside ensued, which was like a soothing balm after the business of Stockholm.

Heading back into the countryside after Stockholm

The landscape appeared tamer than North of Stockholm, with more deciduous forest, pastures, and more Oilseed Rape. Everything was just a bit warmer and softer, with the sunshine making everything look vibrant and alive.

Oilseed Rape in abundance

I saw my first flock of sheep, which those that followed my Bike around Britain tour may realise could cause me some mental trauma; I pedalled past quickly but could feel their beady little eyes tracking me.

After cycling through sunlight and shadows, on a winding road through a wonderful smelling woodland, I descended to my first ferry crossing of the tour. It was only a few hundred metres to cross an open stretch of water near Nasskansen, over to Skansen, but the ferry was the only way to do it and thus avoid the main roads around Sodertalje; don’t want to go anywhere near the E04 again!

The ferry pulled away just as a rode up, so I just missed it, and when it came back the crew went on lunch break for 30 minutes. This really wasn’t an issue, I just sat in the sunshine and had some lunch myself.

: Just missed the Skansen Ferry

: Ferry panorama

: Nice view over the Hammerfjarden

: Hammerfjarden panorama

: Bike onboard and away we go

: Smaug looks a little nervous, must be all the water

: Would be very pleasant sailing around here

After the ferry I encountered a cold headwind on the road to Nykoping. It wasn’t very strong, just annoying, and took all the warmth out of the day. That coupled with a sore bum from my saddle turned the afternoon into a bit of a struggle, however I persevered and was rewarded with a view of some Canada Geese and their goslings, as I crossed another bridge between islands; they must breed up here once they’ve finished their migration.

Onwards into a chill afternoon

Canada Geese goslings – bit of a tongue twister

I spotted a few woodpeckers today (Lesser or Greater Spotted), but they were too quick for the camera; heard the distinctive laughing call of a Green Woodpecker too, and a cuckoo.

A bit later on, near Vagnharad, I met a German couple cycle-touring up to Nordkapp, and stopped to say hello and swap tips on the road ahead; always good to meet fellow tourers and gives you a boost.

German couple of their way to Nordkapp

Once they reach Nordkapp they’re going to cycle back to Germany via Norway, which sounds like a very nice route. They cycled to Tarifa last year, and have been all over the place previous to that, so are definitely more accomplished tourers than me!

After 10 minutes chatting we pedalled our separate ways. I reached Nykoping about 18.00, and stopped at a Lidyl to get some supplies; I was glad I did as the camping area at Strandstuviken was deserted when I arrived about 19.00; no-one at reception, this is getting to be a bit of a theme in Sweden.

I pitched up anyway, after trying to phone to check-in – no answer. I wasn’t too bothered as even though I couldn’t get into the shower or kitchen block, as I needed a key card for that, there was a public loo 30 metres away, and I could do without a shower for one night.

: Strandstuviken public camping

: Double thumbs up after a tough day

: Tent pitched at Strandstuviken

: Nice view of a Baltic bay

: Baltic panorama

: Pine forest camping area

: Attempt at an arty photo along the shoreline

This looks to be a popular spot in the summer for people wanting to swim, and camp in a secluded spot. It was certainly peaceful, with only a few other residents from what I could tell. After a dinner of tomatoes, bread and pate, peanuts and fruit, I settled down to chill in my tent for a bit; I fell asleep pretty quickly, listening to owls hoot in the forest.

I’d pedalled 125km today, in about 7 hours 30 minutes. Tomorrow’s intended destination was Linkoping – a lot of ‘kopings’ around here.

–> 27 May 2015

After today’s ride I decided I really had to get my saddle changed. A long ride, into a head wind, with a sore posterior just isn’t much fun, and that’s without including my wonky right hand which is still playing up; bit better now I’ve adjusted my Ergon grips and bars, but still need to remember to alter my hand position more often.

I woke up early in Strandstuviken, and with no-one around to pay packed up and pedalled off pretty swiftly; hurrah for a free night’s stealth camping. I didn’t feel particularly guilty as I hadn’t used anything other than a patch of earth for my tent.

It was a nice sunny day, and warm, and I successfully picked up the right route out if Arno heading West, then turning South West.

The trail leads South West, tarmac disappears

My first destination of the day was another ferry just West of Kvarsebo, and the ride to get there was the best part of the day. I followed off-road trails, which made me feel like I was on a proper expedition, and is what this bike is made for really. I was glad of the strong wheels as I bumped along, through pine forest dotted with farmsteads, each with their own patch of land for crops, or a paddock for horses.

Forest trail – good expedition riding

I saw a lot of horses today, must be a thing round here.

Peaceful in the pines

It was lovely in the forest, with birds singing and lots of wildlife around to spot; and unfortunately a few sheep regarding me with suspicion, the feeling was entirely mutual.

Me, in the pines

Saw a grass snake, which you might be able to make out in the photo below, near the bottom; unfortunately I don’t speak parseltongue so couldn’t ask it to pose for the camera.

Grass snake slithering along in the sunshine

There were lots of small purple flowers too, but I’m not sure what they’re called; are they violets?

Purple flowers along roadside

The route was helpfully, if intermittently, signposted with ‘Cycleparet’ signs, however I tended to rely on my map, Garmin, and sense of direction more than these.

Cycleparet

I got to the ferry over to Vikholandet, and again and to wait for it, which again wasn’t an issue with the sun shining and calorie replenishment required. There were quite a few touring motorcyclists who turned for the ferry too, so must be a popular route.

: Another day another ferry crossing

: Jetty maintenance in progress

: Yellow boat

: View over to an island sitting in the channel

: Crossing panorama

: Lobster enjoying the break too

: Double thumbs up for ferries

: Island looks like a nice place to live – safe in the event of a zombie apocalypse

: Ferry arrives

: Swallows appear to be nesting on the ferry, saw this on yesterday’s ferry too

: Crossing in progress – only a few hundred metres

After the ferry the day turned into a bit of a slog to get to Linkoping, joining gradually busier roads, and into a moderate Westerly which proved taxing. At least the hills were fairly mild, and despite an aching rear I made good progress; not going to break any records though. I stopped for a break at a church and considered asking for divine intervention on the headwind front; it would be great to have a few days of just no wind!

Church rest stop

Unfortunately divine intervention was not forthcoming

After a banana, which wasn’t very ripe but did the job, I rode on to Linkoping, passing a cycle tourer with a trailer going the other way, but it was too busy for either of us to stop; enthusiastic waves were exchanged instead. Upon reaching the outskirts of Linkoping I found a Max hamburger joint, which couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment as I was famished. I pulled in and joined the ranks of police cadets who were also taking a break for some fast food; I hoped I didn’t smell too bad, didn’t want to get deported for vagrancy.

Max hamburger break, this is becoming a habit

Feeling energised I got back on my bike, rather tenderly due to the aforementioned reasons, and cycled through Linkoping to find the campsite at Glyttinge. Linkoping looks like a nice city, however I was somewhat distracted by tiredness and soreness, so didn’t really take much in apart from the plethora of cycle paths. I resolved to find a cycle shop as soon as possible to change saddles, as the gel one I have (Bioflex) just isn’t suitable for long distances; rubs in the wrong places after a while.

I reached Glyttinge camping and low and behold there was no-one at reception, who’d have thought it. I wasn’t alone in my disgruntlement; there were 2 or 3 camper vans trying to find somewhere to book in, and a code for the gate. You can call the number to book in, but only if you already have an SVC card, which luckily I do, so wasn’t an issue for me. The camper vanners however didn’t have a card, having just got to Sweden, but eventually managed to corner a caretaker who let them in. I was a bit annoyed at having to call to book in as it meant having to use my phone, again, which cost me £3, again, but at least then I could use it for the rest of the day and get Internet.

Pitched up in Glyttinge – washing drying

On a positive note I got a tweet from a helpful soul back in the UK (thanks Ed Blackmore), with a link to a few Brooks saddle stockists in Sweden, including one right here in Linkoping. This was a real bonus as it’s the only shop until Copenhagen that sells Brooks saddles, and I didn’t really want to go with anything else. I’d definitely visit Bertil Anderssons tomorrow, and splash out on something that in the long-term will be a lot more comfortable.

Feeling more positive now I had a plan to alleviate pains in the posterior, I settled down for the evening, cooked some noodles, and did some route mapping. With a shopping trip in the morning it would be a shorter ride tomorrow, which was fine considering I was pretty tired and sore.

Today’s ride was 126km, taking 7 hours and 42 minutes of actual pedalling.

–> 28 May 2015

My tent was getting pretty hot when I woke up, which was useful as I realised I’d left the washing out, so hopefully it had dried. Excited about getting a new saddle (touch wood), I left my tent and stuff where it was and rode to the bike shop, Bertil Anderssons, aiming to get there soon after it opened at 09.00. Unfortunately the shop was on the other side of the city, necessitating a 20km round trip, but it’d be worth it. Bertil Anderssons also sell lawnmowers, which seems an odd mix, but isn’t unique for a Swedish bike shop from what I’ve seen.

Sunny morning in Glyttinge, bike shop awaits

I navigated to the bike shop using the Bike Hub app on my phone for the first time; seemed to work pretty well, but not something I could use on a long day’s ride as a bit too intense, and drains my phone battery quickly.

The shop staff were really helpful, and they did indeed stock Brooks, yippee! I chose a classic Brooks B17 in the end, rather than the Cambium C17. The Cambiums are really nice, partly made of rubber so they don’t need to be worn in, but more expensive and wouldn’t look so good on my bike. The B17 would take a few hundred kilometres to wear in and after that be really comfortable, and besides, it just looks cool.

Goodbye old saddle (bioflex)

Hello new Brooks B17

The staff spoke excellent English and were interested in my tour and bike; they were intrigued with my SP dynamo, which has worked fantastically to date, charging my Garmin and Phone when needed (most days). They were also very efficient and the saddle was fitted, instructions relayed on how to care for it and what to tighten in a few weeks, and I was on the road and cycling back to the campsite by 09.30. The saddle felt a lot more slippery than my old one, but immediately more comfortable, not rubbing in the same places. Needless to say I donated the old one to the shop, someone might find a use for it.

Note to self; need to start thinking about where to get bike serviced soon, as might need a knew chain and rear cassette at some point.

I pedalled back through Linkoping feeling a lot happier about the miles to come. Whilst the Brooks would take a while to wear in, it would pay dividends in the long run, and save my butt, quite literally.

Biking back to campsite, nice boat

Another view of new saddle

I got back to the campsite, quickly packed up, and set off for Odeshog, stopping in at reception to buy some chocolate; it was open for a change, but the caretaker was having to stand in as the duty staff member was off sick – he’s a really nice chap and can’t help feeling he was having to make up for other people’s failures, bravo sir.

Big church in Linkoping

A great cycle path took me West, on roads running roughly parallel to the E04, and through some nice countryside. I passed a lot of people out walking dogs, running, or rollerblading/cross-country skiing on wheels; nods and ‘hej hejs’ were exchanged. Quite a lot of helicopters buzzing abut today too.

Pedalling past fields of Oilseed Rape again

A lot of the fields had been sown with Oilseed Rape, making everything yellow again. The road seemed quite flat, however it was in fact steadily rising, and before I knew it I was open over 600 feet without really realising; not very high I know, just didn’t notice the ascent.

As the day progressed the weather unfortunately took a turn for the worse, and I was forced to don my waterproof jacket as the rain set in; I don’t bother with waterproof trousers, as they’re another thing and I figure my legs are waterproof.

Bad weather sets in as I cycle through Vaderstad

Cycling through Vaderstad put the Imperial March from Star Wars in my head for the next few kilometres, which I was forced to purge after a while with a bit of Top Gun, and some other classics including the Muppet Show and Fraggle rock; helps the miles fly by.

As the weather was bad and the landscape reminiscent of Lincolnshire there aren’t many photos from today. I arrived in Odeshog and stocked up with a few supplies, before cycling the few kilometres out to the campsite. It was a relief to get there and the tent set up, then out of the rain, which was decidedly chill.

Arrived at Oninge Camping

Oninge – bit damp and blustery as squalls move through

As mentioned at the top of this post Oninge is probably my number 1 campsite in Sweden so far, not because of the scenery, but because it’s staffed, the staff were really friendly, welcoming and helpful, it only cost 70 SEK, the facilities are perfect, there’s free wifi, and there’s a restaurant and shop. All in all pretty splendid. It’ll get really busy here soon, especially as there are a few cycling events coming up near the lake.

I cooked some hot dogs for a late lunch, consuming all 6 of them, and some fruit, and some chocolate, then had a shower and retired to the restaurant after a FaceTime session back to the UK. Still hungry I couldn’t resist the Snitzel, and a beer from the shop – came to about 130SEK in total so very reasonable. Forgot to take a photo of it in my haste to consume.

I did however remember to take a photo of the find below, which I’m particularly excited to discover in the supermarket in Odeshog. I’ll save them for another day, gonna be great.

Particularly excited about baked bean find in supermarket

So despite the weather a really positive day, with the new saddle already feeling more comfortable than the old. I’ll update after tomorrow’s ride on how that’s working out, long may it continue!

Today was a Say Yes More day

I’m heading South West tomorrow, unless the weather is really bad, along the shore of Lake Vattern towards Jonkoping, and then hopefully on a bit however we’ll see how we get on. Lobster wants to be in Denmark by Sunday to sample their pastries, but it might not be until Monday, he’ll just have to wait.

Total distance pedalled today was about 90km, if we include the saddle shopping trip. Now done over 1,500 miles!

25 May 2015 – a day off in Stockholm

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A whole day off to do some sightseeing, and generally just be a tourist, what a luxury. It did feel a bit strange waking up in the hostel and not having to pack everything onto my bike for another day’s riding, however I was refreshed after a good night’s sleep, even if I was woken up by drilling from next door at 07.30.

Stockholm is well worth a visit, and no doubt warrants a few days exploration, however I only had one so picked just a few places to go and see. I started with a general wander about, heading vaguely South East towards the Vasa museum on one of the islands.

Kungstrad Garden

Stockholm is built on lots of different islands, and there are bridges, ferries and canals connecting it all up.

Lots of open water, canals, and ferries

Plenty of cyclists too, and cycle lanes everywhere, all clearly marked so you know where to walk as a pedestrian, and where to cycle, and never the twain shall meet. We should do this more in the UK.

Cyclists abound – parliament building in background

It was quite a long walk to the Vasa museum, so much for a rest day, however it was nice to be using different muscles, and not be in any particular rush. On the bike front Stockholm has its own version of the Boris bike scheme by the looks of it; lots of the same hire bikes whizzing about anyway.

Lots of nice looking older style boats too

Monuments indicating water quality and pollution levels; I think, pretty funky

I got to the Vasa museum about 10.15, just as loads of coaches were arriving and depositing mostly Chinese tourists in their droves. Luckily they were in a different queue, and mine moved pretty swiftly anyway.

I could go on about the Vasa museum for a while, it was great, but better if you go and visit it yourself should the opportunity arise. The Vasa is a Swedish warship built in 1621, that sank on its maiden voyage, but was raised in the 1960’s and is now housed in a museum. It’s a massively popular tourist attraction and I could see why; my first thought was ‘it’s the Black Pearl’, from Pirates of the Carribean.

First look at the Vasa

I was called upon to take quite a few photos of couples posing in front of the Vasa, but here’s one of me on my day off.

Me at the Vasamuseet

The Vasa was commissioned by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, to assist in the war versus Poland-Lithunia which was raging at the time. In fact Sweden seemed to be at war with several of its neighbours; the 17th century was perhaps its period of military might. The ship was finished too quickly, as the King was demanding its presence as flagship of the reserve squadron immediately, lest someone suffer his royal displeasure.

The Vasa – panorama

From what I learned the Vasa set sail too early, without enough ballast on board meaning it was top heavy. I don’t think they could put more ballast on board otherwise the lower gun ports would be underwater; basically the ship was structurally unsound. The gun ports, all 64 of them, were all opened to fire a salute as it left harbour, which was a bit over the top as usually just one cannon was fired. A squall hit which pushed the ship over to one side, letting water into the lower gun ports, and whilst the ship righted itself it was doomed and sank shortly afterwards with the loss of 30 to 60 hands. It sank after sailing just 1.5km; not really an auspicious moment for a ship bearing the Royal Family’s name – Vasa means sheaf of wheat I believe. I learnt a lot of this by latching on to coach party tours, but there are also free tours in English you can join at set times.

Here are some pictures of the Vasa, in all it’s glory, a truly amazing vessel to have been raised from the seabed and restored. It’s cannons were salvaged in the 17th century, via a primitive diving bell, but it was then largely ‘forgotten’ about (probably due to embarrassment), until it was ‘discovered’ and raised in 1961. Excuse me for not accurately naming bits of the ship; don’t have all that knowledge, or time to look them up.

: Back of ship, wonderful carvings.

: Some of the gilded carvings from the Vasa – include representations of the king

: Back of ship 2

: Wouldn’t want to have to clamber up that rigging in a storm

: Representation of Vasa sinking

: The Vasa – panorama

: Vasa model showing her in all her glory

: Vasa Titus carving

: View from the upper gallery

: Vasa – one of the most powerful warships of its time

: Gun ports all decorated with lion motifs

: Urr, Lobster on a cannon

: Bit dark – anchor

: Loved the front of the ship; might be called the bowsprit, maybe

: Another side view

: Vasa panorama 2

: Life boat

The pictures probably don’t do it justice, but you get the idea; more impressive than the Mary Rose. There are lots of exhibits on topics such as life on board, the sinking, the raising and archaeology, Sweden at the time; 1 in 10 people were ‘recruited’ into the armed forces apparently. Aside from the Vasa there is a side exhibition which is equally interesting, that goes around the world telling you what was going on in other countries in the 17th century, such as:

30 years war in Europe – big armies with modern weapons, pretty horrific
North America trading and colonisation – disease kills lots of Native Americans
Gallileo versus the Inqusiiton – the Earth goes around the Sun
Trading in new and exotic goods – the world opening up
India and the Mughal Empire in ascendance, religious tolerance
Ottoman Empire expands, stopped at battle of Vienna – learnt about the fierce Jannisaries
End of the Ming dynasty in China – Manchus seixe power, Emperor commits suicide, Qing dynasty starts
Japan opening up, then closing up (Edo period)
Africa – slavery and exploitation
Persia and Baghdad

I think I spent about 2 hours there, but could have stayed longer. Well worth a visit.

After the Vasa I grabbed a hot dog and hot chocolate, and continued my wanderings around Stockholm, heading over to the old town or Gamla Stan, where the Royal Palace is, via the Parliament building.

: Vasa Museet

: Nordiska Museet

: Theatre, lots of gilding

: Many a statue in Stockholm, reminded me of Paris

: Parliament building 1

: Crossing to Gamla Stan

: Parliament building

After having spent nearly 3 weeks in the ‘wilds’ the architecture is pretty impressive, and a nice contrast. I headed on to the Royal Palace, passing some guards marching around its perimeter.

Swedish Guard on the march

I’m assuming these guards are professional soldiers and not cadets or actors; they marched well, but weren’t keeping very still at their guard post – not like the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace. They had cool helmets though.

Swedish Guard on the march 2

I went into the free bits of the Royal Palace, which included the Royal Chapel – very ornate – then continued my wanderings, stopping for another hot chocolate to refuel.

: Streets of Gamla Stan 1

: Royal Palace 1

: Royal Palace 2

: Royal Chapel

: Royal Chapel 2

: Roof of Royal Chapel

: All seeing eye over door to chapel – very symbolic

: Audience chamber

: Tulips in bloom

: Streets of Gamla Stan 2

: Another heroic statue

: Other end of Gamla Stan; Stockholm continues

By this point I was getting a bit tired, having walked 12km on my rest day, so decided to head back to the hostel for a rest, before heading out to get some food somewhere.

Heading back to hostel – these lions are everywhere, thought they looked like Dougal from Magic Roundabout

Whilst sightseeing I also played a bit of Ingress on my phone, Stockholm being full of portals to explore. It’s quite a good way of getting around and seeing bits you might miss, as has a map and portals are usually interesting places. By the end of the day I’d levelled twice due to unique hacks and captures; this won’t make sense to anyone who doesn’t play Ingress, and needless to say I won’t be playing it much on tour!

Ingress level 12 – got to 13 by the end of the day

I forgot about this picture of a map from the Vasa museum, which I liked because I could see how far I’d come.

Map from Vasa museum – I’ve pedalled a long way

After chilling out and updating my blog in the hostel, which was a lot busier today, I headed out to find food.

Double thumbs up to Stockholm

I initially thought I’d grab some Sushi, however that plan was quickly set to one side when I discovered the Dubliner, an Irish pub in Stockholm, full of ex-pats, or people working here a lot, or people like me who are on holiday and just stumble upon it.

The Dubliner

It has a friendly atmosphere, good beer and good food. I settled on the Swedish meatballs, figuring I really aught to have some whilst in Sweden.

The Dubliner – Swedish meatballs

I discovered shortly afterwards that Monday night is pub quiz night! I joined a team consisting of two Aussies, over here for a sports competition, a Brit working here for a week, a Swede who works for Quatar Airlines, and a slightly mad Finnish woman; great company all round. The Brit, who’s name I think is Paul (sorry if my memory is failing), knows Norwich and the Fat Cat pub, as his Dad lives or lived on Nelson Street; small world. All interesting people anyway; chatted to Gordon (Swede – again sorry if name wrong) for a bit, very interesting life living in Quatar, which doesn’t sound very pleasant, and travelling a lot in between work.

New Aussie friends

The pub quiz was long, and needless to say quite a lot of beer was consumed. We didn’t win, or even come close, but it was great fun and a great break. Paddy and Alan ran a very witty ‘multi media’ quiz, with lots of banter with the locals; a lot of Irish.

Dubliner pub quiz – run by Paddy and Alan

Despite an invite to go on to another bar I said my goodbyes post quiz, and wended my way back to the hostel. If I’d stayed out I know it would have just got messy and I’d have felt terrible the next day; not good with lots of kilometres to pedal.

So a great day out in Stockholm; thoroughly recommend the city for a visit. Could see myself happily working there for a while should the need arise.

Also got some planning done; think I know the way to Copenhagen now. I’ve adjusted my handlebar grips a bit too, which will hopefully fix my wonky hand problem, or at least ease it a bit, just need to sort the saddle now.

Apologies for any spelling or grammar errors; Stockholm was two days ago and I’m in Linkoping now, having pedalled 250km since, quite tired, but should be getting a new saddle tomorrow which’ll help.

Self Propelled

Self propelled adventures through life; blogging on cycling, touring, micro-adventures, general shenanigans, and environmental news

Tag Archives: Europe

07 June 2015 – Hamburg and St Pauli, a day off

05 & 06 June 2015 – to Bad Bramstedt and Hamburg

04 June 2015 – willkommen in Deutschland

03 June 2015 – a bridge too far?

02 June 2015 – spoke trauma and short leg to Vordingborg

01 June 2015 – København, Koge, and things that pop and ping

31 May 2015 – to Denmark

29 and 30 May 2015 – the road to Helsingborg, & the gloves are off

26 to 28 May 2015 – heading South from Stockholm, and a saddle change

25 May 2015 – a day off in Stockholm