Mile after mile after mile........
after mile of trees!!
Finland and Sweden are covered in them, at least the area's we have travelled through. We were told coming down this way would be boring, however I am not sure if that's the right word. Since we left Alta the day after leaving the Nordkapp we have seen nothing but tree's, tens of thousands of them, some lakes and rivers. Thats been the best part of 1000 miles!! Even on the E4 road from Tornio down the coast on the west side of the Gulf of Bothnia you see nothing except tree's. There are no hills to speak of either, just slightly higher area's covered in-yes, you've guessed it tree's. We haven't really bothered to detour off the main roads either as its time consuming.
After Tornio we entered Sweden and started heading south, we passed what looked like an interesting place with a spaceship, a tank, an aeroplane and a submarine outside as well as other models so stopped and went in for a look, we though it was maybe a museum, however it was just a army surplus store, so if you wanted to buy some camouflage clothing, a big machete or knife, or an army water bottle you'd be fine. We also managed to find probably the least scenic gravel carpark to stop for lunch. The weather was fine and we spotted some elk, nothing much else to report however.
So, 2 nights ago we stopped in a lovely cheap parking area near Vannas, 120 Swedish kroner in total including electricity and nice river to have a walk beside, Joyce also managed a jog here the next morning. We then back tracked a wee bit as we felt it was silly to pass through this area without a little more investigation so we went back into Umea, I was also feeling a bit tired and didn't want another big driving day so we went early, around 11am to the First Camp campsite, there was one further up the coast at Lulea which looked to have lots of activities for the kids including a swimming pool and slides.......
So yesterday and last night we were in First Camp, and it cost 445 Swedish Kroner-maybe the most expensive to date, and the place was disappointing. There was a swing park and big inflatable bouncy things for the boys and that was it-at least for free. There was a crazy golf and also little bikes they could play on but all at extra cost and not cheap, Callum harped on about the bikes but we have our own so we got their bikes off the carrier and they did some miles around the place. We took a wander down to the lake nearby and spent some time sunning ourselves and generally being lazy, the boys were in for a swim and the we had some salty fries and ice cream........the weather was glorious and hot. The view past the lake was of tree's!! We were 5km from the city centre but we didn't bother going in. When we got back to the campsite we met our camping neighbours who were a couple of very friendly Norwegian families from Mo I Rana, a town we had bypassed, we had a great blether over some beers in the sun and their kids and our's played and cycled. We had a BBQ and more beers and then joined them for more chat later on. They were extremely kind and shared anything and everything they had with he boys and us.
That is one thing I would definitely say, pretty much all the Norwegian people we have met on our journey have been very friendly and hospitable and have gone to great lengths to make us feel welcome in their country. The Swedish we have chatted to also have been the same, helpful and friendly. The Norwegian family's had come to Sweden for a cheap holiday, certainly it is cheaper than Norway, beer is half the price at least and food considerably cheaper also. It was around midnight and after more beer and whisky we said goodnight to them, a good relaxed day and evening.
Today has been a scorcher, we decided to make tracks and leave First Camp, it wasn't worth the money, another day and night spent with Ruben and Roy-Victor and their families would have been nice but we decided to leave so after breakfast and a round of crazy golf to satisfy Callum we headed inland towards Ostersund, after visiting the shops for supplies we were back into heavily forested countryside again, and it simply never ends. It's a bit like driving through the forested sections of the Cairngorms for hundreds of miles, so its nice but all the same. I am sure with a bit of local knowledge some nice walks or biking could be done around here but today was so hot that it would have been unpleasant, we stopped for lunch and cooked in the sunshine, with no wind it was just like a hot day in the Canary Islands.
The roads have been fast and direct and we are now in a campsite near at a little place called Lit just north of Ostresund about 90 to 100 miles east of the Norwegian border. We have passed through a few nice little towns but we are bound for Norway again, probably tomorrow. We will cross the border a bit south of Trondheim and work our was south, hopefully we will find some mountain scenery soon. Also, we seem to have escaped the worst of the mosquito's, there's an odd one around but we can deal with them now.
Finland and Sweden are covered in them, at least the area's we have travelled through. We were told coming down this way would be boring, however I am not sure if that's the right word. Since we left Alta the day after leaving the Nordkapp we have seen nothing but tree's, tens of thousands of them, some lakes and rivers. Thats been the best part of 1000 miles!! Even on the E4 road from Tornio down the coast on the west side of the Gulf of Bothnia you see nothing except tree's. There are no hills to speak of either, just slightly higher area's covered in-yes, you've guessed it tree's. We haven't really bothered to detour off the main roads either as its time consuming.
After Tornio we entered Sweden and started heading south, we passed what looked like an interesting place with a spaceship, a tank, an aeroplane and a submarine outside as well as other models so stopped and went in for a look, we though it was maybe a museum, however it was just a army surplus store, so if you wanted to buy some camouflage clothing, a big machete or knife, or an army water bottle you'd be fine. We also managed to find probably the least scenic gravel carpark to stop for lunch. The weather was fine and we spotted some elk, nothing much else to report however.
So, 2 nights ago we stopped in a lovely cheap parking area near Vannas, 120 Swedish kroner in total including electricity and nice river to have a walk beside, Joyce also managed a jog here the next morning. We then back tracked a wee bit as we felt it was silly to pass through this area without a little more investigation so we went back into Umea, I was also feeling a bit tired and didn't want another big driving day so we went early, around 11am to the First Camp campsite, there was one further up the coast at Lulea which looked to have lots of activities for the kids including a swimming pool and slides.......
So yesterday and last night we were in First Camp, and it cost 445 Swedish Kroner-maybe the most expensive to date, and the place was disappointing. There was a swing park and big inflatable bouncy things for the boys and that was it-at least for free. There was a crazy golf and also little bikes they could play on but all at extra cost and not cheap, Callum harped on about the bikes but we have our own so we got their bikes off the carrier and they did some miles around the place. We took a wander down to the lake nearby and spent some time sunning ourselves and generally being lazy, the boys were in for a swim and the we had some salty fries and ice cream........the weather was glorious and hot. The view past the lake was of tree's!! We were 5km from the city centre but we didn't bother going in. When we got back to the campsite we met our camping neighbours who were a couple of very friendly Norwegian families from Mo I Rana, a town we had bypassed, we had a great blether over some beers in the sun and their kids and our's played and cycled. We had a BBQ and more beers and then joined them for more chat later on. They were extremely kind and shared anything and everything they had with he boys and us.
That is one thing I would definitely say, pretty much all the Norwegian people we have met on our journey have been very friendly and hospitable and have gone to great lengths to make us feel welcome in their country. The Swedish we have chatted to also have been the same, helpful and friendly. The Norwegian family's had come to Sweden for a cheap holiday, certainly it is cheaper than Norway, beer is half the price at least and food considerably cheaper also. It was around midnight and after more beer and whisky we said goodnight to them, a good relaxed day and evening.
Today has been a scorcher, we decided to make tracks and leave First Camp, it wasn't worth the money, another day and night spent with Ruben and Roy-Victor and their families would have been nice but we decided to leave so after breakfast and a round of crazy golf to satisfy Callum we headed inland towards Ostersund, after visiting the shops for supplies we were back into heavily forested countryside again, and it simply never ends. It's a bit like driving through the forested sections of the Cairngorms for hundreds of miles, so its nice but all the same. I am sure with a bit of local knowledge some nice walks or biking could be done around here but today was so hot that it would have been unpleasant, we stopped for lunch and cooked in the sunshine, with no wind it was just like a hot day in the Canary Islands.
The roads have been fast and direct and we are now in a campsite near at a little place called Lit just north of Ostresund about 90 to 100 miles east of the Norwegian border. We have passed through a few nice little towns but we are bound for Norway again, probably tomorrow. We will cross the border a bit south of Trondheim and work our was south, hopefully we will find some mountain scenery soon. Also, we seem to have escaped the worst of the mosquito's, there's an odd one around but we can deal with them now.
the boys heads poking out of ET`s spaceship is cool. i like trees more trees less people and the planet might be saved! I've had a look at the map and you have certainly put some southern miles in, you are getting the weather its overcast as usual here on Shetland which is OK as too much sun makes fog
ReplyDeleteLove the pic of Joyce and the chaps sitting in the sun. That is what it is all about! Enjoy x
ReplyDelete