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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Stockholm to Copenhagen (Part III of the going to Nordkapp trip with became the Antwerp to NL to D to F to S to DK...)


Turku - Stockholm on the Ferry

From the bus station at 19 pm I cycled 15 km to go outside the city and camp in the woods, Found a nice quiet forest in Ruissalo. The morning I cycled back to town I had a full rainy day to discover and enjoy Turku. A nice harbour city with plenty to do, I cycled 19 km around the city, visited the fine art Museum, mainly Scandinavian and finnish artists. I caught the ferry in the evening for 55 euros. I arrived in stockholm at 6 am. Bright blue sky.


A quiet spot



The Finnish border patrol véhicule used until a few years ago

Preparing my fish plate in the covert market of Turku

Akseli Gallen-Kallela in the fine art museum of Turku

Concert under the rain along the canal, seems that all the population of Turku gathered here !

Just before leaving Finland I hope for a better weather in Stockholm


Stockholm - Mörkö 80 km

After 6 hours in a now almost familiar city I followed the green Sverigeleden route wich starts at the long bridge going west and takes you outside Stockholm on cycle paths. Sometimes I could have taken a short cut but decided to follow all the signs. Once in Uringue you are cycling in the woods. I then followed the blue signs Cykelspåret and followed the road to the free ferry wich took me to the island of Mörkö. Beautiful sunset.
Camping 130 sek


Bike and horses in Stockholm


 


On the ferry to Mörkö




Mörkö - Näverkvarn 100 km

Still on the Oost-kust cykelspåret road. I first went to Trosa, very nice village close to the baltic. Then I took the long road 219 to Nyköping that road is not busy quite nice with a diverse landscape, lakes, farm, forest. 5 km after meeting a Swiss cyclist Mattias on the 212 I saw 2 snakes, one deer and one moose. Nyköping as some nice wooden architecture and a modern shopping street. I did some shopping and headed to Näverkvarn where I found a camping next to the lake 200 sek.



Nora Trägård, café near Vagnhärad, beautiful quiet place surrounded by flowers the sign on the door is a good reminder of why I am cycling !

Deer crossing

Moose hiding in the woods

Lunch time on the 219


Mattias on a long journey from Switzerland to Nordkapp

Näverkvarn - Hornsberg Castle (Tryserum) 103 km

The day started with a long coffee break at the ferry in Säder where I met Linus with whom we briefly chatted in Travemünde, he was then heading to Trelleborg, our route crossed again. On the ferry I also chatted with Patric, cycling 220 km on a race bike from Stockholm to his summer holiday place, a very fit outdoor guy, a paddler as well. I resumed to Stegeborg following the red signs for the Oostkust cycling on a nice road leading to an other ferry in Norrkrog then I headed to Valdemarsvik.  A nice port at the end of a long fjord, first and only supermarket of the day. I headed to Hornsberg castle after Tryserum following the Cykelspâret again and camped in the woods.

Morning coffee with Linus on his way to Kiruna

Patric took this picture on the ferry Summer clothing

Swim in the Baltic sea in Norrkrog

An other wild camp



Hornsberg castle - Blankaholm 110 km

There is no shop or café for 35 km. No water either. Having camped in the woods I was a bit short of water. I followed the direction of Edsbruk then Gamleby avoiding the busy E22 following the red signs kustlijen again. The first café was the Lofta art caffè in the old school of Lofta. Very nice staff and an art exhibition as well. From there I followed the old road to Västervik  longing the fjord on it's east side going south, great road. Västervik is a nice medium size city and is quite touristic. From Västervik I found a dirt road through the forest to Gunnebo (at the roundabout of Jenny take the second exit and pass under the E22). From Gunnebo follow Västrum then Bjulebo on dirt roads then You reach Blankaholm.  I really enjoyed the dirt roads going through the forest lots of steep hills.
Camping is neat at the fjord 110 see
 Lofta Caffè

Västervik

Blankaholm - Paskallavik 88 Km

After Blankaholm it is wise to follow the Cykelspåret signs very carefully to avoid cycling on the E22. First road on the left leaving Blankaholm, you then have to cross a river on a stone bridge, you then follow dirt roads for 20 Km. After Figelholm it is impossible to follow the coast to Oskarshamm. I decided to follow the E22 for 5 km to avoid the big detour and turn at Satvik. Oskasham is a quite modern port city and you can take the ferry to Öland or Gotland from there. I went 15 km further to Paskallavik where I stay in a nature camping next to the sea, very nice and quiet. Very good value 100 sek


After a nice restaurant in Blankaholm with a great good value breakfast. A good way to start the day  is making elaborate selfies on the side of an empty road. 

Little port of Figeholm

Baltic sea on the city's nature camping, you can use the facilities of the local stadium and camp near the fjord ! Fantastic evening, no bugs 



Paskallavik - Kalmar 85 km

Once again to avoid the E22 follow the signs cykelspåret to Monsterås then Timernabben, Pataholm (nice beach), Kåremo and Kalmar. When you reach Kalmar there is a good signage system for bicycle.  Kalmar is a pleasant city. Unfortunately the camping  located three kilometers south of Kalmar is expensive and noisy, they forced me to buy a sort of camping card.,I paid 450 sek. Next time I'll pick an other place.

Kronbäcks klosterkyrkoruin in Monsterås




Kalmar

Kalmar - Ronneby 112 km

I decided to take the back roads and avoid Karlskrona. I followed the Sverigleden signs to Torsås where I could find supermarkets then  followed a long road to Tving alterning woods and cultivated lands. After Tving I reach Johannishus where I passed the bronze age and vikings graves, it is the largest archeological site of Sweden, tombstones, big dressed stones, ceremonial sites.... 
The camping is located at Ronneby Ham 150 sek


2000 year old graves from the Iron age, somewhere before Torsås

Torsås roster


Nordic Bronze age burial and ceremonial place in Johannishus


.
Ronneby Ham - Kristianstad 107 km

The first part of the journey to Karlshamn is just ups and down for 30 kilometers, I enjoyed this part though. Karlshamn has it's charm with wooden and brick architecture. After Karlshamn the ride to Solversborg was a bit tiring and boring, unlike the first part of my trip I am reaching a far more dense part of Sweden and most of the land is farmed, so I passed long strech of diverse cultivated fields. Solversborg to Kristianstad was very flat but with strong headwinds, no woods to stop the winds, I followed the red signs Sydoostcykel 2. Kristianstad didn't really catch my interest but it seems that there are a few museum to visit.
Camping is 80 euros, nice staff and as good as a swedish camping can be.





Karlshamn, rain is coming

Swedish Mile Marker from the 18th century


Kristianstad - Copenhagen 118 km

Quite flat untill Tollarp but just after Tollarp on the way to Horby is a long steep hill where I broke my chain and chain glider (wich I was thinking of removing anyway because of the chafing noise). Life is full of surprises and this is one of those moments where such a trip is worth it. Rolf was following me on his bike, he stopped and sponteanously offered assistance. He owned a bike shop a few years ago and is specialized in recumbent bike, his atelier was just 2 km further up the hill. He had all the necessary tools and fixed my bike in no time. I visited his cabin we chatted a little bit and I resumed my trip to Horby and Lund a beautifull city rich of history wich needs more time to explore. From Lund Malmö is well indicated. In Malmö you can't bike on the bridge to Copenhagen, you have to put the bike on the train, very easy and not too expensive 165 sek. Tonight I am staying in the convenient city camping of Copenhagen in Bellahøj 73 Kr

Rolf in front of his atelier a fantastic person

Hedgehog crossing


Hörby old school

 Rain again

Train to Copenhagen

Monday, July 25, 2016

Helsinki - Turku (Part II of the Going to Nordkapp wich became the Antwerp to The Netherlands to Germany to Finland to Sweden to Denmarktrip)



Helsinki - Riihimäki 84 km

The ferry port is located at 16 km from the city center of Helsinki it is a nice ride along a lake just follow the signs. Helsinki on a saturday morning doesn't seem to be a vibrant city except around the food market on the dock. However later at midday it was the Gay Pride and it gave some colors to the city. After a lazy morning I rode north towards Tampere. Around Vantaa I cycled on the cycle path going through the woods along the 130. Unfortunately At one point you reach the start of the motorway wich is parallel to the 130 and it can be noisy sometimes. After Nürmijarvï I rode directly on the 130 as there was almost no car. Long straight road and a bit boring sometimes. I slept in the woods 5 km before Riihimäki.

Arrival in Helsinki

Blue sky for the Gay pride unfortunately my first blue sky lasted until 2pm then rain resumed

Farm around Riihimaki cold drizzling rain



Riihimäki - Tampere 118 km

Same road as yesterday the 130. Not much to see but trees until Hämeenlinna where I had a nice café in a bakery right in the central square opposite the church  (the first good coffee I had so far, finnish coffee so far hasn't been very good. They make a pot the morning and serve it through the day, I asked once is it fresh brewed and the guy said "yes I made it 2 hours ago"). After Hämeenlinna the 130 goes through the lakes south of Tampere and is more interesting around Valkeakosky.
Stayed in a camping 4 km south of Tampere 17 euros



Wrong trail, had to turn back


Tampere -Ruovesi 98 km

Leaving Tampere I met Uwe a german tourer wich just came back from the North and happy to go home. He offered me a coffee and we shared a few tips.
Tampere is an interesting city with a strong industrial heritage. Needs a few hours to explore, a day would be great. I left Tampere following the road to Ylinen and Mutala then to reach Kuru I had no choice but to ride the 28 km on a big road the 65 with fast traffic, not advisable, the Finns are generally not cautious with bikes and don't allow you enough space to be comfortable on the road. After Kuru I followed the direction of Ruovesi where I found a nice camping near a beautiful lake. The road is very tiring with a succession of small hills. It rained half of the day and temperatures are getting really low 11 to 13 degrees with the wind on the big, I had to put on my winter clothes. Not so nice.
Camping Ruovesi 17 euros, very well located on a beautiful lake. 


I met Uwe leaving the camping. He just cycled around the Artic, obviously happy to leave Finland.

The wooden orthodox church of Tampere

An other lake under the rain


And more clouds

Ruovesi - Keuruu 75 km

Cycling to Keuruu was difficult under a heavy rain and cold weather around 11 degrees. The road is a succession of 12% hills. I am now stuck in Keuruu, all the roads going north are big with heavy traffic. I won't reach Nordkapp in time even going East. I need to reconsider my trip or it will be a disaster.
I met a Norwegian at the camp site coming from Hammerfest, he said "cycling in these condition is not a pleasure any more, it is like working, I give up take the train and I am going home" (he lives near Nordkapp, what an irony)
After 10 days of rain and a few half days with sun I  also had enough. I took the decision to find a train to go North to Rovaniemi and resume my trip over there as I can't find a nice road without traffic wich would bring me to Nordkaap in less than 2 weeks and hope to find more sun there.


Wild strawberries

On the way to Keuruu, a motorcyclist in the ferry told me that Finland was a flat country, I wish he rode a bicycle too.

Train station in Keuruu



In the evening I met Andreas who invited me to his cabin down at the lake. We shared a glass of wine some stories and a coffee the morning after. Andreas is Swiss but has some Finnish relatives, it was nice meeting him.

Having a morning coffee with Andreas before leaving Keuruu for Jyväskylä

 Small but interesting exhibition of paintings at the art museum or Keuruu. Keuruu has a nice wooden church and a few old wooden buildings like the train station and the museum.

Winter clothes

In the afternoon I took the train to the big station of Jyväskylä to catch a train to Rovaniemi but they wouldn't take my bike on the train because there was no more allocated space for bikes in the train. After checking the weather forecast I decided to give up the idea of cycling to Nordkaap and instead come back to Belgium through Sweden where the weather looked much warmer and very important dry. I took a bus with the bike to Turku and decided to take a ferry to Stockholm.