White tailed Eagle Farnehofjarden National Park
Tuesday 23rd September
We got a lift to an empty airport and collected a hire car. The weather was perfect clear blue sky. We stopped at the Dead Falls an engineering disaster but a place of beauty. We went for a walk in crocs – silly – and saw some nice flowers and the prints of Moose.
We then drove to Ornskolsvik. Forest, meadows, lakes and small villages. We saw a group of cranes that we stopped and watched from inside the car. Camped at Gullvik by the coast. We borrowed a pan to cook with from the owner. 150 Kr per night with a sea view.
Wed 24th September
Clear blue sky. We drove to SKuleskogen National Park. We went for a long walk in the forest about 15 miles. Extraordinary scenary. We saw a red squirrel as we left the car. virgin forest and sea views of the Orkney type. We had lunch on polished granite with stunted trees . A temperate rainforest with stunning views and rock architecture. A fantastic day
Thursday 25th September
We packed up and went to Mjallomm, Norrfallsviken and Barsta – traditional fishing villages. We had lunch at Barista there was a fire pit/grill/wood and places to sleep all based on trust. There was no one there.
Friday 26th
Clear morning we drove to Gavle and walked around the old town. Lynne bought quilt material . We camped at Farnebofjarden.
Saturday 27th
We decided after a long argument – we were both tired and irritable to stay where we were for a day and have a look at the National Park . Clear sky all day. We relaxed and went for coffee. Drove around looking at lake/riverside. There many beautiful dragonflies. We saw families of red breasted Merzangers. We had a nice picnic by the side of a forest by the river. Lynne started drawing and I read. We were surprised by a pine Martin who appeared behind a rock to look at us. In the early evening we drove to another part of the Park and sat on a jetty reading and looking around for birds. Nothing for an hour, then an osprey performing close by and at the same time a White tailed Eagle returned to its roost behind us there was also a juvenile eagle just below it in the tree. You see an Osprey and then look away because there is a bigger rarer bird behind you……. We were joined by a dutch couple who had seen us on the jetty with binoculars and arrived with a telescope. This allowed poor but clear evidence of the sighting!
Sunday 28th
Got up early to drive to Stockholm. Empty roads throug Forest and farmland. at 8:30 when we arrived nothing was open and it took us awhile to find a coffee shop. Parking in the centre was £39 a day. We got directions for a hotel which was a nightmare to find. We got the tube back into town. We walked through the old town and then the Modern museum. The highlight of the day for me was the Vasa museum an eighteenth centuary war ship that capsized on its maiden voyage – wrong ballast. It was 95% original wood and looked sensational. Walked beside the water looking at the house boats and sensational skyline. We went for a Malaysian curry but got chucked out at their closing time 9:00pm.
Tuesday 29th
I got up early and ran in to Stockholm. I got lost struggled to read the map and run even with reading glasses. Navigated by the sun and the incline on the way back and was only about a mile out when I stopped to find out where I was.