On to a new adventure!

The day has come for another new adventure. Off to the bus station in Kristianstad, from where I will travel to Brösarp in about an hour. I’m not in a hurry. As always, I start off slowly with coffee and later write my piece at the table. In the meantime, my tent can dry nicely, as there was quite a bit of dew last night.

Festina lente … hurry slowly

It’s cozy in the little field. No one seems to be in a rush, and everyone is packing up calmly, chatting, having breakfast, or brushing their teeth. The children are also happily messing around. Clearly, the outdoor life suits them well.

Moon landing

On the bus, I start chatting with Hans, a gentleman nearly eighty, but you wouldn’t guess that. We have an incredibly enjoyable conversation, and the bus ride flies by. I could have talked to this gentleman for hours. He has been to the Netherlands several times, but the trip he remembers best is from 1969. He was camping with his wife in a tiny two-person tent, which you could hardly call a two-person tent. But yes, they were young and in love, so that quickly makes things alright. In a café, they saw the moon landing on TV. Those are moments you never forget. He doesn’t remember exactly where they were in the Netherlands, but he can still vividly recall it.

The southern coast of Sweden

But well, then my new trail can begin: the Skåneleden Österlen, all the way in the south of Sweden along the coast. The first part still goes through forests and by small villages. Or I can’t really call them villages; they are more houses scattered here and there. Many houses have thatched roofs, and there is clearly a lot of attention to detail. The frames are often painted in contrasting colors. Beautiful. The change of scenery does me good. After so much forest, it’s lovely to see something different again.

Another vineyard

Just like a few weeks ago, I’m surprised by a real vineyard. This one is even larger than the last, and it even says they make sparkling wine. As a huge cava fan, I would love to try it, but I see no one around, and have no idea what the wine is called or where to buy it. Unfortunately. Tonight, I’ll just have tea before I go to sleep. With choklad bollar, at least. They would also pair wonderfully with cava. Keep on dreaming…

The Baltic Sea

Slowly, I approach the coast, and suddenly the sea appears as a surprise. After walking past a military training area and among the sheep – photography is strictly prohibited, and anyone who steps off the path could easily become a target – I walk upward among the trees. And there it is. The Baltic Sea!

Raging waves

It’s quite windy, but it’s not bothersome. It actually seems to belong to the sea. Delightful, that sound of the raging waves. I hope to be able to sleep on a beach tonight. The seascape, so to speak, is beautiful. Sometimes the trees reach all the way to the beach, sometimes there’s grass or pebbles. White sandy beaches, blue sea. It feels like a vacation.

My heart races as a wild camper

I see dozens of wild camping spots that make my heart race as a wild camper. But unfortunately: this area is a nature reserve, and camping is absolutely not allowed. Such a pity, because each spot is more beautiful than the last. I still hope there might be a shelter somewhere that isn’t marked on the map. What a paradise this would be…

Surf paradise

In the tiny village of Vitemölla, surfing is popular. It’s always fun to watch. In Kivik—according to my sister, a comfortable IKEA couch—a village a short distance further, there is a shelter, and it’s crowded. It turns out there is also a bike route parallel to this trail, and there are now six bikes parked. I set up my little tent, and later, another tent comes along. Good to know: on this trail, I think it’s a ‘battle’ for the shelters.

Rain and thunder coming

Not that I’m worried, and I’m not too stressed about it. I will set up my tent. I only hear concerned sounds from my fellow campers about bad weather approaching tomorrow evening, with rain and thunder, and that they really want a shelter then. We’ll see. In the meantime, I have learned that a solution always comes. Relax!

Overnight stay: Kivik