Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe articles - Sweden 2003 - July 23rd-30th
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Wednesday 23rd July
I had an easy day. I left Langban about lunchtime and made my way to Grimstad Bad
on (Lake) Stor-Emsen in Dalsland. I found a lovely little badplats with a swimming
pontoon leading off rocky slabs with some sand and plenty of grass. It was deserted when
I arrived.
Thursday 24th July
There was a sunny start to the day. I took 2 hours to paddle to across the lake and
then down the small reed-infested stream to Högboda and on to the badplats on (Lake)
Säveln. This was another lovely spot on a rocky peninsular with sandy beach and a
pontoon for swimming. After lunch and a swim I headed on to try and get to (Lake)
Rinnen. I left Säveln by another reed-infested stream and headed upstream. I was caught
by a terrific thunderstorm, which deposited an inch of water in the bottom of my canoe.
When this stopped I dried out the boat and continued upstream. Before long I was
grounded, as the water level was too low to float a canoe. I was still 2km from the portage
point to Rinnen, so I decided to turn back and I returned to the Säveln Bad, where I
decided to spend the night. A wooded island on the lake was owned by the canoe hire firm
at Ardvika. They offered it for camping holidays and they provided canoes to their clients
for access to the island. It was mainly advertised in the Netherlands and there were a
number of Dutch families on the island. The road access was from the badplats and these
families were the only people I met in the evening.
Friday 25th July
It was a stormy day as I paddled back to Grimstad Bad. It wasn’t until the evening
that I could get out and sit in the sun.
Saturday 26th July
After packing up I drove to Göteborg and took the afternoon ferry to Fredrikshavn in
Denmark. I then drove to the Ejstrup Strand, where I spent the evening before finding a
quiet spot for the night.
Sunday 27th July
It rained most of the day, not clearing up until the evening. I spent most of the day in
my van on the beach reading and watching the rain come down.
Monday 28th July
It was sunny in the morning, but there were big banks of cloud, which gradually
cleared during the day. After the storm there were quite big waves hitting the beach so
that bathing was quite exciting. Fortunately there are three sand bars close to the beach;
otherwise it would have been too dangerous to bathe. In the evening I headed off towards
Esbjerg.
Tuesday 29th July
It was clear in the morning. My ferry wasn’t sailing until 19:00 so I spent much of the
day on one of the beaches just north of Esbjerg. With the return of the good weather, the
car park was already filling by the time I arrived. Away from the vicinity of the car park,
the beach was mainly naturist, influenced by the largest naturist campsite in Sweden,
being behind the dunes a little way along the beach.
I had a much more peaceful return journey than on the way across to Denmark.
Wednesday 30th July
After landing at Harwich I just had to drive back to Downton. It was a bit of a shock
to be back on the congested British roads after my time in Scandinavia.
I had an easy day. I left Langban about lunchtime and made my way to Grimstad Bad
on (Lake) Stor-Emsen in Dalsland. I found a lovely little badplats with a swimming
pontoon leading off rocky slabs with some sand and plenty of grass. It was deserted when
I arrived.
Thursday 24th July
There was a sunny start to the day. I took 2 hours to paddle to across the lake and
then down the small reed-infested stream to Högboda and on to the badplats on (Lake)
Säveln. This was another lovely spot on a rocky peninsular with sandy beach and a
pontoon for swimming. After lunch and a swim I headed on to try and get to (Lake)
Rinnen. I left Säveln by another reed-infested stream and headed upstream. I was caught
by a terrific thunderstorm, which deposited an inch of water in the bottom of my canoe.
When this stopped I dried out the boat and continued upstream. Before long I was
grounded, as the water level was too low to float a canoe. I was still 2km from the portage
point to Rinnen, so I decided to turn back and I returned to the Säveln Bad, where I
decided to spend the night. A wooded island on the lake was owned by the canoe hire firm
at Ardvika. They offered it for camping holidays and they provided canoes to their clients
for access to the island. It was mainly advertised in the Netherlands and there were a
number of Dutch families on the island. The road access was from the badplats and these
families were the only people I met in the evening.
Friday 25th July
It was a stormy day as I paddled back to Grimstad Bad. It wasn’t until the evening
that I could get out and sit in the sun.
Saturday 26th July
After packing up I drove to Göteborg and took the afternoon ferry to Fredrikshavn in
Denmark. I then drove to the Ejstrup Strand, where I spent the evening before finding a
quiet spot for the night.
Sunday 27th July
It rained most of the day, not clearing up until the evening. I spent most of the day in
my van on the beach reading and watching the rain come down.
Monday 28th July
It was sunny in the morning, but there were big banks of cloud, which gradually
cleared during the day. After the storm there were quite big waves hitting the beach so
that bathing was quite exciting. Fortunately there are three sand bars close to the beach;
otherwise it would have been too dangerous to bathe. In the evening I headed off towards
Esbjerg.
Tuesday 29th July
It was clear in the morning. My ferry wasn’t sailing until 19:00 so I spent much of the
day on one of the beaches just north of Esbjerg. With the return of the good weather, the
car park was already filling by the time I arrived. Away from the vicinity of the car park,
the beach was mainly naturist, influenced by the largest naturist campsite in Sweden,
being behind the dunes a little way along the beach.
I had a much more peaceful return journey than on the way across to Denmark.
Wednesday 30th July
After landing at Harwich I just had to drive back to Downton. It was a bit of a shock
to be back on the congested British roads after my time in Scandinavia.
Ancient Brit
Swedish sunset
Swedish sunset
Danish beach