Whenever I tell people I’m off to Sweden (I have family there, so it’s a fairly regular occurrence), they often presume that means I’m off to the frozen wastelands of the far North. No, no, my friends! Contrary to popular belief, Sweden is not just about Ikea, Abba and snow. The cities are nice, but don’t shun the countryside, guys- look how amazing it is!!
My dad lives close to the city of Örebro- a couple of hours west of Stockholm– where, in summer, the skies are blue, the fields are golden and the trees are green. Don’t get me wrong, the winters can get massively horrifically cold, but the summers are full on beaut to the max, and occasionally warmer than ours back here in England.
The amazing thing about wandering through the countryside is the silence that surrounds everything. Every now and again it’s disturbed by grasshoppers, or a bird landing in a field, and THAT IS IT. For a bit of chill out time and to clear your head, it’s the perfect place to go because even cars are few and far between. Huge red barns dot across the landscape and sometimes you have to divert the course of your bike because of a snake or a large beetle roaming across the dirt road. The land around there is very flat- making the sky seem like the most expansive space ever- and walking or cycling for hours and not seeing another human being can make it seem as if you’re the last person on earth.
It gets a tad post-apocalyptic feeling but I like it.
There are acres upon acre of forest across the whole of Sweden, and walking through those can lead to some beaut discoveries- mainly wild berries. I’m not proud to admit that I didn’t actually know how blueberries grew until I went to pick wild berries in the woods last year- shameful times. Once you start picking though, the hunt for the best berry can become all-consuming and before you know it you’ve been picking for hours and your hands are looking slightly diseased. I felt like the female Bear-Grylls after that little expedition.
One last thing- the Swedes are properly proud of their lakes. The country is full of them, absolutely ginormous lakes that look like the ocean, and the normal thing to do in Summer is go and stay at a Summer house by the lake. My plan one day is to have a go at this lake house business so I can go for a daily swim and enjoy the peace and quiet that little bit more.
I’m going back to Sweden next week, my first trip of the year, and all I’m saying is right now it’s not going to look anything like these pictures at all. Sad times indeed. The temperature will be down in the minuses and the fields will be more grey than golden, but I’m looking forward to seeing it even in its non-summery light.
It really does look beautiful… can I come next time!? haha!
Love, May x
You visited very near to Finland. Why didn’t You visit my country, which offers incredible experiences?
Here I show some of them:
About me
Come for example to Samba Carnivals. Meet Santa whether summer or winter.
Have a good day!
Amazing! I had never thought of visiting Finland but the photos are beautiful! I’m sure one day I’ll be able to visit 😄