Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt
Provinces: Västergötland, Närke, Halland
Municipalities: Mariestad, Gullspång, Laxå, Askersund, Karlsborg, Hjo, Skövde, Skara, Falköping, Ulricehamn, Borås, Tranemo, Svenljunga, Falkenberg, Varberg
Sunday 19th of July
08.24 Christer and I have woken up in room 9 at Jugesh Vandrarhem & Rum in small Sjötorp where the Göta Canal reaches Lake Vänern. It's Sunday morning and quiet out there. Today the car will be refuelled and we will drive towards another one of the great lakes in Sweden.
09.17 Something happened during our breakfast, something that has happened from time to time on the trips out in the world. There was a power outage. No major problem though. It was already arranged with hot water for the coffee.
09.46 It's a slow start, again. You unconsciously move more slowly when there is nothing booked to adapt to. Now we're actually on our way. Right now we're heading on road 26 towards Gullspång. The connections I make to Gullspång have to do with salmon.
10.00 A short dirt road trip took us to road 200. We need to get better at checking the route we are offered on Google Maps. It is not necessary to drive on gravel only to earn a few hundred meters in distance.
10.17 After refuelling at Ingo petrol station outside Hova, we are back on a larger road, E20. We vary when it comes to different stations with petrol.
10.22 We are now back in Örebro County again. It also means that we are in the province Närke for the first time this summer. Not many people are out driving. That's good. We have the road to ourselves. We begin to approach Finnerödja, the village that is famous for its strawberry plantations. That is also where we'll leave the E20.
10.44 The road we are on is now called T503. We are in the forest area known as Tiveden. In the old days there were robbers in the forests here. There is also Tivedens National Park but it will probably not be a new national park visit today. We are more interested in a small lake.
11.20 Now we have arrived at the small lake Fagertärn. It is famous for its red water lilies. How many will we see? We are far from alone here. We've parked obliquely halfway down a ditch to make room. Now it will be nice to exercise and get some nature experiences.
11.33 Around Lake Fagertärn there is a hiking trail. At first it is closest to a small dirt road but further away it becomes more uncomfortable and steep. We believe and hope that we can get around the whole lake. We were offered to join a guided tour but politely turned down all information about plants, birds and stones.
15.09 We are approaching Hjo, one of the three famous wooden towns in Sweden. We visited Nora earlier and the third is Eksjö in Småland.
18.20 We have left road 194 in a hilly area east of Skövde. Now the end of the day's destination is near. Right now we are again on route 49 that we left just outside Karlsborg earlier today.
Monday 20th of July
Fagertärn in Tiveden forest.
For a while you can walk easily on this path.
The path continues into nature.
Christer is having coffee out in the wild.
We have found the red water lilies.
The forest reflects in the clear water.
The hike around Fagertärn is starting to become more difficult.
Back again after a walk around the lake.
We see Göta Canal once again.
This temperary summer parking lot was our last hope in Hjo.
Flowers along tiny Hjoån.
Hjo church.
The woman by the well stands on Stora torget as a memory of the time when
people in Hjo fetched their drinking water from the well that was here.
Alexandra served us food.
Stora torget (Main square) in Hjo.
Hertig Johan´s pier with its small lighthouse.
Christer at Lake Vättern in Hjo.
The slogan of Hjo town.
This tunnel welcomes us to Skövde Railway Station.
Hertig Johan Square in Skövde.
Peter has photographed Saint Helena church.
08.39 We have slept one night in our room at Hotell Skövde. Breakfast waits after the traditional awakening and showering. The weather is gloomy. It's almost like a foretaste of autumn outside.
09.35 The breakfasts were packed in a brown bag in a refrigerator outside our room. We had our breakfasts inside the room due to Covid19. This virus with all the actions around it follows us this summer and is actually also the reason why we travel here in Sweden at all. Now possessions are going down in the pack and everything we own out of the room before we continue our journey. 09.59 We found the car where we left it and soon we will depart from Skövde. It says MTRX says on the red train set rolling into the station. MTRX is the brand that MTR Express (Sweden) AB uses on the Swedish train market for its fast trains between Gothenburg and Stockholm. 10.13 Skövde disappears behind us. Rain falls as we on road 49 are heading west towards Skara. 10.18 West of Skövde is the mountain massif Billingen with dense forest. We have mountains on both sides of the road and the rain it falls on us. 10.25 Now we have arrived at the small village of Varnhem. Here we had intended to take a look at the famous monastic church, an important historical place in Swedish history. Here there are also some other visitors and the usually present rain is also here. We're still in the car waiting for the rain to calm down. 10.50 The rain stopped after a while. Now we have walked around among the monastery ruins and we have been into the beautiful church. Here somewhere are some medieval kings buried, Knut Eriksson, King 1167-1196, Erik Knutsson, King 1208-1216 and Birger Jarl buried. Here also rests the Chancellor Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie with his relatives. 11.06 History is always interesting and this place has a lot of that. Varnhem monastery was a Catholic Cistercian monastery, founded in 1148 by monks from Alvastra monastery in Östergötland. On the site there was a wooden church, and then a stone church before the monastery was built. The stone church is believed to have been erected last in the 1040s and is thus the oldest evidence of a stone church on Swedish soil outside Skåne.
We have spent one night at Hotell Skövde.
Christer is taking photos of the church in Varnhem.
Varnhems monastic church is the oldest Swedish church north of Skåne.
Inside Varnhem church.
De La Gardie family grave.
A beautiful pulpit in Varnhem church.
11.19 Goodbye Varnhem and goodbye monastery church. Now we´ll depart for another church. Today we also have a rich program so we can't get stuck for too long in every place.
11.35 We are now parked at the supermarket ICA Kvantum Munken in Skara. It's time to see a bit of one of Sweden's oldest cities Skara, who got town privileges already in the 1000s. Skara currently has 11,664 inhabitants. On our way into the city, we saw a tow truck driving away with a car. Another car stood by the side of the road along with a police car. The rain comes and goes. At least right now it's a break for a while. 12.02 Another police car passed us before we got out of the car. We have walked a short distance towards the centre and have seen the facade sculpture Sparaborgen which looks like a tower where various figures look out. It is part of the building of the Savings Bank. Now we are at OH Gustafsson's Bakery and pastry shop for coffee and a chocolate ball. 12.30 Now the time has come. We are again at a cathedral. It is the third active cathedral we visited on this trip. Should we sit still or join the small crowd that also entered the church? I think we'll go in soon. 12.57 Now we are inside one of the oldest cathedrals of our fatherland. At the front there is a beautiful altar. Skara Cathedral was probably built around the year 1000 and is a Gothic basilica. The current appearance was given to the church at the end of the 19th century. 13.15 We have been in another city on our Sweden trip. Skara is a quiet and nice small city with a lot of history. We won't spend the night here. The journey continues towards new goals. 13.27 Sweet Skara is now left. Just now you could turn off road 184 to the resort Vinköl. Look, there's some sheep. 13.32 On the left side we now have the famous bird lake Hornborgasjön. Large amounts of cranes gather here, especially in the spring. The record is from 3rd of April 2019 when 27 300 birds were here.
Sparaborgen, Skara.
Skara Cathedral.
A beautiful library in Skara.
On Stora torget is Krönikebrunnen, which depicts Skara's history for a thousand years.
We have entered Skara Cathedral.
The beautiful altar in the cathedral. Note the rat, which is one of the church rats that children can look for in church.
13.51 Our drive south has taken us to another city in Västergötland. We have arrived in Falköping. Here we seem to be allowed to park for free at the travel centre. That's positive news. Less positive was that we had to turn around on the first attempt to park. According to Google Maps, it would be an entrance to a parking lot where we swung in but it turned out that it had been rebuilt and the road we would drive on did not exist.
14.06 It turned out to be a hefty distance from our parking lot and into the centre. It's nice to stretch our legs and exercise a little. The weather is also better here in Falköping. The sun shines and it is really pleasant. 14.37 We got to stretch out the legs considerably. It was a long walk. Here at the fountain Malta-Johanna on the main square has the "talent reserve", the alcoholics has gathered. Wondering what they're discussing? 15.05 It's time for coffee again. Two coffee stops make a lunch, right? We have placed ourselves at an outdoor table at Espresso House on Storgatan. The sun shines and it's really lovely. On the main square, a makeshift small beach with sun loungers and palm trees has been arranged. Really nice. A nearby pedestrian street has also summer adapted with playgrounds for children and other things. Falköping is located between the plateau mountains Mösseberg and Ålleberg. It has a population of 17,914. 15.34 Now we have been at the house in whose tower room the singer, composer and scandal artist Johnny Bode was born. It was a bit tricky to find the right building but we succeeded after a while. A bit comical is that the Swedish Church is in his birth House. There's a lot to be said about Johnny bode. His life should become a movie. 16.08 The time has come to say good bye to Falköping. The city is pleasant even if there is nothing special to see. There are many such cities in Sweden. It is time to travel further south here in Västergötland. 16.19 We have left road 47 and continued on road 46. 46 is also the distance in kilometres to the next city that we will visit. 16.29 We have passed Kinnarp with its large furniture factory. Here office furniture is made. The company Kinnarps was founded in 1942 by Jarl and Evy Andersson. Today Kinnarps is the largest office furniture manufacturer in Europe and has sales operations in about 40 countries. 16.37 A short stop is made to eat air-dried ham and juice that we have left since before. Something has happened to or rather in one of the juice tetras. It had bent and the screw cap jumped off similar to a smaller champagne cork at the opening. It would seem that it is fermented. That juice was poured out. This was good but now we have to move on.
The watertower in Skara.
A long walk through Falköping.
A temporary beach on the square in Falköping.
Peter is drinking coffee at Espresso House in Falköping.
The birthplace of Johnny Bode.
Covid19 information in Falköping.
16.50 We have passed through the community Trädet, Swedish for "the tree". It's an interesting name, where does it really come from? We also drove over Ätran, not much of a stream. At school, I learned that Ätran was a river. I cannot agree with that. Now we are in the village Humlan, "the bumblebee", here is a place that offers accordion service.
17.24 Åsunden is the lake, Ulricehamn is the city and we are sitting on what I call a jetty bench. We have parked on Ulrikaparken parking lot. On the 19th of January 1520 there was a battle between the Swedish governor Sten Sture the younger and the union King Kristian II's mercenaries under the leadership of Otto Krumpen. Sten Sture was injured by a cannonball that bounced up from the ice and hit him just above one knee; the shot also killed his horse. The regent was badly wounded from the battle, and the oak overgrown place Skottek on Åsunden's eastern shore got its name. Details from the battle itself are not preserved but the result was a total victory for the Danish army. Krumpen's men decided to plunder some parishes and burned down Bogesund (current Ulricehamn), Falköping, Skövde and Skara. Sten Sture died on the 3rd of February 1520 on Mälaren's ice on the way to Stockholm. Shortly thereafter, the council paid tribute to Kristian as king of Sweden. In November of the same year, the postgame took place in Stockholm where Kristian was crowned, a coronation party that led to Stockholm's Bloodbath (source: Wikipedia). 18.17 We started our stay in Ulricehamn by going into the supermarket ICA Tornet to buy something edible for the evening. After walking through Birgit Sparres park, we are now along the pedestrian zone of the city. As in so many other cities, it is called Storgatan. Here inside and outside the city, the film Änglagård was recorded. Ulricehamn has 11,443 inhabitants and is named after Queen Ulrika Eleonora and was before that called Bogesund. The change of name took place in 1741. 18.28 Now we've made a mistake again. We don't have that much time to spend here as we thought. We had planned an Asian restaurant meal here in peace and quiet and then continue to Borås and check in at our hotel. Now it is suddenly short of time for a really good meal. We need to get away to check in on time at the next accommodation. They want us to be there on time. 18.44 It became an emergency solution regarding dinner. We visited Pizzeria Rhodos but for once there was no pizza. For Christer it was a kebab plate and for me kebab plate, no a kebab roll. I ordered wrong dish again. The main thing is that we will not be hungry. 19.24 Our exit from Ulricehamn was slowed down. A car with a trailer stopped in a roundabout for a cheerful black dog that slowly walked over a pedestrian crossing. The dog was followed by five-meter leash and then an even slower older lady. We just went through the Ulricehamn tunnel. It's 400 meters long. Now we climb a long hill on the way to Borås. We travel along Route 40.
By the lake Åsunden in Ulricehamn.
Ulricehamns cold water bath.
The sculpture "Bleck-Knallen" on Storgatan in Ulricehamn.
A peaceful quiet afternoon in central Ulricehamn.
Ulricehamn church is hiding behind the leaves.
Peter in the room at Hotell Solhem Park.
20.02 Everything went well during the trip to Borås. It was a fast and smooth road and we had no problems to find our hotel. The problems model bigger began when we arrived and finally found a vacant parking space. Christer has discovered that his wallet suddenly is gone. Did he drop it in the parking lot in Ulricehamn? Was it accidentally put on the car roof before departure? Honestly, we have no idea. We know it's gone without a trace. The last time it was seen was at the payment of the kebab plate at Pizzeria Rhodos. Now he calls the bank Nordea to block the bank card that was in his wallet.
21.08 The bank and even the police are contacted. The wallet is reported as lost and a nice police woman was very helpful. Now let's hope for an honest finder. Important information is that Christer can continue driving even without a driver's license if he refers to the police report if there is a control. Fortunately, he soon needed to renew his driver's license anyway. We stay in a nice room at Hotell Solhem Park (http://solhempark.se) in Borås. It is a bit from the centre but still within walking distance. There was no panic at all with checking in as it was written in the message from the accommodation. So we didn't have to rush in Ulricehamn. It feels a bit bitter. We could have had a better dinner and could have avoided the rush that might have led to the carelessness of the wallet. 21.25 Christer received a phone call and we first hoped that someone found the wallet that contained business cards with contact information for Christer. However, it was the police woman again who wanted additional information about where we had been in Ulricehamn. 22.19 We have searched for information on the internet about a little of each. Trädet we passed derives its name from the noun träde, taken from träda, dormant arable land. 23.14 Now we have some control on the future. I think this should work out. I'll have to pay everything from now on. Christer will make sure I get my money. This was, to say the least, unnecessary but still not as bad as when my passport disappeared in Tanzania. We'll see if Christer's wallet returns as unexpectedly as my passport did.
Tuesday 21st of July
08.12 We have woken up at Hotell Solhem Park in Borås. The plans for today are to some extent fragmented. It will, if the police call and announce that the wallet is found, be a trip back to Ulricehamn to retrieve it before we continue towards the next location. Considering where it disappeared, someone should have found it pretty quickly. We don't know if it is an honest or dishonest person. Unfortunately, it may also have gone with the car for a while if it was on the roof. Then it may have ended up anywhere and then it will be harder to get it back.
09.15 Now it has happened. We have had breakfast and in Ulricehamn the police station has opened for the day. All that remains now is to hope. We will remain here in Borås during the morning to see the city. Last night we didn't have time for anything but to check in here at the hotel. 10.10 On foot we move so slowly towards Borås Center. Right now we are doing a bench break in a park, Annelundsparken. Here there are plenty of tall deciduous trees such as oaks, beeches, birches, willows and linden trees. It feels more like a forest than a park actually. 10.33 We left the park and soon saw a large, tall version of an old acquaintance, Pinocchio. In the past we have met him in Milan and Parma in Italy. Here he looked to be heading towards the centre and has been standing here since 2008. In the river Viskan we saw other acquaintances, namely water lilies. We saw white, yellow and actually even red. However, they did not look like the ones we saw at Fagertärn. Now we are heading into the City Park. What awaits us there and/or beyond it? 10.57 After the beautiful city park we again reached Viskan that winds through Borås. A canoe slides slowly along the river. Now we're going into the city centre to see more of the city. 11.03 On the left of me sits Christer. Obliquely back to the right of me is a bust of King Gustav II Adolf. We are now on the main square in Borås. We sit down on a bench and try to get Christer's Swish payment to me to work. Now it seems to have resolved. 11.31 I do not know how many times I have written this. We are again at a table at the coffee chain Espresso House. We are thinking and planning how to spend the rest of the day.
Hotell Solhem Park, Borås.
Trees in Annelundsparken.
The sculpture Walking to Borås is Pinocchio on a walk.
A canoe is appearing in Viskan river.
We walk across Viskan towards central Borås.
Stora torget, Borås. In the background Borås courthouse.
11.47 A quick review and estimate suggests that this is the ninth city in the sixth region that we are at a Espresso House. For lack of other things, we keep up with that kind of statistics while we consume the black beverage.
12.05 Our sightseeing in Central Borås continues. Now we are at Caroli church on Birger Forells Plan to take out a new direction in our walk. 12.17 On the way to the bench at the fountain in front of the beautifully situated Gustav Adolf church we passed a four-way crossing where multi-way stops were valid. It was thus stop duty on all four streets. It was a bit unique. You can't see that everywhere. 12.49 Café Tranan (The Crane) that attracted us with classic home cooking for lunch had closed for holidays. Now it becomes instead modern home cooking at Pizzeria Valentino (http://valentino-pizzeria.se). The number of visits to pizzerias this summer is probably even more than the coffee stops at Espresso House. Nevertheless, we have often had the ambition to find different types of food as often as possible. 13.12 During the day we have considered two possible routes down to Halland province. We can take the nearest road past Kinna or we see a little more of southern Västergötland and go further inland. Option Two has the advantage that we again pass Ulricehamn. It does not hurt to take a look if Christer's wallet is on some roadside. 13.27 After lunch we returned to the car which was waiting for us outside Hotell Solhem Park. Now it is time to start a new day trip. 14.39 We have parked in Ulricehamn at the same place as yesterday and have walked around without seeing the glimpse of any wallet. Well, at least it was worth a try. Christer has also called up the housing company Mitthem in Sundsvall to discuss the problem that has arisen because the key to his apartment was in the now lost wallet. Christer has asked to have the lock changed because his address is on some business cards in his wallet. In other words, it is free for any finder to know which door can be unlocked. How do we know it's not you who found the wallet? asked the genius at Mitthem. You might wonder why a thief would want to change the lock instead of unlocking with the key he's taken. After a while they promised to abandon their routines and help Christer with lock change. Now we continue south along Route 157. 15.21 We and the road adviser in Google Maps do not fully agree but it will be fine. The journey continues stably. 16.02 A shorter break in a parking place before Tranemo is abruptly ended. It rains and smells like it does sometimes when it just started to rain.
Stora Brogatan is a street starting with some stairs.
Gustav Adolf church in Borås.
Peter is having lunch at Pizzeria Valentino.
This petrol company exists in Småland and surroundings.
The narrow road to our hostel in Vare.
We will stay here one night.
16.27 After various road changes in the rain near Tranemo we are now heading on road 156 towards Svenljunga. There are 16 kilometres left.
16.43 Our helper and guiding voice Ruth in Google Maps sent us out on an extra trip via various village roads that took us to Assmebro. On the way we saw a golf player with bag and son. In addition to the golfer, a little later we also saw a deer. Now we are at Örsås church. 16.52 The little adventure on the small roads of the countryside eventually took us out on Route 154 towards Ullared. The road we took was probably a little closer and avoided more frequent traffic inside Svenljunga but was it a better choice? It can be discussed. 17.10 Of all places to end up in, we are now in Mjöbäck village for some shopping at ICA Nära Monicanders. However, we should not refuel at Oljeshejkerna Johnsson in Mjöbäck even if it feels tempting. 17.40 Now it has happened. I am now in the, for me last county and province to visit in Sweden. I'm in Halland. Christer has been here before on his way to Denmark in 1988. Now we are in Älvsered. 18.03 A big thank you to Ruth. She found a route around Ullared. We cut from Fridhemsberg over to road 153, which we just left behind. Now we are on the two-lane road and right now we meet a horse that is led forward. On the left are Bexell's talande stenar. Up ahead, we have Grimeton church. Around us is the fine Halland farming area. 18.26 A kilometre journey on Himlevägen is now going on. We will take various small village roads now before we reach today's final destination. 19.11 A turn in the beautiful Halland countryside eventually took us to Anna's Bed and Kitchen (http://annasbedandkitchen.se) in the village of Vare. We are in the countryside just south of Varberg. Here we have checked in. We stay in Room 11 located in the basement in a large white building. This hostel building was built in 1900 and was originally the local house for the poor. The business remained until 1954 when it was said that there were no poor families anymore. Then it became a more traditional old folk's home and from 1967 it has been a hostel. Anna is the name of the woman who started it all.
The main building from 1900 has earlier been home for poor people and old people.
Our room at Anna´s Bed and Kitchen.
The bottom floor opened in 2015 and is called Lyckliga Gatan (Happy Street).
Threatening clouds above Vare.
We said hello to the locals.
The large garden around our accomodation.
19.55 Now we will soon go out and look around in the small village Vare.
20.49 We have been on a walk in Vare. During this walk we experienced strong winds, we moved for a number of passing vehicles and seeing several cattle on both sides of the road. It is a rural paradise here but still close to the E6 road and Varberg. In the vicinity of Anna's Bed and Kitchen there is also the restaurant Spiseriet, a pottery workshop and a stone oven bakery. 21.01 It's dark and it's time to cook our dinner. Today it will be stir-fried chicken and noodles. We bought this during the visit in Mjöbäck. 23.15 It was a delicious dinner with coffee as dessert. We have also booked a boat night in Sundsvall on return on August 11. Sure, Christer lives in Sundsvall but his apartment key lay/lies in the lost wallet. He needs to fix a new key on the 12th. We will reach Sundsvall too late to pick up any key on the 11th. The boat we booked is the Good Morning Hotel which is in a boat in Sundsvall Harbour.
You can see 88 photos from July 19 in this photoalbum.
You can see 91 photos from July 20 in this photoalbum.
You can see 60 photos from July 21 in this photoalbum.