Battling the wind!
Photo © J E Nilsson and C M Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010
One of our favourite things to do, is to go out taking pictures when the weather turns really dramatic. There was no real storm today as there can sometimes be along the Swedish west coast, but it was certainly WINDY! Us picking the highest available viewpoint of course brought out some extra shows of temperament among the local pagan weather gods.
No hiking gear needed. Today’s just denim shorts, a blue on white batik print blouse, green canvas shoes (all purchased at one time or another in Singapore), Gucci sunglasses, a Helly Hansen (a brand with a Norwegian heritage) sailing jacket plus my favorite Canon in hand. Easy.
Ljung or Heather, a tough flower that grows wild on these rocky boulders.
The Western Swedish archipelago is a popular tourist destination during the summer, bringing visitors from near and far, some arriving in their own sailing crafts, others by means of various public transportation. Still, the archipelago is generous in size so there’s plenty of room for everyone here even if we did encounter quite a few other hikers today, whilst ourselves exploring the area.
Most of the archipelago is fairly built up and self-supporting with shops and services, so there really is no need for full camping gear if you intend to spend the day island hopping. If the weather is good, a sleeping bag in the open might do just fine before you find yourself being able to catch the early morning ferry back to the mainland again, or you can shop around for a hotel or a bed-and-breakfast, or a bed-and-no-breakfast as some of the more laid back entrepreneurs put it on the signboard of their fence.
On days such as this though, when you can lean against the wind and have it carry your weight, I’d suggest you skip the small portable BBQ grills, popular today amongst visitors, and just find one of the many small pizza places or restaurants that some of these islands come equipped with anyhow.
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