6th July 2016. Journey to Stockholm, Sweden.

Darren tried to get an appointment with a Frankia Dealer this morning but they were too busy so they suggested a garage opposite them and gave Darren the phone number but the phone rang and rang then when he put the phone down and rang them straight back it was continuously engaged.  Our theory was that the man ran across from the Frankia Dealership after he’d spoken to Darren and warned them that he’d be phoning them.  Hee!  Hee!

We decided that as it was three hours out of our way and would increase the journey to Stockholm to six hours instead of three we’d forego it.

We had a small detour to a place called Sankt Anna so we could see the sea (it was mentioned in the Dream Routes book) we drove across a large bridge to a very small harbour and found a shop that sold coffee and ice cream, very handy.

 

We carried on driving because we wanted to see what was at the end of the road but it became a single track so we chickened out and turned around as soon as we found enough room.

It was a good plan because a lorry came towards us at that moment and it wouldn’t have been fun reversing down there.

We drove up the motorway and pulled off at the sign for services.  There was a sign for a picnic area at the t-junction so we followed that and it took us to a very pretty area which also had a place to empty grey water and the toilet cassette.

After we’d eaten lunch we went for a walk.  There was a pedestrian tunnel which had a landscape painted inside it by local school children and on the other side of the tunnel was a huge lake with shimmering blue water, in the distance we could see people jumping off a jetty and swimming.  It was a lovely place to stretch our legs.

When we left the picnic site we made our way towards Stockholm to Klubbensborg campsite where we’re hoping to stay for the four nights we’re visiting Stockholm.

When we eventually got to Klubbensborg at 4.45 p.m I was very nervous.  I wasn’t sure they’d let us stay as you have to book, I’d emailed them and they asked how long the van was, I’d emailed back but we hadn’t received a reply before we left.

There was no one at reception when we arrived so I went on a route march trying to find someone so we could sign in.  I eventually found someone up at the café and she told me she’d be down at the gate in a moment.

When I got back to the gate I noticed a sign that said reception was open between 5 and 9 p.m  (she must have thought I was a complete idiot).  The sign also said they wouldn’t accept vans over 6 metres or 3.5 tonnes we are 7.1 m and 4.25 t!

Luckily they didn’t ask how long the van was and when they asked Darren the weight, out of desperation, he said about 3.5 and they let us in (we could see much  larger vans and caravans on site so we didn’t feel too guilty).  When I finally got wi-fi I received their email and it said that they were happy for us to come, phew!

It was a tiny campsite beside a lake which had some beautiful ornate buildings on the site that had been built in the 1700’s and 1800’s.

One of the buildings up on the hill has been turned into a restaurant but that closed at 5 p.m. so that evening we sat at one of the tables outside the restaurant in the sun watching the boats racing about on the lake and looked down at the harbour while a seagull very kindly posed for me in a tree whilst I photographed it.

We went for a wander around the site.  Following a little track that took us down the hillside and into the woods, eventually brought us to a small jetty where there were some rowing boats.  We followed the lakeside path through the woods and up onto a rocky outcrop which had stunning views over the lake.

From there we joined a lane which took us to another ornate wooden house where we turned and wandered back to our van.