Hello! I’ve just returned from a fantastic week in Sweden. I was primarily there to conduct some research for my new book. This went very well indeed, and I’ll say more about it another time, but, thanks entirely to the warmth and hospitality of my new friend Kristin, the week turned out to contain so much more than work!
One of the undoubted highlights for me was taking a trip on a traditional steam boat from Stockholm through the archipelago and out to Blidö, where Kristin has her summer house.
(this pic of the SS Blidösund is reproduced courtesy of wikimedia commons)
This is the boat I travelled on – the SS Blidösund. This lovely steam boat first sailed from Stockholm in 1911, one of a handful of new vessels which were built to meet the demands of the hard working folk of Sweden’s capital who increasingly enjoyed spending time in the islands during the summer months. Powered by coal, the boat provided welcome communication and transport links to the archipelago, and the deep toot toot of its horn became the familiar sound of summer evenings. In 1960, after almost 50 years service, the Blidösund was eventually decommissioned when essential renovation work to the vessel was deemed too costly to perform. But, in 1969, largely thanks to the efforts of steamboat enthusiasts, Leif Rasmusson and Eric Jägeborg, the Roslagens Skeppslag company bought the old boat, and were determined to make it ship-shape. Surprising everyone with its return to the archipelago, older residents of the island were apparently very moved to see the boat on which they’d travelled in their childhoods puffing its steady way through the water, once again.
Today, the SS Blidösund serves as a restaurant and a small music venue, and continues to perform its traditional work linking Stockholm to the archipelago during the summer months. The trip from Stockholm takes four hours, the food and atmosphere is great (two sittings mean that everyone gets to take their time over supper), and the ship itself is an extraordinarily pleasant place to spend an evening.
I think its the most relaxed and jolly trip I’ve ever taken. Fired up by steam (you can watch the coal being hauled into the boiler beneath your feet in the hull of the ship), the SS Blidösund travels at its steady pace along the coastlines of countless islands, each one of which is different. As you pass by, you can admire the distinctive vernacular architecture of island summer houses and jetties – this wee yellow house was a particular favourite of mine.
As the boat approaches harbour, it sounds its horn. You hear children’s voices on the islands tooting back, across the evening air. Figures run from houses, lean from windows, and gather on the piers to greet the boat as it passes. Ashore, everybody waves, and on the boat, we all wave back.
On board, colleagues from Stockholm are enjoying a few beers, and singing songs about the Roslagen coast (which includes Blidö and several other islands).
As we approach Blidö, Kristin watches for her husband, Kalle, who waves to us from their jetty.
We make landfall as the sun begins to sink beneath the horizon.
The Blidösund toots its horn again, and continues on its journey.
All aboard!
W-o-w, the pictures are magnificent !
Although it’s only a week, I really do hope you enjoyed your vacation in Sweden!
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Another bounty of nature made accessible by man’s hardwork! Ecstatically beautiful!
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Sounds like a great trip, Kinda like going back in time. When things were much simpler
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Oh, this is just like Canada, where we take off for summer cottages on the water. Looks just like home!
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How wonderful – Such nostalgia for people on the shore as well.
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Beautiful photos! I’m mostly struck by how familiar it looks… if you hadn’t told me it was Sweden, I’d have assumed you’d been putzing about a lake in northern Ontario! The landscape is very similar, and the combination of cottages, docks, and boathouses is just like home. How lovely that people and customs can be so alike across the world. :)
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Living 10 minutes away from Øresundsbron, the bridge that connects Denmark to Sweden, I am a frequent visitor and share your enthusiasm for our beautiful and welcoming neighbor. I mostly go to the west coast, more precisely, to Bohuslän, (which I’m sure needs no further introduction on these pages) and count the archipelago off this coast one of the most beautiful spots on Earth. Incidentally, it’s just a few kilometres from Rörmyr, where Pernille makes her wonderful angora yarn. I have been to Stockholm a couple of times, but have yet to try the steamboat of Blidösund. One more for the bucket list!
Nothing captures the beauty of these islands like the poetry of Evert Taube, and I’m sure your friends and colleagues would have been singing this one on board:
Thank you for an ever inspiring blog.
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What a wonderful experience thank you for sharing and thanks for the beautiful photos! <3
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very beautiful
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Am jealous – again!
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Lovely! The air, the light, the view…….
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Hey -think about going to Visby on Gottland and seeing the lovely folks who keep Kammebornia going:)!
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How delightful!
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How nice!
Thank you :-)
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We did a couple of holidays in the archipelago and travelled on an old steamboat ferry called Storskar, similar to the one you enjoyed. It is a magical experience, and your pictures make me want to go again. It is great seeing the engine working and it never ceased to amaze me that the engineer knew precisely when to reduce the power by just looking at the reflection of the coast in a small mirror so that the boat stopped dead on the jetty. Looking forward to your new book especially if it involves Sweden.
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Thank you for sharing. This is a lovely part of the world
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Thank you for sharing this endearing excursion.
Can’t wait to hear more!!
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Your relaxing time spent on the SS Blidösund was a delightful adventure. Thank you very much for sharing it with all of us. I visited Sweden many years ago and found the countryside to be so very relaxing and vividly scenic as can be. Your photos are superb. With much appreciation from one arm chair traveler!
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I agree entirely. Posts like this keep me going until I can make another journey to Sweden (and Scandinavia in general).
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Thank you very much. I adored Scandinavia and was fortunate to have visit Sweeden, Norway and Denmark. My Dala horse smiles at me daily in my dining room!
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Thanks for taking us along, Kate. So nice that you met such nice people & had such great weather for your trip. Can’t wait to hear more about the trip.
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Coal? Too bad in an otherwise spectacular setting.
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I had the same thought. :(
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Wow, what a special day — the joy of the trip feels like it’s bursting from the seams of this post ! Thanks for taking us along :D
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Thank you so much for sharing, Kate! What a beautiful trip, so quaint and tranquil.
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Kate, many thanks to you for this glorious report of your Swedish steamboat journey. I would imagine that everyone who’s read your words and viewed the marvelous photographs might now be wishing for their own trip to Sweden.
xo
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How relaxing this must have been!! The yellow house looks fantastic!!
Thanks so much for sharing.
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Beautiful photos & beautiful landscape (or should I say ‘seascape’?). The wee yellow house reminds me of the miniature Dutch village at Craigton Park, St Andrews.
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Such a wonderful and unique experience! Thanks for sharing it with us. :-)
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What fun! Thank you for sharing this. I look forward to reading about what you learned in your research.
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Wow, need to add to a list … beautiful!
Thanks for sharing, looks like a great getaway.
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How wonderful!
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A number of years ago we took a wonderful cruise on one of these classic vessels from Goteborg to Stockholm through the lakes and canals linking the two. It was four days of shere bliss! I’ve recommended to several friends and all have loved it!
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Perfect!!~
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What a lovely journey. Thank you for sharing it, Kate.
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A very good post and nice pictures. Thanks for sharing!
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