After we in Langvind Having left the mosquitoes behind, we continued up the coast. We just want to go north towards Hemsö, where we will hopefully have some peace and quiet from the mosquitoes. Lapland is not that far anymore and we want to cross the Arctic Circle for midsummer. It's been 6 weeks now that we have been in Sweden and we have traveled slowly. The further up we get, the fewer points we set ourselves. Let's see what else awaits us.
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Hölicksviken - a dream of a parking space
With the Stellplatzapp we had a great place to stay on the Hölicks peninsula seen near Hölicksviken. At first we thought about going there because it was 30 km from the main road towards the sea. But what do you not do if you already like the pictures. One often takes the risk; if it doesn't fit then you have to look again. And half of the route was gravel and single road. But in the end, a wonderful place in Hölicksviken awaited us! There were several parking options under pine trees and we found one right at the beach entrance. Open the sliding door and you look directly at the water!
Since there were several mobile homes here, we were really lucky with the space! Just wonderful. Finja was also happy, she could lie outside in the sun. Since it was windy, we didn't see any mosquitoes until evening. And in the evening only near the forest, where the trees are closer together. This place reminded us of Finland, where we stood by a huge lake. At that time we were also very enthusiastic.
You slowly notice that the north is not that far away anymore. At night you no longer need light outside when it is clear of clouds. On the one hand it doesn't get really dark anymore and on the other hand the sun rises again at 2:30 a.m.
Of course, stars have not been seen for a long time. It's funny when you wake up at night and look out and think you could get up now because it is as bright as early morning. I'm looking forward to midsummer and hope that we will then have a nice place where we can see the sun moving. Since we liked the place so much, the decision to stay here for 2 nights wasn't very difficult. We enjoyed the time, worked a lot and soaked up the gaze extensively. After these days it was already difficult for us to drive again, but you could tell that the weekend was coming up. It kept getting full.
Sundsvall and Härnösand - shopping day and night in port
Our next stop was Sundsvall. We had to do a few things like refueling, filling up fresh water, shopping. Basti has had problems with his cell phone for weeks and had found out where the nearest MediaMarkt is. So off to Sundsvall. Refueled and watered up on the way beforehand. Here in Sweden you have everything in one place in larger cities, a large industrial area. The first thing he did was go to MediaMarkt and get a new cell phone. Then I went to the Bauhaus next to it; yes, they are everywhere here! And then started a big purchase.
There is often everything in one place and then large shopping centers. Even IKEA is there, which sometimes look bigger than in Germany. Various supermarkets, medical centers and smaller shops. You have to think carefully about what and where you want what, otherwise you will drive past. So the afternoon was busy with these things. Looking for somewhere to stay overnight, we found a swimming lake a long way away. First we got to the water because we might still want to swim. But then the mosquitoes came. I even left my ashtray when I left quickly. Well, the next one might be happy.
We slept in then Harnösand at the small marina. The city is divided on the mainland and opposite the island, which are connected by a small bridge. We slept well here, without mosquitos. Sleep well and have a quick coffee and then off to the next vantage point, Hemsö fortress.
Hemsö Fortress - Located in the mountain
The weather shouldn't be so good, but we wanted to see the fortress. So we took the ferry to the island Hemson driven to where the fortress is. We also didn't know what it was like with a dog because of the tour. Once at the Hemsö Fortress, Basti first went to ask when the tour and how expensive the entrance fee was. Since the fortress is on and in the mountain, you can walk outside with your dog and look at the things, as well as in the restaurant, but not during the tour. So we decided that Basti would take the tour and that I would wait for him with Finja in the restaurant.
At first it was very windy and covered with rain clouds, but gradually the sun came out. From the mountain you had a great view over the Baltic Sea and from the defense strategy not a bad point of the fortress. Finja and I were waiting for Basti on the outside terrace of the restaurant. Overall, the tour lasted more than 1 hour and must have been really great. The group wasn't that big either, as it was the 1st day of the opening.
Hemsö Fortress was a cornerstone of Sweden's coastal defense during the Cold War. Construction began in 1916 and in 1950 it was expanded. The main part is 40 meters deep and was blown into the mountain. It was designed for 340 soldiers who could live there in isolation in the event of war or nuclear power. Everything was there, even workshops, a shop and a hospital. In 1968 the construction was completed and in 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall the plant was shut down. It was used for practice for a few years after that, but was not made available to the public until 2005.
Here are a few impressions from the defense system:
At first they wanted to dismantle the facility, they didn't think that so many people would be interested in it. But after they found out that they were being "overrun", they abandoned the Hemsö fortress and offered guided tours. They also have a restaurant that has a great view of the Baltic Sea and is also well attended. Some just come to eat and look. The guide who did the tour talked to us briefly and gave us a booklet in German. I was hoping there would be a bit of history in there, but it was only from the commune Höga Kusten and sights or hiking trails.
You can find more information about the military history of Sweden here:
https://tropter.com/de/schweden/tag/militarische-architektur
When we went out he stopped us again at the ticket booth. Since he had noticed that we were heading north, he gave us a map of Höga Kusten and their places of interest. He gave us several tips and ticked them on the menu, which we should definitely see. We were grateful for these tips and were already looking forward to the next day along the coast. Since it was later when we were back on the mainland, we only looked for a place to stay, as further sightseeing would take too long. We then found a small swimming and boat place on the coast.
There were a handful of residents there and so Basti asked if we could stop. They said yes and talked to him a little longer and gave tips on what else we should see. We cleaned the bus a bit, vacuumed and dusted, and then ate something. Since a couple of residents wanted to come to work in the garden the next morning around 10 a.m., we went to bed early so that we would be gone before everyone opened.
The next morning we actually got away early and nobody was there to work in the garden. We drove the "Blümchenstrasse". I had seen before that there were flower signs, but I thought nothing of it. It was also marked on the map that the guide had given us and marked as a tourist route. Well, we are tourists and we used them once. The first stop was at Höga Kusten suspension bridge. We drove over it and then you can directly afterwards to a parking lot, from where you have a super nice view of the bridge.
The weather was also good, so that Basti could take beautiful pictures in the sunshine. At the end of the parking lot there is even a hotel with a view of the bridge. There are parking spaces for mobile homes in the car park itself. We know from Insta that this is also used more often. But it was early and we didn't need a place to stay. :-))
You can find more pictures in the Sweden photo gallery.
