Friday 19 April 2019

Sörmlandsleden Day 9 - Middle of Stage 50 to Bergtorp (middle Stage 47)

Walking 7am to 5.15pm
Distance walked 26km

Another glorious morning and off to an early start. A fair amount of road walking today, though, but there is very little traffic. Maybe because it's Good Friday.

After 3km, I reached the church at Bälinge but it was shut. Still quite early. A concert was scheduled for later in the day. I made use of a water tap in the churchyard.

Bälinge church

At Tystberga, a very small town, I was surprised to find the Co-op open. I bought a pastry and what seems to be a Swedish product I've had before - risgröt - a sort of ready to eat rice pudding in a clear plastic tube sealed at both ends - 500g of it!

The trail ran close by the noisy and busy E4 road for a while before passing beneath it. My lunch stop was at the shelter by Lake Masugnsjön. I attacked the risgröt by piercing one end and squeezing it into my mouth - yum. Plenty left.



The lakes in Sweden - and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them - are just beautiful, especially when the sun is shining. Many are only accessible on foot which means that they are totally unspoilt.

Traditional cottages

The church at Svärta was also locked, surprisingly. My notes indicated that there is a water tap close to the church, available in summer. Obviously, summer doesn't start by Easter. Anyway, the nearby church toilet was open and took advantage of the wash basin and gave my face and hands their first proper wash in a week.

Svärta church

Today, I've walked the rest of Stage 50 and 49, 48 and half of 47. I should reach Nyköping tomorrow and start the second part of this adventure. On sormlandsleden.se it's the Southern route 94km. Should be lovely and it includes some coastal walking.


Sent from my iPhone

6 comments:

  1. Good morning Geoff, found the blog at last, been busy!
    Tube of rice pud I'd have lobbed some strawberry jam with it!
    Get yourself an Easter egg for sunday!
    Stroll on Gaffers!

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    1. I've bought some more risgröt! Jame could be messy and not sure how I'd get it in. It's fine as it is. It's very moreish.

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  2. Sounds like you're being well sustained by reading the New Statesman - oops! Sorry The Spectator. By the way I had a visit yesterday from Mick and Gayle who I think you know - best wishes sent. I met them back in 2008 when we were both on our LEJOGS down in the Cheddar area.

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  3. Yes, although I haven't seen them for a while. They don't seem to be doing this sort of backpacking now. I overnighted at their place on my LEJOG in 2009. They do campervanning as you know but so do I - see my other blog. Did you blog your LEJOG?

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  4. I didn't blog - 'twas pre-blog days, BUT I did a self publish book on Lulu with photos.. I ended up doing about eight of them describing different trips. The LEJOG was the first and my daughter highjacked my journal and photos and did the whole thing as a surprise for me. Later books learned from that experience and became better produced. If you want I could send you a pdf version of it when you return, so let me have your email if you want to receive it. I think it should go by email. The book can be purchased from Lulu Self Publishing but it costs somewhere around £30! They can all be downloaded as pdfs I think at a fairly reasonable cost, but I can send them free of charge.

    By the way - M and G were on their way north mopping up Marilyns prior to their umpteenth TGO.

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    1. When you return home, I should be very interested in receiving a pdf of your LEJOG - geoffgafford at icloud.com Many thanks.

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