Sörmlandsleden Day 12 - Simonberget to Viggudden shelter

Walking 8am to 3.50pm

Distance walked 13km

With only around 16km to cover today (and for the next few days), I was in no rush. The morning started overcast but the sun fought its way through after a while although a bit on the chilly side.

I stopped to make tea at the wind shelter in a glorious location on Lake Mellsjön. Here I met Grzegory from Poland, over here for just three days, sleeping in the shelters along the way. He'd had a somewhat cold night as, in the rushed drive to the airport to catch his plane, he had managed to leave his sleeping bag in the car. He used an emergency space blanket by was cold.

I replenished water from the lake and spent well over an hour at the shelter after Grzegory had moved on, drinking tea, reading and even took the time to heat some water and had a shave.

A long walkway

Moving on, the walking was quite easy and really nice. My lunch stop was exactly at the end of Stage 40. Just yards away was a small meadow leading down to the water's edge of Lake Långsjön. The sun was shining. It doesn't get more perfect than that.

The trail reached the coast of the Baltic at the tiny former fishing village of Albåck, now nothing more than a few scattered cottages. The sea was a glorious blue. A couple of men were out on a drifting boat, fishing. The path then followed the coast line more or less with still more ups and downs over rocky parts.

First glimpse of the Baltic

Eventually, I reached the Viggudden shelter. Grzegory was already there and I pitched my tarp nearby. I offered my bivy bag to him which was accepted without demur.

The evening has passed pleasantly with chat and Grzegory got a good fire going. I gave him the idea of heating up some sea water to put in his metal Sigg bottle to keep his feet warm.