It’s been more than a month when I didn’t think I would make it past day 2! We are loving every moment on the EuroVelo 7. This week we cycled the EuroVelo 7 from Sundsvall to Falun. To follow us from the start of the journey, get caught up: Nordkapp to Alta, Alta to Gällivare, Gällivare to Luleå, and Luleå to Umeå. Then there was a day feasting on pastries in Luleå. And lastly, a week on Sweden’s High Coast from Umeå to Sundsvall.
Day 28 Sundsvall to Sagaliden (Bergsjö) 70km
Wind in all directions today, but this meant that we occasionally actually had tailwind. Once I was blazing down a hill when a clearing opened to my right and the wind pushed me across the road. It was terrifying to be thrown around like that, but luckily no cars were around. Despite the wind, the day was gorgeous and I felt strong. We loved the route and hid from the wind on our two short breaks.
Sadly the good vibes left when we got to camp. They don’t allow tents – ugh I spent sooooo long checking this and making the route for this next week. And I realized that I left a pair of new bike shorts at the hotel once we got here.
(I had thought that the bike shorts saga was over. But I will put it to rest once and for all here (just kidding, wait til we get to Costa Rica!!). I called the hotel and they agreed to send them to the camp in Falun. I thought I paid 10€ for this, but turns out that was without 25€ shipping. Each day in Falun I asked if they had arrived. Two days after leaving Falun, the hotel called (my phone was off) to see if I was still at the camp because the shorts had returned to the hotel. I was too late in responding, and the camp emailed me the next day to say the shorts had arrived. Then I gave up. The. End.)
Day 29 Sagaliden to Delsbo 56km
Today got off to a much better start. It was fun to sleep in the historic cabin. The door was so tiny, C had to duck low to get in and out. I had a message from the hotel about how to get my shorts sent. And it was not freezing when we went outside. We enjoyed the view of the lake with the sun coming up at breakfast. And nearly all of our laundry was dry, but most importantly it was clean!!
We cycled back to Bergsjö and shortly after our trail turned to gravel, which wasn’t the end of the world. Our trail today didn’t follow the suggested EuroVelo route since we had gone so far off the trail. The real trail was on the other side of the lake and we would meet it about 25km later. It wasn’t possible to cross the water until then. Soon our gravel trail turned to a loose dirt and gravel mix. Then the dirt became more compact but the stones were larger. It was slow going! Some days 30km takes one hour, and other days it takes 3. This was for sure the latter. Also this was the hardest incline of the day. We needed to reach 190m.
We took our time and even pushed our bikes when it got steep. Along the way we didn’t meet any cars at all, though we did pass homes, and farms, and horses. Then there was a long stretch with nothing. I was really hoping nothing serious would happen to the bikes here. We’re pretty much only capable of fixing a flat. If the chain or a spoke broke, it would take a while before one of us could even find another human, let alone one who could help.
At the top, we sat on a lichen covered rock to have snacks. Going downhill the gravel seemed to get better and soon we hit an asphalted road. We had 3 blissful kilometers of downhill with no pedaling whatsoever. When the road flattened out at a village, we met a big truck with an automatic arm coming towards us. It was filling holes with tar and stones. We dodged the patches it had just filled as best we could, but the stones were getting stuck in our tires and shooting up at us. It seemed like he had been at it for a long time because the road was freshly patched all the way until we turned into Friggesund.
In the village we went down to the beach. We sat at a giant picnic table in front of a wind shelter and several other cars showed up to also enjoy the view on their lunch break. C began making us hummus, tomato, and cucumber sandwiches. A car pulled up and a man got out with his lunch. He sat next to us at the table with a to-go box of two sausages and mashed poatoes. Turns out he is also German and moved here in 1968. He asked about our journey and told us his life’s story.
It was not much further to Delsbo. We followed the lake for a long time, passed another campsite, and then along another lake. There were many large churches along the way. We also saw some young guys collecting the hay from the field. One of them was in a tractor carrying a cart and the other used a machine which sucks up the hay and shoots it out into the cart. The two boys had to work in symphony. Delsbo we went to ICA and then to the camp which was not much further. When we got here the reception was open but no one was there. We called the phone number but there was no answer. So we went outside to eat our ice cream and wait.
Nearly at the same time, a man walked over and a car pulled up with two older women. The man started asking us questions about the bikes and chatted with the one woman. The women went inside to get ice cream. The man said he had biked here from France but they said he needed to go to the doctor. His leg had swollen and he couldn’t bike any more. So he stayed at the camp and started to work for them fixing things up. He said he will fly back here next summer and continue his dream of getting to Nordkapp. The woman said she lives across the street and comes here more or less every day. We have since set up camp, snacked, and showered but not paid. We’ll see when the owner arrives!
Day 30 Delsbo to Bollnäs 71km
People came and went at the camp. Locals came to swim after work or grab an ice cream. 3 teenage boys pulled up and got in a boat with their fishing poles. While brushing our teeth I heard a vehicle pull up. A 4×4 golf cart was parked next to the reception. I went inside and a man was quasi locking up, quasi scooping himself an ice cream from behind the counter. I asked if he was the owner and he mumbled some kind of question about paying for camping. He checked the laminated list on the counter, which I had already read so I pointed out the cost for tents. He put it into the card reader and we were all set. Unfortunately, we didn’t know that he or someone would close the bathroom doors and we needed a code. C found out in the middle of the night that he couldn’t get in and let me know when I got up in the morning. Luckily a permanent camper was able to give me the code for the bathrooms.
Today was a long day with a lot of altitude. The sun was warm but the wind was stronger. It blew from all directions and sometimes we had a tailwind. But mostly it pushed us around. We had no gravel today. We climbed up out of Delsbo on a road with a lot of cute houses. Then we were in the forest and climbing. Most of the altitude would be complete in the first third of the day. The trees shaded the road from the sun and protected us from most of the wind. At the top, C asked if I was finally warm. Not at all! Without the sun, I was cold despite the incline.
Downhill was a lot steeper than up, so I was grateful we came the way we did. At the bottom we turned to follow a system of streams and lakes. It was open (windy) and lots of farm land. We crossed over between two lakes to the other side and stopped at a beach for a snack break. The lake had waves and the tied up boats were rocking. C swept out the entrance of the men’s changing room so we could sit sheltered from the wind in the sun. This was such a cozy spot.
The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. We followed the water on a parallel road, not always seeing it. Then we turned away from the Sverigeleden to take a short cut to Bollnäs that would go by the Coop. The Sverigeleden would add 8 more km and more altitude, and I was already finished.
Shortly after the turn we found a soccer field with two picnic tables. We were exposed to the wind but the sun was nice. It was difficult to have lunch with all of our stuff blowing around but we managed.
We arrived at a main road and knew the short cut was a mistake. I looked at the map and found a way around, but we still had to go about 3km on this almost highway. A car even honked at us to say we don’t belong. As if cars rule the road! When the turn came we were relieved. It was so much nicer and quieter to cycle through a village next to the train line. At the end of this detour, there was a bike path which connected us back to the main road where there now was also a bike path. We stocked up at Coop and went to camp.
The camp has a dozen cabins that look like historic buildings and a church. We picked a spot behind a hedge to avoid the wind. The kitchen has everything, which has not been a consistency since Umeå. I am totally tired and looking forward to bed.
Day 31 Bollnäs to Hotell Continental 49km
I slept really well and was looking forward to a “short” day. When we left camp the route took us through the pedestrian area of Bollnäs. We stopped to pump up our tires at a public air pump in front of the sports store. Two buildings down was a bakery so we stocked up with a Hallongrotta, cinnamon bun, and chocolate ball.
We were soon out of town and slowly (so slowly!) climbing upwards. There was a strong headwind as we crawled northwards. I felt like I was molasses. Most of the way up we stopped at someone’s bench that was facing the road to have a snack break. I immediately bit into the Hallongrotta (sadly, my least favorite one so far) but C wanted to wait on the other pastries until we got to camp.
Luckily the road changed direction and we headed westward towards Alfta. The wind was less of a problem, but I was still struggling. We did go downhill a lot at first but then crept back up in elevation as we neared town. In Alfta we went to the Hemköp supermarket even though we still had 20km to go. There would be no more shops along the way. C took on the Wurst because I was feeling so tired and it made a huge difference.
We headed uphill and had no wind. Despite the incline I was feeling much stronger, probably because I was so much lighter. Several logging trucks passed us full of timber as well as other giant vehicles going back and forth on this road. I kicked up a green woodpecker as I rode and a woman in a van waved to me enthusiastically as she passed in the other direction. Mostly, Swedes are very friendly. We get waved to a lot and sometimes even friendly honks, which are startling.
When we got to Annafors there was a wind shelter and picnic table so we stopped to have lunch. We were just 4km from camp and it was around 1 o’clock. Polar bread, hummus, and cucumbers.
It was another brief climb to the camp which really has the words Hotell Continental on the side of it. There is a stuga here, a wind shelter, a barbecue hut, dry toilet, smith, locked shed, wood shed, and several picnic tables. After discovering what was around, C cleaned his bike chain and I took a nap. Then we enjoyed the chocolate ball (very good!) and cinnamon bun. I had a cup of tea to warm up. We got water out of the stream and boiled it to have for teeth brushing and drinking tomorrow. A woman and a man passed by each on a small carriage behind a horse. The woman we saw go by two more times.
Then we went for a short walk and discovered a grilling spot next to an old mill. We cooked dinner which was curry with coconut cream and potatoes. We used the mosquito spiral for the first time. There are just a few mosquitoes, but I have been carrying this since Kautokeino! Now we are in the stuga reading the guest book. There is space for 5 people to sleep in here. There’s a fireplace and two tables with benches. It smells like campfire and is colder inside than outside, but hopefully it stays a constant temperature and doesn’t get colder in the night.
Day 32 Hotell Continental to Åmot 47km
It was so quiet at night in the shelter. In the morning we had breakfast in the wind shelter (we had had dinner at the grill hut). The sun was shining and warm without the wind. We watched several different kinds of birds flitting about: nuthatch, great tit, chaffinch.
We cycled back down to Annafors and picked up the Sverigeleden. The trail was a consistent climb for many kilometers. It was the first day that we were over 300m (350!) in weeks. Despite struggling so much yesterday, I loved going up this hill. The grade wasn’t too steep and it was so constant that you could really get into a groove pedaling.
As soon as we left the village the road turned to gravel. We thought it would get quieter but we were constantly passed by trucks, most hauling double loads, going up and down the mountain. We did occasionally see a timber truck but the majority we think were carrying stones or dirt in dump truck-like containers. Empty going up and full coming down. Towards the top we saw the side road they were pulling into and it got quieter for a bit after that.
We passed by several lakes. When we reached the top, the lake there had a bunch of wind shelters along the shore. We stopped for a snack break. A fisherman was in the first one and he tried to talk to us in Swedish. He asked if we were fishing and we explained that we were cycling and just wanted a rest. The second shelter was free. The ground was very spongy. It was like the lake was a giant puddle that the earth couldn’t completely soak up. The shelter was perfect. Its placement was protected by the wind and the sun was in just the right position to warm us up while we sat inside.
Now at over 300m, we stayed at elevation and had a series of small hills. There were single houses and more lakes, but no villages. There was more traffic than we had expected. Everyone was out fishing.
I came to the top of one of the hills where another road joined ours to find C cycling in circles. He was annoyed because a woman had just told him, he couldn’t stop there because it was a prison. She had asked him what he was doing. C replied that he was waiting for me. She asked where I was and told C he couldn’t wait there but could go in any of the directions.
We passed by the “prison” together. There were men in black pants and red fleeces doing various projects. It seemed more like a work place for them than the prison itself.
Further on we saw more timber trucks, always hauling three sections of logs. We reached Katrineberg and found the most beautiful rest spot on a stream that went into a lake. We ate lunch at the picnic table and enjoyed watching the birds. 3 cars pulled in with 5 guys who got out in hiking gear. Someone from the village came down and they all followed him back to his house across the street. He was dressed like a police officer but was very old. No idea.
The clouds kept rolling through and we relished any time the sun came out to warm us. Now it was just downhill to Åmot. There we went to a Tempo supermarket which was very pricey. There will be no supermarket tomorrow. Next we went to the campsite which is a camping club for camping trailers. We weren’t sure they would take us. It seemed empty when we arrived. Luckily we found one trailer with a car and a dog. The man didn’t speak English, but he understood us enough. We could camp here. Later his wife arrived and we could talk a bit more. We paid with her since we don’t know if the camp supervisor will come today.
Day 33 Åmot to Falun 75km
The predicted morning rain did not show up and we gladly packed up in the overcast weather. We ate breakfast in the kitchen to have some warmth before leaving. It was supposed to rain on and off all day so we suited up in our rain gear, partly to keep warm, before heading out.
It was a huge incline for a good 15km out of Åmot. We would reach 390m in altitude, the highest we have been since maybe Gällivare, weeks ago. The incline was steady and never too hard, but I was getting warm. I stopped to take off my rain pants and fleece, leaving my leggings and rain jacket on. As we got higher the landscape was forests and bogs and lakes. It was cloudy everywhere but the sun was making a good effort to shine through. I could feel its warmth reflecting from the pavement, which felt great after such a cold night.
We stopped for a break at a soccer club. There was a pavillion with a big roof and lots of picnic tables overlooking the field. Would it rain soon? At least we would be under shelter. We snacked and watched the birds on the field. It was nearly enough magpies and white wagtails to field a team each. There was a pair of small (maybe?) birds of prey that kept getting into tiffs with some of the magpies.
Then it was mostly downhill towards Svardsjö where we planned to camp at a beach on a lake. The rain held out but we could see the road was wet. It had just rained here, but not on us! We crossed into the next state and it was noticeably different. The homes seemed to be more historic looking, like mostly horizontal wood and no siding. And all the houses were painted bright Falun red. The goat on the houses disappeared and was replaced by a horse.
The beach was just before town so we checked it out (the plan was to get warm at any open establishment in town). There was a toilet with actual running water and two large changing rooms. There was no shelter and no explicit rule against camping, but there were other homes nearby so we weren’t quite sure. It was just after noon and way too windy, cold, and exposed to hang out here until bedtime.
We headed the 3km into to Svardsjö and stopped at a pizzeria. It was supposed to rain any minute and we’d be glad to have shelter. We got a pizza margarita, which came with salad buffet, and fries to share. We discussed the idea of going further to Falun today. It was just 26km further from Svardsjö, but a climb of 120m right at the end. We decided to keep going. I was too cold to do nothing for the rest of the day and if it did rain on us, at least we could get a hot shower and hang out in the common room at camp.
We rode through many villages when we left Svardsjö. It seemed like there was a new one every kilometer. It was farmland and open to beautiful views of lakes. We came to Sundborn, where Carl and Karin Larsson’s house is. They were artists who inspired a lot of Swedish design. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit the house on a tour, but we stopped in the cafe (because it was about to rain). We got a chocolate ball (a very good one!) and a cinnamon bun. When we sat down it finally began to rain! It was brief and over by the time we were ready to go.
We began the final climb to Falun and it was mean in some spots. The rain drizzled on me for a few minutes and I debated putting my rain pants back on. It stopped but the sky still looked threatening. C offered to take the Wurst when we got to the top of the first peak. I was getting tired but wanted to do the whole day myself. At the top of the second peak C said we had better hurry or it will rain. He was in full gear because he didn’t want to get his shoes wet in the final minutes. It was just 3km left and I was gonna risk it.
We zoomed down the hill trying to beat the rain. When we reached Falun we went the wrong direction at first trying to find the camp. It started to rain and just 3 minutes later we arrived at camp, slightly damp. By the time we finished checking in the rain had stopped.
Tent, shower, dinner, warm!! The night was cold, but not as bad as the night before.
Rest Days Falun
Falun was great! Our second fav place after Luleå. On Saturday we did our laundry at camp in the morning and then went to the Falu Gruve mine. It is a UNESCO site since the mine has been used by people for about 1000 years, closing in 1992.
We first started by walking around the “Great Pit” which you can do for free. You can go in almost all of the buildings without a ticket except for the reconstructed miners’ homes. We went into some of the pump houses and shaft buildings from various eras. The signs everywhere are also in English and sometimes German. You can learn a lot from just this walk. If you didn’t want to spend any money, you could get a great understanding from this alone.
The Great Pit resulted from a collapse which happened, fortunately, during a midsummer holiday, so no one was at the mine and there were no casualties. At one point, this mine produced 2/3 of Europe’s copper. Eventually, the copper ran out and they began to mine for gold and silver. The mine also produces the famous Falun red paint which has given all of Sweden its signature look. It began when a king wanted to paint his roof red like other regal homes in Europe. Then the red was used to mimic red bricks. Eventually the red became the style even in the countryside and became part of Swedes’ national identity.
Then it was time for our tour of the mine. We got to wear orange capes, to prevent the dripping water from staining our clothes yellow, and an orange helmet to protect our heads from the low ceiling clearances in the mine. Our tour guide did a good job and we were in the mine for nearly an hour, but both C and I think you could do without the tour. The museum is 140SEK and the museum with the underground tour is 250SEK. So it does not cost so much more to do the tour, but not completely necessary.
After the tour, we went into the museum which had so much information and was interactive. There were exhibits on the formation of the mine, mining tools, copper, life in the mining town, Falun red paint, environmental issues, and more. We were wiped out after reading nearly everything and only did about 75% of the museum.
Back in town, we checked into the hotel for our rest day and had a picnic dinner in our room. On Sunday morning we took it easy and then went to the Darlanas Museum when it opened at 11. We also really liked this museum a lot. Almost everything is translated into English and there are QR codes around where you can listen to some of the information. We saw exhibits on clothing, painting, the Dalacarla horse, the mine, and even rebuilt homes, including an artist’s workshop. They also had the library of Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to win the Nobel prize for literature. She had lived part of her life in Falun. There was also a gallery dedicated to Anders Zorn and Carl Larrson. At the end there were 3 small exhibits on electric guitars from H, alcohol consumption in the region, and fantasy role playing.
The afternoon was spent with more trip planning. Then we took a break to walk outside. We found the promenade along the river and really enjoyed how beautiful it was. We then went to a Döner shop to get fries and a falafel plate for dinner. The owner was very excited to try to talk with us in German and to tell us that he would move to Germany at Christmas. He and C talked together in broken German, broken Swedish, and Google translate. When he found out that we had cycled from the Nordkapp, he insisted on giving us drinks on the house. Another couple came in with their young son and also shared that they have family in Germany. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming to us. It was a fun dinner.
