... and three megalith sites - 19 June

Many megalith sites are located around the lake Vättern. We visited three around Motala. Below is a rock carving found in Hästholmen. The exact location is very difficult to find as there is no indications. Should you wish to visit, enter 58.275723 and 14.638081 as coordinate, and cross the field from the road leading to the guest harbour...

Horses pulling the sun back on earth in the evening...

Four churches around Motala, 19 June

We stayed in Motala for the midsummer weekend. Due to Civid 19, there ware no celebrations or danses as one would expect for Midsummer. Strange feeling when you know how serious midsummer is for the Swedish people. 

Our exploration of the Saint Birgitta pilgrimage route made us visit four very nice churches... 

Väversunda church

Borensberg to Motala, 17 June

From Borensberg to Motala, we had a quiet day along the canal, rythmes by the locks and bridge openings. Peaceful day, yet demanding when we had to operate manually a lock!

Stéphane as the lock keeper on the way to Motala...

On the way to Berg, 16 June 2020

We arrive in Berg after going through the Roxen lake. The pedestrian on the rock at the entrance of the Berg guest harbour is the mark of Berg. 

Magic welcome by a shoal of swans as we enter the Berg guest pier

Söderköping, 15 June 2020

Having passed (successfully) the first two locks, we make a stop over in söderköping, a small city along the canal with a lot to offer...

Belisama in Söderköping, 15 June 2020. Picture by Stéphane Lucchini

Oxelösund-Mem, 11 June 2020

We decided to leave Oxelösund for Mem, the entrance of the Göta kanal given the very supportive back winds to be expected today on this 32 nautical mile journey. One of the first landmark on the way to Mem was the pilot station located at the Femöre fort location.

The Femöre pilot station

Ankarudden-Öja-Aspöfladen-Hävringe-Oxelösund, 7-10 June 2020

A 38 nautical mile ride through the Trosa archipelago, completely deserted at this time of the year.

Aspöfladen, a natural harbour in the Stendörren natural park

Trosa archipelago is much smaller than the Stockholm archipelago, but it has among the best natural harbours in Sweden...