Krageholm Farm: Part II

Krageholm, Sweden

'So you're basically having a holiday from a holiday' the guy at the hostel in Gothenburg said as I left, when I told him I was off to stay on a farm for a week with some friends. He was not far off.

---

My return to Krageholm Farm started with a train inspector telling me I should have bought an extra ticket for my bike, and would now have to pay a fine on top. Fortunately he never bothered to come back to me to do so. Once at Ystad station, Christer kindly picked me up for my second stay with the Pålssons - friends made 30 years ago through a Young Farmers exchange with my Dad.

Krageholm Mansion - right next door

This time things were a lot quieter, with Hedda, Astrid and Frenchman Constant all away in different places, so it was just Christer, Ingeborg and I. And quieter as well in terms if what I've been upto. Sometimes it's good to slow down for a few days when travelling to recharge, catch up on things and plan the next bit.

Because of that I'll spare you the diary this time and pick out a few things. Starting with Ikea - before I left home I found there was an Ikea museum, so the first Saturday Ingeborg drove us up to Almhult - home of Ikea - to have a look around. The museum had typical Ikea living room setups from the 50's to now, and also showed how Ingvar Kamprad went from a boy selling matches to at one point the 4th richest man in the world. Amazing. Naturally this was followed by a trip to the hometown store, and the Ikea restaurant for lunch.

---

Christer manages Krageholm which has about 2000 acres of arable crops, forestry, a mansion complete with moat and a few properties. He's kindly taken me out a few times whilst he runs errands in the truck, whilst diverting to see a few local sights on the way. One day we went to a neighbours to drop off some parts, then another estate to see their mansion, straw burning heating system and to meet the owner in the orchard he was establishing. After, a tour of a rapeseed oil factory, a drive through an agricultural college and a walk inside an old windmill. Quite a day.

Another day we went to a free BBQ at a tool hire place, a look round the local builders stores and farm stores, then gave me a walking tour round the outside of Krageholm Mansion, maze, old laundry room and stables. Thanks to the local Swedish newspapers that I was in for the bike ride a few weeks back, three people that day knew who I was before I knew them; it's not often that happens abroad!

Unfortunately I found myself glued to the computer too much for a few days, I say unfortunately as I often get that feeling I should be outside doing something more interesting when I'm in another country. But, it was self enforced as I needed to get a load of things sorted for my trip to Germany, back up and upload photos, update the website etc etc. I also decided to put together a video of my bike ride which you might have seen (YouTube link to the right if not). I quite enjoy a bit of movie production in my spare time you know. It's probably that need to be productive in some way when travelling.

---

As the weather's been good, though cooler, I've been out on the bike quite a few days and put in 150 or so miles - you can see the rides in a box to the right side of this page. The area around Ystad is great to cycle with quiet, flat roads and nice scenery, though you do occasionally get caught out when the tarmac road turns to gravel, not so good on a road bike. 

I've enjoyed chatting to Christer over lunch every day - he's the best farmer-cook I know, and usually comes up trumps with simple wholesome food, along with a good story from the papers or farm in his dry humourous manner. Equally Ingeborg is lovely to chat to, and full of tales every evening about the special school where she teaches, family or Sweden in general, and cooks a fine meal.

---

The family have a big screen protector and a good movie collection so I've managed most nights to expand my limited movie history a bit - with Apocalypse Now, Forrest Gump, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, The Bourne Supremacy, The Constant Gardener and a bit of James Bond - Dr No.

I've done a few jobs round the house as well - a day of apple picking, a bit of lawnmowing, some cleaning and cutting back some weeds. Not nearly enough to justify everything the Pålssons have done for me, so will just have to reciprocate the fantastic hospitality one day. Thank you C & I!

Photos from my stay at the farm - HERE

And also from my day trip to Norway a few weeks ago - HERE

The Pålsson's have a very British driveway

C&I at home

Life on Krageholm Estate

 Krageholm, Sweden

I've had a lazy few days in many ways, a bit drained from the cycle maybe, but have still managed to see and do quite a bit. Most of all I've enjoyed just hanging out and embracing the typical Swedish life. Everything I've encountered here so far has felt quite normal - whilst the country has many of their own traditions, nothing feels in any way alien. I like it a lot.

It's a great country both to visit, and by many measures one of the best in the world to live - high GDP, quite liberal, low inequality of income, and one of the most well run governments. It's more than twice the size of the UK with about a fifth of the population and climate wise in the south where most people live isn't too dissimilar to us. And the scenery is pretty nice too!

So, a bit of a (long) dear diary on the past week:

Saturday
Went to Sandhammeren; the finest beach in Sweden, which had very fine sand and was quite rural, with unspoilt dunes behind backed by a forest; very nice. Sea was a bit cold that day mind.

After, we went to Sweden's answer to Stonehenge - Ales Stenar, followed by lunch at a seafood cafe called Kasebera. I had the local delicacy - breaded and double fried herring with mash and lingerberry jam, alongside a ginger beer which I'm told is a rare drink here.

Later, back at Krageholm we watched Wallander - a BBC crime drama series that was actually filmed around the local area, having been originally written by a Swedish author. 

Sunday
Painted the spare bedroom, getting more on me than the walls. In the afternoon oldest sister Ebba came home to celebrate her 21st birthday, with family and family friends coming for tea. All very friendly and interesting people. The conversation amongst the group was mostly in Swedish with regular outakes to explain to me the gist of what was going on. Sometimes everyone would converse together in English before switching back, which is a funny sensation. 

Finished the day by watching 'I'm Not There' about Bob Dylan. A bit too deep abstract and philosophical for me but not bad.

Monday
Back to nature today. Walk round Krageholm lake following wild boar tracks for a fair bit of it, it transpires they're able to go many places that I can't. After lunch a lorry came to collect barley from one of their 600 tonne bins so I spent an hour or so shovelling out the last of the grain and learning how their £250k silo setup works.

After tea, Christer took Constant (French student) and I on safari around the estate in the pick up. We saw elk in the zoo next door, then back on the estate forest, loads of German hares and roe deer - both a pest that are regularly hunted. As are wild pigs and even badgers - legally! 

Tuesday
Bit of a business morning doing banking, bills, research etc. You can't escape some things!

For a trip out I went with Christer running errands to the local town of Sjobo to a hardware store and tyre shop. He knew the guy well, and he showed me how they repair huge tyres from quarry trucks, which was more interesting than it sounds, to me at least.

Back the house I was tasked with assembling a flat pack wardrobe (which surprisingly wasn't Ikea), and then got a tour around the woodchip boiler system which heats all the houses in the hamlet,  as well as the corn drying system, using wood from their forest; very good setup.

Wednesday
Christer had to visit Malmo - the third biggest city so I went along for the ride. Whilst there he showed me around the docks area, as well as 'the turning torso' skyscraper, which I'd seen in a photo before but didn't know where it was in the world.... til now.

Back the farm I was shown the rooftop solar panel setup they installed last year, before going 20 mins up the road to see Christer's sister for tea. Red deer steaks, shot on the farm and cooked to perfection.

Thursday
Spent a fair bit of the day researching and planning both the next bit in Sweden, and some stuff for Germany. I also got back on the the bike for the first time for a ride around the lakes and down to the coast, and guess what, got a puncture! The first in well over 1500 miles, definitely a personal record. 

Friday
Once again spent the morning on the net trying to research and organise the next step of the trip, hopefully the last for a while. Bought an Interrail pass to get around Sweden over the next few weeks.

Youngest daughter Astrid is off to college further up north today, so I've decided to get a lift with them, and with summer starting to disappear travel round the rest of the country for a few weeks. Thermals packed just in case!

Cornwall to Sweden - day 16 - THE END

Copenhagen, Denmark to Krageholm, Sweden

So what started out as a mad idea a few months ago has turned into reality. I've managed to travel all the way to the south of Sweden powered by nothing but my own legs. It amazes me that this is actually possible but reality says differently! 

The final day started by exploring Copenhagen a little more, with a look around the Danish Design Museum then down to the southern part of the city where they've created a huge new area of flats, shops and offices on what was wasteland. It was pretty incredible, and quite futuristic in its layout and architecture. Almost like a sensible version of Vegas - the Danes seem to be a very forward thinking nation.

Back in 2000 they also built the impressive Oresund Bridge and tunnel to cross the seven miles of sea between Denmark and Sweden, but unfortunately won't let bikes on it so I had to cheat and get the train across from Copenhagen airport. Miki - I'm pretty sure you'll love it all when you visit.

The first thing you see as you enter Sweden is... you guessed it - Ikea! Just a 43 mile dash left, and after a perfect summer's evening, having crossed a lovely rolling landscape of crop fields, small lakes and red roofed houses I was finally there, greeted by a union jack at Krageholm Farm with our family friends, the Palsson family. What a feeling!

---

It has truly been an incredible few weeks, one of the best things I've ever done. As well as the day of 36º heat, thunderstorms, car factories, breaking a 50 mph speed limit, seeing De La Soul over a fence, getting lost continously, Tour de France and Russian submarine, there's been a few things I've not mentioned. 

The people I've chatted with - the hippy cyclist I met in a hostel in Hampshire riding to a festival. The South African girl, who on the last night of the Tour De France was out to dinner with Chris Froome's fiance (great story in itself). The Afgan guy working in a German Kebab shop who fled the conflict to study languages. The American student who wondered why eveyone hates the Yanks so much. The disabled Belgian guy with downs syndrome, who waved the stump of his arm in my face for me to shake. The German schoolteacher who's been to Falmouth. Plus loads more.

In terms of problems, I've been very lucky really. A lost book, sock and a brake pad (the second two whilst I was riding!). A broken GoPro camera bracket. A bit of rain, a touch of road rage. Worn brake pads and a few squeels and rattles from the bike, but not one single puncture! My so called smart phone has been my biggest bug bear. It is head and shoulders above using a map for navigation when it works and has battery, but when it doesn't it drives me bonkers. A handlebar bracket and solar charger required another time.

I've learnt just how flat Northern Europe is (incredibly), how far I can ride in one day (128 miles in Holland), how fast I can go (51.8 mph in Dorset) and how much I can eat (lots). And the distance? 

Measured by the speedo on my bike, a grand total of, wait for it, 1,416 miles!!!

The Palsson's home at Krageholm