Hjärnarp - Abbekas

Sweden's Summer Swansong on the South Coast.

If it’s stormy outside you are engulfed until the sun returns to release you.

When we arrived at the southern tip of Sweden we felt a distinct shift. We had entered a new micro-climate. The storms gave way to a sunshine so welcome it felt like it was shining from both sides, making our shadows as warm as ourselves. We gave out a collective sigh of relief, only then realising how stifling the rain and wind had been, assigning new meaning to the term ’stuck indoors’.

We treated ourselves to a laundry day and loved every second, amazed by how a mundane task like washing can become a whole-day activity if you apply the luxury of time. We waved a glad farewell to our damp towels, aired out the van and refilled our water. In an instant everything shifted, we were clean, warm and happy.

We tried our best to show interest in the local scenery and attractions, more out of perceived responsibility than desire. In reality we’d done enough forced fun the week before and now our main desire was to relax and enjoy the sun.

In Abbekas we found a place to do just that, a truly special spot that immediately stole our hearts and any plans for a dotted meander west. We stayed four nights. Only when our water tank was empty and the forecast showed storms did we resolve to move on, even then we did so with a heavy heart. Without doubt this place was unique, a shady vantage point over the ocean that for a time felt like our home. The days felt longer, more relaxed. Defined by sunset and sunrise and not much in-between. A newly felled silver birch provided material entertainment, four items were carved, each accompanied by it’s own knife wound.

One simple doubt we shared before this trip was whether we could last and flourish. Would the trip be all we hoped it to be and more or would we wilt when the wheels didn’t quite run as smoothly as they did in our imaginations. During what is now affectionately referred to as ‘our rainy week’ we wondered whether those concerns might be merited. Now, after what felt like Sweden’s summer swansong they are have drifted away, replaced by a mixture of new emotions ranging from relief to contentment. Next week we leave Sweden and will do so reluctantly but promise of waves softens the blow, as does the knowledge we will return.