The walk took us through a forest (Begesund, I think) and along side a lake for some of the way. Agnes and Doug plunged in and although I was tempted I didn't venture in because I could see it would have been difficult to heave my body out again without losing complete dignity in doing so!
I contented myself with taking pictures of the pretty lake and the multitude of lichens and mosses growing on the rocks nearby.
Care has to be taken when walking in the countryside in Sweden because there is a certain tick that gives you tick-born encephalitis if it bites. The Uniform is tucking long trousers into socks. Also it is advisable to protect against mozzies and midges by wearing long sleeves. As you see I didn't but used a commercial preparation of some insect repellent that seemed to work OK - the mozzies all bit Doug as usual. He must be attractive to them.
We saw almost no one else walking - a man leading his horse and a Mother and child in the distance. This country is certainly not overcrowded as Britain is in so many parts.
Lunch was welcome, back at The Karlssons. We ate a traditional Swedish lunch of pickled herring called sil which is delicious and potatoes and beetroot washed down with beer. Followed by the berry cake we had forgotten to take on the picnic yesterday.
After lunch we decided to go to the supermarket to stock up on food we would need to take to Askö tomorrow.
Supermarkets are uninspiring places all over the world. This was a little different because the foods were slightly different and made to feel 'foreign' because everything is in Swedish, of course. Agnes showed a passion for candy (we would call it sweets in UK) and Doug tried in vain to stop her as he worries about the E numbers she is consuming and how they might affect their baby...probably not at all in my opinion, their main diet is far too healthy to be affected by a bit of candy now and then! Anyway it was amusing to watch the little pantomime going on.
Another little neat idea here in Sweden is that when checking tyre pressures you fetch a portable canister of air which is kept topped up at the main air-tap and take it to your car. This does save you waiting in a queue to check tyre pressures as invariably happens in UK, especially when you are short of time.
