Day 348 2nd July
51miles (Ahus to Loderups) Average speed 9.5 mph Top speed 26 mph
Up at 8.15 with a woolly head after a few beers with Caroline and dad, I didn’t get home til gone 1 after a great night in a boat pub. I had a shower and went for a good brekkie. Bjorn invited me to Malmo for a crayfish party in August and asked for my email, so I gave him SPC address too. I then packed and left at 10.30 to take a brilliant cycle path through the pine trees along the coast. It was a lovely ride and I was so relaxed that I took my eyes off the road to look at a bird in a tree and found myself cycling through a wheat field! I don’t think I’ve left the road before without being forced off it by traffic.
Beautiful beach
I stopped at Frisebord to have a paddle in the beautiful sandy beach after an hour. Then it was a very quiet road all the way to the Swedish army training ground. I checked the signs and dates to make sure there were no manouevres about to take place and went through. It was a strange place with lots of sheep, cows and very large bulls and then I came across a llama all alone.
Lonely llama on the army range
When I came out of the shooting range there was a cafe in a barn which I went to see as the rain had started, but as I changed gear the chain once again became entangled in the front cogs. I had to unload the front panniers and turn it upside to to carry out extensive repairs in the drizzle and the wind. By the time I’d finished with a cut thumb and greasy hands I was ready for a coffee. The waitress was charming and said I could have free refills, the Swedish way. So I took up the offer and had a Mars too.
Cafe
I then tried to get along the beach side path but it was too sandy. There was a hostel there which was quite tempting as rain got heavier. I then took the road and stopped to buy dinner as this ICA was the only one I saw open all day. I tried to put my radio in while riding and dropped an earplug which meant I spent the next 20 minutes retracing my steps searching for my tiny purple bit of plastic. I was very angry with myself, but then the road became better and faster and I managed to fix the earplug and all was good again.
Church at Loderup
I went to a church for water and a toilet at Loderup and eventually found the campsite. I would have preferred to wild camp but there were signs saying no camping everywhere in this nature reserve so I bought a couple of beers and enjoyed the beach. Cooking dinner I got chatting to Francee from Leipzig who was camping with her daughter. We had a good chat while using the outdoor kitchen. Then back to the beach for a moonlight beer and bed at 11.
Beer on the beach
Camping Loderups next to beach 140 Kr