Hello Hivers, It has been a while since I last blogged. I spent much of my summer travelling and discovering food, which is why there was a gap in my posts. I assumed I would first enjoy the travels and then tell my stories. However, I had to travel to Pakistan unprepared, which caused the distance to grow. My next posting will be about my summer travels when autumn has arrived in Sweden. As with anything, if you don't do it with regularity, the habit gets terrible. This is what happened to me and it's taking me some time to get back to blogging and get into a pattern.
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According to my observations, travel teaches you a lot. Since my parents enjoyed travelling as well, we took several trips together when I was a kid.
I now consider Sweden my second home, thus I think it's critical to understand its past, present and future. My spouse and my three children were born in Sweden and I currently reside in the city of Stockholm with my family. Therefore, I reasoned, why not begin here.
The Stockholm archipelago is a collection of about 30,000 islands, enhancing the beauty of the city of Stockholm which is composed of 14 islands. These islands are accessible via ferry or boat taxi. But, between Nyköping and Trosa is a chain of these little islands. My family and I had the chance to explore the interesting Stendörren Archipelago. It took us around 1.5 hours to get to the Stendörren Nature Reserve parking lot from Stockholm and when we got there, I was devastated to see so many cars parked in the vast lot. We desired to enjoy the outdoors on a secluded serene island, not a busy place.
After parking the car, we headed towards the nature reserve where the trails began. Having examined the sign, we made the decision to explore the roughly 3.5 kilometerlong Äspskär trail. Returning to the starting point, the trail would make a loop through the islands.
The large rocky dunes start after a few meters through the heavily forested trail. Here, families were taking baths and having picnics. The unique feature of Stendörren is the easy access to these little islands via hanging bridges, making island exploration possible. The sun was shining and the weather was lovely.
We crossed the first and second bridges before clouds appeared and light rain began to fall. The third bridge was crossed and this is where the rugged trail began. As we were taking in the view, thunder and rain began to fall. Rain fell in thick drops, filling the plants with melody.
For the Instagram reel, we created videos in addition to taking a ton of pictures. We took a break, enjoyed some fruit and sealed the trash in an airtight bag. We must be careful to take our waste with us when visiting such natural areas.
The 3.5 km Äspskär trail hike was an amazing experience that we will never forget. The verdant forests, glistening beaches and undulating hills along the clearly marked trail enthralled us as we relaxed and took in the beauty of this serene setting. It was truly captivating to see the stunning views of the distant islands strewn about.
We travelled over the three Islands via hanging bridges, giving us a feeling of adventure and allowing us to see the differences between each distinct terrain. In the midst of nature's wonders, the Stendörren Archipelago provides the ideal setting for a tranquil getaway and meaningful family time.