Road Trip - Lake Mälaren

At some point in the last year I picked up a brochure describing a series of slott (castles/palaces/stately homes) around Lake Mälaren, Sweden's third largest lake. This looked like an interesting and enjoyable excursion for when the weather improved - presuming of course one had access to a car, certainly not something that is cheaply available for rent in Sweden nor something that many of my classmates possess.

But as luck would have it the planets aligned and on April 28th those of us still in town (many had left on trips to visit home or simply to relax a bit as we had submitted the first draft of our thesis on April 25th) had a vehicle at our disposal and we decided to head off fairly spontaneously without too much forethought or planning. We left about 10:30 am and headed out on our (partial) tour of the castles around the lake. We were aware before we left that the castles would not be open - most do not open until the beginning of 'tourist' season (so either late May or early June) and are even then often only open on weekends. But we were looking forward to the drive and being out in nature just as much.

My photos have a date stamp on them - and for some reason this date is one day behind, so it was actually April 28, 2014, not April 27.

Wik

First stop was Wik, some 20 km southwest of Uppsala.This was the oldest castle that we saw being well over 500 years old. There was a pleasant nature trail and the weather was gorgeous. It was disappointing not to be able to see inside this rather odd looking building - the shape makes it look as if it is about to float out into the lake or rise like a balloon into the sky. But after glancing at the website I get the feeling that perhaps it is better not to see inside since it is now a conference centre and that must have entailed significant renovation (wiring, plumbing etc).

Walking toward Wik - what a glorious day!

Wik Castle as you approach from the parking lot

Oh to be inside that round room with its view out over the lake

Another view of the corner

Astrid capturing all of us capturing Wik photographically

Wik from the front

We ate banana bread, unsuccessfully tried to create 'jumping photos' (we are not a physically well-coordinated group it seems) and just soaked up the sunshine and the peace and quiet.

A passing employee (I think) was kind enough to take our photo

Astrid, Viktoria, Maija and Sofie

Biskops Arnö 

I think this is where we went next (how embarrassing that less than a week later I can't remember in which order we traveled). From what I can understand this is kind of a focused, specialized highschool (or is it a college?) that offers course in documentary filmmaking and photography. The 14th century vaulted hall (or what is left of it) was kind of underwhelming but the oak tree of slightly more recent vintage (maybe only 600 years old!) was magical.

The 600-year-old bishop's oak tree

Astrid, Maija and Sofie manage to go halfway round the tree

Astrid and Viktoria

Pretty Swedish vista

Viktoria, Sofie and Maija walking in the grounds of Biskops Arnö

Skokloster 

Lunch was outside on the deck of Lilla Torget, a pizza and pasta place in Örsundsbro. Reasonably priced, tasty and more than enough to fill us up after our strenuous morning. 

Then it was on to Skokloster, a huge building built in the mid 17th century and currently under repair (actually for the next 6 years according to the signs on the building). Part of the roof was under a tarp but as we passed by the front entrance we could also see scaffolding and men working inside - I am not sure if they were able to open as published on May 1 to welcome visitors. We then sat in the pretty, parklike setting where we spent some time just sitting and musing on how a whole different world exists outside our 'International Health at Uppsala University' bubble.

For some reason I don't have a photo of Skokloster - this one is 'borrowed' from the castle's website

Apparently this church is even older than Wik castle (13th century!)

Astrid capturing me trying to capture Viktoria and Maija jumping

Neither jumpers not photographers did a good job (probably more my fault than theirs for an unsuccessful capture)

Maija in the distance

Not open - would also like to see inside this building

Viktoria, Sofie and Maija at a (non)ancient table at Skokloster (circa 1985)

Sigtuna

Last stop was the attractive little town of Sigtuna that is Sweden's oldest being founded in 970 A.D. We wandered down the main street and posed for pictures in front of the museum. We browsed in a couple of rather chi-chi shops and then collapsed onto a bench by the lake and enjoyed the sunshine for a while before it was time to head back to Uppsala.

Apparently both Wik and Skokloster can be reached by bus from Uppsala so I am thinking to go back to the latter (once I confirm by phone/email that they are actually open on weekends in May) some Sunday soon so I can have a look inside both the castle and the church.

Maija, Viktoria and me - walking Sigtuna's main street

On a bench by the lake - me, Sofie, Maija and Viktoria

Viktoria, Maija, me, Astrid, Sofie

Love this photo - it is like we are all looking into a different future direction and expecting something different to happen for each of us - which is probably pretty accurate as in a couple of months our lives will be on completely separate trajectories after almost 2 years of moving in sync to a large degree