Heatwave

I have never experienced heat like this before. The little town I am staying in, Falun, is in a valley which means that the summers are extremely hot and the winters are extremely cold. The last two days have been so incredibly hot and it has been a little hard to adjust. Yesterday I spent the day in a very grumpy mood, quite unable to do anything due to the heat. Today was far far better. We woke up and walked to the little supermarket to buy some food for our picnic. Then we cycled up to the lake - an enormous effort since it was uphill the entire way! As soon as we got there we ran straight for the lake and jumped in for a swim. One of the things I love most about Sweden is the fact that the nature cannot be owned by anybody and that anyone is allowed to be there. This means that you can swim in any lake that you find and walk in any area you like - far better than all the prohibitions and restrictions you find in England. After our swim we set off walking around the lake, through the forest, finding a beautiful log shelter on our way which was perfect for our picnic! After one last swim in the icy water (it was so strange to be shivering in the cold water one minute, to be absolutely boiling again the next) it was time to go home. Cycling through the forest, downhill with the wind in my hair was such a lovely feeling. Even though I have been here many times now, I still cannot get over how beautiful the scenery is. I often wobble on my bike purely because I am too busy looking around and staring into the forest to concentrate on where I am going! It's the most perfect place in the world.

inspire nordic