Lands of the Vikings: Day 4 Göta Canal - Ljungsbro to Söderköping

Another nice day. This morning after breakfast I had a lovely walk back into Berg along the towpath; the spire of the Vreta Kloster hovered high in the distance where I had walked along the bike track alongside the busy road to the brewery yesterday. The monastery is a Benedictine nunnery dating from the 12th century.

We had time to kill in Berg while we waited for our cykel transport across Lake Roxen - the Roxensnabben: a little boat just for cyclists. There is a little museum about the canal we have a look at.

The Roxensnabben sped along: quite a pleasant trip (bumpy at times) and quite interesting in the second half where the lake narrowed and we passed close to a number of islands; then we exit the lake and into the canal once more at Norsholm where our boat trip ends.

It took a bit of finding the MS Göta Lejon (the boat I am to take to our destination at Söderköping) but this turned out to be because it wasn’t in yet, even at 13:15 when it is meant to depart at 13:30… (it leaves at 13:50).

The restaurant adjacent to the canal where the boat comes in - 3 staff here had no idea where to find the boat … must be my Swedish accent!

MF has disappeared off along the towpath to cycle to Hulta Slussa (‘sluice’) and then onto another bike boat (Cykelbat Asplången) to cross the lake of that name to Snöfvelstorp. He’ll then continue on towpaths by bike to Söderköping. I’ll meet him there off my boat.

The most incredible shemozzle for the embarkation onto my boat. Good grief - is this a Swedish thing??

Nevertheless, the boat is not crowded and I have a chance to relax. 23 deg C but overcast now. So, very pleasant.

A light shower starts which lasts about 45 minutes.

There’s a group of gals celebrating one of their friend’s 60th - they are having fun and the captain even sings Happy Birthday (in Swedish); they have put up a huge Happy Birthday banner as we pass the holiday home where they are staying and the captain gives a big toot to acknowledge it!

Talking of language: this sign sort of translates as ‘P-parking required within the area’ which I think means you need a permit to park.

MF has reached Hulta Sluss and about to depart on the bike boat at 14:30 - this time with a life jacket! (Could not believe we crossed that ENORMOUS Lake Roxen earlier with NO life jackets!!!!

My boat would have been there at the same time if it had left on time from Norsholm …We pass into Lake Asplången 20 minutes later.

Then back into the canal at Snöfvelstorp - this is quite picturesque: lots of pretty flowers; water quite brown (like it’s in flood?) … the sun re-emerges.

The staff bring me a cuppa coffee and chocolate biscuit - nice! The gals come down from the top deck to check on how I’m going …

Finally, there is a series of locks close to Söderköping. There have been 12 in all today.

Most lock gates are still made of cast iron and wood, just like when the canal was built. This was then replaced by wood and steel gates which were used until the late 1900s. The life expectancy was shortened sharply for steel doors from more than 200 years to 70 years, plus they required significantly more maintenance.

Now the gates have returned to being produced of cast iron with wooden boards that are changed after about 40 years.

At the wharf at Söderköping, I exited straight past the masses of people (!) to join MF at Lock, Hop and Barrel - another brewery.

Söderköping is very pretty.