Brilliant blue, cloudless skies greeted us on Monday morning and after a good breakfast at Asgarden, we checked out our bikes and set off westwards and downstream to Sjotorp which is on the shores of lake Vanern. The initial section of the Gota Canal at Lyrestad is very picturesque as you can see for the photos below.
The cycling was very easy and we sped along stopping briefly to admire the locks and the immense planning and construction effort that made the canal possible. Apparently the engineer, Count Baltzar von Platen (a naval officer and government minister) was assisted significantly by the Scot Thomas Telford who was regarded as the foremost canal engineer in Europe at the time.
At one lock we met a very pleasant Japanese/American couple who asked us to take a photo of the two of them and they then returned the compliment!
Several locks led down to the canal marina at Sjotorp and we then cycled around a very small part of the shore at Lake Vanern (it is the largest lake in Western Europe!), before the LLW decreed that it was coffee time. We sat outside at a small cafe overlooking the marina and having offered to get the coffees, the LLW soon emerged with two cakes, cream and custard as well!
There was now a great need to burn off more calories so we headed south of the village through woodland with frequent views of the lake.
Back then to Lyrestad where we purchased some provisions at the local supermarket and enjoyed lunch al fresco by the canal. We watched three yachts exit the marina and wait for the road bridge to be swung so they could pass through and were about to cycle back to our pension when disaster struck! Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration but, whilst Ray was wheeling his bike (i.e. with no weight on the bike) the rear tyre rather exploded with a load hiss and immediate deflation. Luckily we were only a 100 yards or so from our base and the cheery, Bjorn quickly exchanged the bike for a replacement.
We decided to follow the yachts that had left our marina and cycle the ~3.5 miles to watch them negotiate the double lock at Hajstorp. Since the users of the canal are limited to 8 kph, and even on a bad day the LLW can manage at least twice that, we soon overtook them and sat in the shade waiting for the lock keeper to arrive and let them through. As many of our readers will know, the Jacksons are expert navigators of canal locks (albeit only those of a French style - ecluse), but we were impressed with the crew of the sailing vessels as they passed through the lock system.
Ray decided he had not had quite enough cycling so headed off in the direction of Sjotorp to hopefully intercept the canal cruise Diana which is today on its first journey of the season from Gotebourg to Stockholm. As you can see Diana had very little to spare passing through the locks and and after watching it past Lyrestad, it was time for dinner and a much anticipated special chanterelles soup to start with.
Once again dinner was very good and the chanterelles soup did not disappoint. The LLW is still on a less alcohol kick so we were limited to 1/2 bottle again! After dinner we strolled down to the canal past the front of our Pensionat and saw that the camp site had filled up with camper vans - more than twice as many as last night
It was a very still evening and the refections in the canal were lovely; a great end to a well nigh perfect day.
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