Swedish Lapland

Helga's external sensor was reading +3 on Wednesday morning at 7 o'clock and it was only +9 inside, so we ran the gas fired central heating and it was soon a comfortable 21 degrees inside the van! The weather up here certainly feels a bit more 'backendish' although the trees are all still green at present.
A short way out of Arvidsjaur, we stopped at a small craft centre 'Arctic Glas' where they did some attractive etched glassware with local nature motifs, reindeer, elk, etc. and also marketed craftwork from other local artists. We were also able to have a cup of coffee in a traditional Saami round hut with a fire burning in the middle.
We had quite a long drive ahead of us, heading south on the 'Inlandsvagen' the spine road which runs down the middle of Sweden, rather than following the coast road. This was a suggestion from the old fishermen in Kamlunge, as the coast road in this northern part of Sweden is rather straight and tedious with nothing but forest on either side. The inlandsvagen also goes through a lot of forest but passes lakes and rivers as well and has hills and bends which break the monotony but make the journey a bit longer.
We stopped at a roadside parking place for lunch and Edith thought she identified what appeared to be bilberry bushes on the other side of the road. After a Dutch van had stopped for a brief comfort stop and the lady had very purposefully strode across the road and harvested some berries Edith decided she had been correct and felt she had to do the same!
 
The forager risking life and limb!!

She then had to risk my life as well when I persuaded her to do another spell of driving. 
We are staying for a couple of nights here at Stromlund, just south of the Lapland region on a very picturesque pitch beside a lake, to enable us to do some laundry and have a rest from the driving.
Spectacular view from Helga's dining room window . . . . . spoiled only by the droppings from a herd of Geese that are sharing the field with us!
 
A strict footwear changing policy is being enforced!

There is a nice little round barbecue hut next to us so I am thinking we might have a campfire and barbecue this evening and actually use some of the firewood I have been carrying with me all the way from Giggleswick.
 We are now off to sort out the laundry and explore Stromlund.

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