Explore Skåne: Solo camping adventure. Stenshuvud.
Solo camping adventure. Stenshuvud.
Finally! Finally, I went on my own for a camping weekend. This summer I am in Skåne, got the skånetrafiken summer card which is for 2 months one price and can use any Skåne public transport. Without this card, it costs too much for return weekend journeys. I was waiting too long for some locals I know here who said they want to explore outdoors, that now just thought heckit, I am going on my own.
Online I read about Stenshuvud and some friends had recommended. Though Erik recommended a different place nearby, but checking the map I found this park and thought it's perfect! As this was my first real 'explore skåne' adventure I am new to distances and transport traffic, that I did not know I could have walked from Kivik to Stenshuvud. There is a thing called Skåneleden, few very long hiking trails across Skåne and one of them was passing by here. Nevermind, now I know and still had a nice short bicycle trip. Maybe a bit inconvenient, but you do once and learn from mistakes.
Getting there.
Malmö-Simrishamn train. Simrishamn- Kivik bus.
Kivik-Kristianstad bus. Kristianstad- Malmö train.
P.S. If you take the bus and jump out at the designed "Stenshuvud stop", bare it in your mind, it's quiet a LONG walk. It might be even easier/better to walk from Kivik. Or walk FROM Stenshuvud bus stop to the park and then walk to Kivik, so, you get a nice hike. If you are not super fit (like me), then going upphil from the park to the stop - good luck!
Stenshuvud.
Stenshuvud
park blowed my heart how beautiful it was there. I felt so high and
happy, I wished I was not alone and shared this experience with
somebody, but yet kind of nice to be back on a solo adventure feeling.
The first half of a year has been mentally tough, weird, crazy too much
hurt and tears, that I feel I have a bit become scared and less brave.
So this short adventure comes perfect on time. Touching the white sand, swimming in the cold blue see through water... It felt like in a paradise and oddly reminds me a bit of Latvian coast, except the big hill. It was amazing, I couldn't stop smiling how peacefully it felt.
Climbed up the top of the Stenshuvud, had my dinner and later found out
where is the camping area. It was across the park from "info center".
Oh, I was surprised that there was not any cafe... Such a good place and
many visitors, but nothing! I had taken food with me and tried my supercamping gadget - trangia! It
was SO AMAZING VIEW FOR MY DINNER. The best 5 star restaurant! My own
food and the open space scenery. Many people around me were having small
picnics and romantic dates, or lots of families with kids jumping
around like mountain goats! But there was no any other backpacing weirdo
like me. It would have been nice to meet somebody on the trail, but no.
I have noticed that people here are not so openly talkative as in North
when with backpack/traveler is in a sight. Must have been used to it
and don't care, sad.
Camping.
Once
I got there, I learnt I can't really camp anywhere there. Something I
did not know and felt a bit confused. Coming home I read about it and
now I know - you can't camp in national parks, BUT you can camp near or
next to it, but not WITHIN THE BORDERS! When I arrived I first chilled
at the beach. It was a bit Utopian kind feeling there, like a paradise,
or the shore scenery gave me uncanny sense of being on island "lost".
Anyway, after my dinner at the top of the hill, I followed the trail, I was all
alone in the forest that for a moment thought maybe I am lost (how
silly, when you see the map, it's actually not big park), but when you
visit a place for a first time, you don't really have a sense of
direction and have not mapped it out in your mind yet. Now I know.
Campsite was bleak. No way I was staying in a shadowed forest next to an
asphalt and lots of misquotes. Kept on going until there was another
trail by the coastline which seemed a bit "forgotten", as I run into
some old, very old picnic tables already "eaten" by nature. Yet, this
was a beautiful path, less walked by tourists.
During
the "forgotten trail" hike I felt worried if I am even going to find
where to "sneaky-camp", if its forbidden to camp. So far only rocky
beach, no flat spot in forest too... But kept on going until I finally
reached the beginning of Stenshuvud beach. It was darker, as it can get
in summer, no people at least no visitors and tourists, only few joggers
from local summer stay villages. And I kept walking by the beach
realizing, I CAN CAMP ON THE BEACH! Outside the border! It already had
gotten dark that I couldn't see my way, but I guessed right. I found
another camper but on the grasslane, next to the sign "Welcome to
Stenshuvud!". In a search of solo solitude feeling, I walked a bit
further more on the beach. THEN finally the perfect spot! My new tent I
had bought on outnorth.com was supposed to have its first camping night,
but no...
My
new tent turned out a bit more difficult to put it together than what I
had dealed so far. Funny that Viktor got the same and he tried camping
with this tent a week before me, and he a bit complained it was a bit
weirdly difficult to put together and he also was doing it in a dark
forest, so, I made a joke "yeah, yeah, you just don't have enough
experience!" (which is sort of true, but...) Now I know this tent is a
bit strange and need practice. Luckily I had my puffy, crazy good
sleepingbag that it was OKAY to not have a tent, even better to sleep
just like this.
Good morning!
I was lucky - no rain and was not cold, but even if it would have been, I had the world's best-est sleeping bag anyway. It was a good sleep! I woke up within sunrise, obviously as no cover, and it fed my soul. The sunrise colors, being alone on a beautiful beach, I enjoyed, took advantage of skinny dipping, drinking my coffee and as you see posing and doing some photos just so I have some of me as usually I rarely have any photo of me!
It was not even 7 am, when I had already : morning swim, coffee, breakfast, book reading, climbed up the Stenshuvud again for sunrise sun, and then back to the beach to read my book until midday, continuing to swim and sunbathe. Before leaving I made one more last meal of my left over so the bags gets lighter. Again I noticed people looking at me - maybe it is not that often a hiker or "solo girl" around? Don't know.
Well, who knows, anyways... Just look at these photos (not the best quality as used my pocket size camera, but still... it does not matter!). New fun thing I will do from now : take a camping morning selfie, just for laugh and memories. :)
REALLLLLLLLY want to go back and RECOMMEND TO ANYONE GO THERE!
KIVIK / KRISTIANSTAD
Comments
Post a Comment