Åland Bike Route

Distance: 104.94 km (65.21 miles) over 4 days

An afterthought....

...about the trip is to admit my surprise that with 26,000 people living on Åland and half of them in Mariahamn, there was not much solitude when were biking in the northern parishes. Houses, although well maintained and beautiful, were in view all of the time and we had to constantly be aware of traffic. I liked traveling on red roads and seeing 9 out of 10 structures being that color. The few people we encountered were not interested to even offer a smile or friendly gesture. Again, it had to be the Northern European hospitality.  We were saturated with windmills and the midsommarstången (midsummer may poles) all over Åland. There must be some pride in that. I enjoyed how every home or farm was well maintained. I think there must exist some societal acceptance in maintaining one's property. Although we planned our general bike route, the bike signage and posted distances were also welcomed. 

Although I learned afterwards that Åland doesn't have the same "allemansrätt" (right to land use) policy as its Nordic neighbors, we didn't find ourselves displaced or uncertain of camping options along the route. Our own safety was also never a concern. Although the mainland is not like the Alps or Himalaya, it certainly had some rolling hills in the Saltvik parish. It added an extra workout for us. For some reason many of the so-called historical sites we saw on Åland were missing more concrete dates of origin. I am not sure if it is because the land had been in ownership of numerous countries (Sweden, Denmark, Russia and now for the past 102 years, Finland) over the centuries or if the historical recordings were destroyed at some time. 

Would I return? Of course, but I would skip over the mainland and head directly to some of the 6500 islands. Given that all local buses and ferry travel between islands (and even to Åbo/Turku, Finland) are free for bikes/pedestrians, how can I not want to return? I looked at some pictures afterwards how island hopping could be done and it looked inviting...in warmer months, of course. 

I am happy that Serge and I decided to venture, literally, down the paths of Åland. Despite the weather predictions and the reality of that, we had a good trip. We came home with perhaps, no less, but no more stuff than we had started. I tend to be someone who wants to plan the details of a trip with alternate options, but given we had utmost flexibility in our camping and, even, our biking options, I had to open up to being more spontaneous in the moment. I believe Serge lives more this way than I, so it was helpful that he was my travel companion. 

Although, Serge and I always manage to have good times together, I had no idea how we would do traveling nonstop together over 4 days. What I learned was that we are not so different. We both have laid back relaxed personalities which can be good for not allowing difficulties alter our vision, but bad when we need to make immediate decisions. Nevertheless, I think it was a good test for both of us to be part of the decision making. He and I ate lots of cheese, bread, pasta and chocolate while we drank plenty of tea and, I admit, the welcomed Vana Tallinn and Whisky. We both spent our nights with our heads tucked securely inside our sleeping bags as the winds swept all around us. We laughed at the simplest of things, taught each other a few repeatable and not so repeated French and English words and, I feel, got a better appreciation of who the other person was. I think our friendship will continue into the future and will we have many more journeys like and unlike this. I look forward to them. 

Thanks for a wonderful adventure, Serge!

Day Four. Kastelholm-Mariahamn

Even after the night's strong winds, I woke this morning to see that the building had indeed remained in the same place. We turned or clocks back one hour so we thought that we either got an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour on the bike. I think it was for sleeping, because we woke around 08:00, ate more bread, cheese, and muesli, took photos and finally got on the bikes around 10:00. We left the hay storage building in as good shape as any animal would appreciate it. It was another windy morning around 5-7 C as our bikes started to roll. We stopped at the well preserved Kastelholms slott (castle) where we could gain no access to the locked fortress. The only sounds we could hear were the birds nesting high above inside the high walls. This is Åland's only castle and is guessed to be around 1388. Numerous Swedish kings including, Gustaf Vasa used it has a summer cottage. The castle has gone through several restoration periods in the 14th and 19th centuries as well as recently 1980 due to fires. 

The empty Sunday morning roads were a pleasant surprise. Just east of Godby, we found ourselves climbing over a wooden fence and up steps to the top of another utsikttorn (viewing tower) called Uffe på Berget. Sitting atop the rocky hill, this one was 2x as high as the 1st one and afforded an excellent 360 degree view of the Färsjundet lake and nature. In the middle was a enclosed room with windows. We both had the idea that this would have been a perfect place to sleep, but the tower started swaying so that left us 2nd guessing that idea. Returning back into the parish of Jomala and into the suburban village of Godby (heavily developed around late-1960's) which means it had little history left other than the sjukhus (hospital) built in 1843. However, Godby was an important area where the western countries stopped the movement of Russian troops during the war in the 19th century. Maybe that is why there remains so little history. 

Onward south. We were dealt with the worst day of winds as we were hit by large gusts of powerful winds and drizzling rain. We made our way through Jomala By where pig herding and land development education was king. The oldest church in Åland from the 11th century called S:t Olof Kyrka stands here with a lions head atop the entrance. We stayed here only moments as there was a church service in session. We also realized we were perhaps running on borrowed time to make the ship back to Stockholm. We pedaled onward on the nicely separated bike lane and came into even more urban development as we headed south. 

It was quite easy to navigate our way back into Mariahamn centrum (center) along Torrgatan. This is a pedestrian street with lots of shops, pubs and tourist focused stores. It was 12:00 and we had an hour of free time before the ship departure, so we headed to a local pub for a big 0.6 L beer. The pub had a true working class feel with walls filled with pictures of working barges and boats. The few people inside seemed to be frequent patrons so we certainly stood out. I am certain both Serge and I felt a bit more relaxed after those drinks. After leaving the pub, we biked down tree lined Storagatan to the Tallink-Silja Terminal. I grabbed a quick photo of the 4 masted viking ship now turned museum, Pommern in the harbor which was owned by Gustaf Erikson, a previous swedish leader. At 13:00, we found ourselves with bike/passenger tickets in hand and waiting inside the WC (toilet) away from the cold wind. Perhaps 20 minutes later we were exiting the elevator on Tallink M/S Galaxy into the hub of the ship activity by well dressed passengers. It certainly felt strange for both of us to be back in the presence of so many people after some days traveling on our own by bike.  

After a 5 hour windswept ship ride, more cheese eating, wine and cappucino drinking, and card playing from Mariahamn to Stockholm, we found ourselves taking our bikes off the ship at 18:30. We ended our journey by biking one last time from the Silja Terminal to Ats and my place in Johanneshov on the southern part of Stockholm. We were both pleasantly surprised at the nice calm weather around 10 C that greeted us on the final ride. After a well prepared meal by Ats and more wine, I found myself in the bed around 22:00. Serge stayed over and I think he was not far behind in sleeping. 

Day Three: Tjudö-Kastelholm

Today, we woke a bit earlier and refreshed without feeling the effects of the night's heavy winds and rain. We had our breakfast of oatmeal, tea, bread and cheese.  As we slowly packed our bikes, we could see the sunlight shining on the west side of the lake. This gave us hope that it would be a warmer day. As we biked north towards Pettböle, the sun remained constant, but the temperature hovered around 7 or 8 C. We passed many hay fields and farms of sheep and cows. Passing through Näs took us into our 3rd parish of Saltvik and into Kvarnbo. The village gave us our first experience of urban life since we left Mariahamn  on the first day. There was a local market, a bank, a few small shops and, of course, the Saltviks Kyrka. After resupplying our water at the market, we quickly took a look at the church. We also visited a site that at one time had buried pottery, jewelry, and other trinkets. It was not well marked so after walking around perhaps 10 minutes, we got back on our bikes and headed east towards Björby. 

Just past Rangsby, we saw a sign for the Fornborg (ancient castle). A 600 meter walk up the rocky hill took us to the top of what might be called a mountain. What we saw was a rock wall that stood perhaps 1 meter high. The view of the rock face to the south was inviting as a climbing crag. We didn't see any castles, but rereading the sign at the trailhead revealed information that stated the possibility that the locals would head to the top of the hill during war time and through stones to fend off intruders. However, this is only speculation. This area seemed rich with hills and a lack of traffic so it made the highlight of my trip thus far. The road we traveled from Björby and Sibby was called Norra Sundsvägen and is the oldest official road on Åland from the 17th century.

After passing several small villages and anticipating heavier traffic, we arrived at Finby to see another windmill. Here is where we stopped to take enlightenment in the caged yet well groomed cats on someone's horse farm. I think Serge took an especially warm view of them given he is the proud owner of a cat. Given the cold temperatures, I wasn't sure how they were able to withstand the night cold. Serge had our first bike mechanical and pulled out his tools. As the reward for enduring the cold in the moment, we took pleasure in the last pieces of his Tallink purchased chocolate.  

Most of the wind on the trip had come from the south and west, so most days we didn't have the headwinds. However, immediately leaving Finby and biking west, we had this to contend with. As the evening approached we biked into what I saw as the Skansen (swedish museum village) equilvalent-Kastelholm's Jan Karlsgården (outdoor museum of old houses). Had it been the season of tourism, I am certain buses would abound. However, with temperatures hovering around 5-6 C, wind and the time of day, it was empty. In this museum was 4 windmills, animal houses, and old red wooden homes. Cold and windswept, we debated whether this would be a good place to make camp. I was not keen on it, but with a bit of persistence from Serge, we found ourselves putting our sleeping bags on the floor of small hay storage barn. It was without any regret, because the night's wind and rain held nothing back. Our 3rd night of pasta, cheese and tea was even better because we had to deal with no inclement weather. It took not long after dinner that I was asleep and snoring (according to Serge). In the night, I was sure that the strong winds were going to blow over the shelter.

Day Two: Västmyra-Tjudö

After a night of strong winds, cold temperatures around 5 C, and rain, both Serge and I woke around 09:30. It was a bit later than I normally wake when camping, but given our early wake-up the previous morning, it seemed justified. Silence was abound in the area. As we ate our fresh picked apples, muesli, yoghurt, cheese and bread, we slowly packed up our camp. I wondered what life must be like out there in such a rural place where so few cars pass daily and how little social interaction people must have. Given every home seemed to have a satelite dish, this could be construed as the social life. For me, it seemed to offered a sense of peace and calm (not the sattelite dish, but the serenity of the area). When I mention we packed slowly, it was not an exaggeration, as our bikes started rolling around 13:00.

Leaving Västmyra towards Näfsby, we continued east with the wind at our backside. It was slightly warmer at around 7-8 C. At Näfsby, we had to travel a short distance on that same busy road again before continuing east towards Bjärnströms by (village). A most pleasant site was seen in the village with the "midsommarstång" (midsummer may pole). It stood easily 20 meters high with an Åland flag at the top along with a wind dial. On each side in 3-4 layers hung the Swedish, Finnish and Åland flag colors in flower designs. Behind it was another beautiful red wind mill. Not far down the road  was the the Bjärnströms stenbro ( stone bridge) which in the 15th century was used as part of the postal road connecting the mainland from east to west. 

After Bjärnströms, we traveled north towards Markusböle. Enroute we found ourselves hiking up a 1000 meter trail and up several staircases to the top of an Utsiktorn (view tower). Although it was quite windy, the 360 degree views were spectacular. I believe we could see all of Åland from there. Afterwards, we biked a bit further into the hub of Markusböle where we collected water at the large and empty Ålands Folkhögskola. The school is used for education and other community gatherings. Serge contested me with a 100 meter run on the well groomed track. With his long legs and perhaps ability for sprint distances, he beat me by an arms length. Way to go, Serge!  

As the afternoon chill set in and a quick snack, we were headed towards Finström where we stopped to take a look at the Finströms Kyrka (church). There exists some contraversary whether it was built in the early 11th or 14th century.I believe that is a big difference. This we may never know, but one thing is for sure, there was a bronze statue on the grounds of Frans Petter von Knorring. He wrote many swedish school books and started the newspaper Åland (which still exists today). Then it was back towards the north through several small villages. Eventually as the evening cold set in, we started the search for our 2nd night's campsite. With luck,  just south of Tjudö we find ourselves at a badstrand (beach) and arranging our sleeping bags in the beach changing room. It had no door and a window opening that we covered with our  dependable tarp.  I wouldn't say that it was precisely warm, but it allowed us to escape from the howling wind that crossed over the lake. We had our 2nd  pasta dinner and tea outside by candlelight and made our way into our night's cozy shelter. Other than the tarp blowing in the strong winds and the rain dropping on the aluminum roof, it was very quiet. Then lights went out on Day Two.

Day One: Stockholm-Mariahamn-Västmyra

We needed to wake quite early on the chilly Thursday morning to catch the Silja Europa ship from the Stockholm harbor. At 7:05, we found ourselves boarding the ship with our bikes loaded with gear. The 6 hour ride across the archipelago seemed to be eternal as we were eager to see what awaited us in Åland over the next several days. At 13:15, we were riding our bikes away from the Mariahamn terminal and towards our first destination...a park bench on Norra Esplanadgatan where we ate lunch. There is where we experienced a greeting from the cold blistery wind. Not long after, we headed to the tourist center where we learned interesting tidbits about Åland and how to get to our next destination....Cafe Svarta Katten, a mere block away. The building was a converted house with several small cozy rooms. It was quite crowded with most speaking swedish, but there was also a group of french speakers. 

It was interesting to learn that much of Mariahamn's swiss influenced architecture was designed by the first female architect, Hilda Hongell. Given that in her time, most woman were confined to working in the homes, this was quite unique. Many of the villas were built in the 19th and 20th centuries. After much delay with our coffee drinks, we had to face the reality of returning to our bikes and the cold wind outside at around 1500. 

Leaving Mariahamn was very easy as we traveled  at a casual pace west towards the Hammarland parish. I read that this area was known for its beautiful flowers, but this time of year we were optimistic that we'd see many. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of traffic to deal with so we had to travel in line until we reached our next turn. Once headed west in the direction of Torp, traffic became nonexistent and we could talk while riding beside each other. In Torp, we saw the first of many old, but well kept wooden windmills. In this particular one lived Santa Clause accompanied by a Glade ice cream symbol. Perhaps Santa sells ice cream in the off-season. As we biked further we saw few people and those we did meet weren't so eager to greet us even with a smile or a simple "hello" as I was accustomed to from previous bike tours. It could only be the widespread Nordic hospitality. 

We turned our wheels more to the north so the wind was felt on the left side. We encountered scattered country farms and houses along this route. There was a section where it was only nature in all directions and this put a smile on my face. It gets dark around 16:30 on Åland since it is at a higher latitude than Stockholm. So we started to search the forest and farmland for a place to camp. As we headed east along a dirt road, we found ourselves camping on farmland in Västmyra. Our tents backed up to the forest while our view was of several fields and impressive farmhouses. A few scattered cars came by so often, but there was a wonderful sense of silence for the most part.  As we ate our cheese and pasta dinner, we watched as the clouds took over the beautifully wide sky of stars. Then the cold wind kicked in. A couple of folks saw our lights and, out of concern for our safety, asked if we were okay. That was nice. I believe we were in our tents around 21:00. What else to do when it is dark and cold outside? Go inside. 

Åland by Bike-2008

Over the course of 4 days, my friend Serge Moussay and I decided to hop on our bikes with camping gear in tow and travel to the islands of Åland. It is located midway between Sweden and Finland. 

About Åland: It is an interesting island because it is a Swedish speaking part of Finland. Åland has its own flag and has been a self-governing society since 1922. There are more than 6500 islands with 27000 inhabitants, most of which lives in the only city, Mariahamn. People came to Åland around 6000 years ago to catch seal, fish and birds. It is easy to guess why they stayed with more sunshine in the summer than any of its neighboring Nordic countries. Mainland Åland is quite small at 45 km from n-s and 50 km from e-w. Åland has 16 parishes which are the equivalent of counties. Whether asphalt or dirt, all roads are red in color from the granite rock that is unique to the province. 

Serge and I decided to travel here in the off-season not by design, but because it was a spontaneous decision. Given our experience with the Nordic countries "allemansrätt" which means the right of public access, we assumed it was not much different in Åland as well. This made our initial planning easier. With this ease came no reason or excuse for us not to venture down the roads of the mainland. Off we went.