Galtby, Korpo island - Wednesday, 14 September

Geoff
The site owner or manager turned up this morning around breakfast time and we duly paid for our stay. It was amazing having the site and its facilities to ourselves.

We took off to explore more of the island. Our first stop was at Karlby, the main village. There is a cafe/bakery but it was closed. A hotel (closed). A bank that appeared to be open but I'd say that it probably opens for just a few hours a week. Our map showed a shop and we found it down a dirt track by a small marina. It was small but with quite a decent range of comestibles. We bought a few necessary items to help the local economy.

Our drive then took us first of all to the tiny island of Finnö but we didn't get very far. Once we'd crossed the bridge, there was a little cafe (closed, of course) and then two dirt tracks, both marked as private, so we turned round.

On then to the adjacent islands of Sommarön and Hellsö. It was all farming country and deserted roads, often just dirt tracks and houses scattered about. We just followed these roads to see where they would lead us - generally a dead end. We stopped at the Kökar museum (closed) but wandered around its surroundings and down to an inlet which was very pleasant.

One of these dirt roads was signed "Peders Aplagård" which sounded possibly interesting; something to do with apples? The road ended in a farmyard and an open barn-like building with tables and umbrellas. Going in to the barn to investigate, we found a farm shop, the speciality being apple based products, non-alcoholic apple drinks, ciders, jam, spicy sauces. The lady owner told us that they grow their own apples which are sent over to Sweden to be processed into what we had seen. They are sold at the shop and in many other outlets. We parted with some cash.

We then looked for a lunch stop. Out of Karlby, we followed a dirt road which, after a few houses, was nothing more than a cart track and not really meant for camper vans. We pulled over and had a leisurely lunch overlooking a lake called Oppsjön. According to a legend, it was once the home of a troll whose mission was to discourage locals catching fish there.

We moved on to near where we spent last night where there is the finest Bronze Age site in Scandinavia, Otterböte. It is a 600m walk over expanses of smooth rock and woodland paths to a verdant clearing where there are about six stone circles. The site was where men of old came to catch seals. To be honest, these are best views from above, I think, as I couldn't make out much at ground level. Anyway, it was a nice walk.

We then headed off with plenty of time to the ferry, only five minutes away. We thought that we might as well spend the time there as anywhere else. It being yet another fine day, the views over the water to the various islets were splendid. We chatted to or rather, communicated with, a Russian couple in the car stopped behind us. They were from St. Petersburg but spoke virtually no English. We took the opportunity to have our evening meal here as we leave the ferry at Galtby around 9.15pm and our main concern then will be to find somewhere discreet to park for the night.

The ferry arrived and all cars and passengers left so we entered a totally empty ferry with just two other vehicles. There are two young girls as the on board staff and just us and the Russian couple in the saloon. The occupant of the other car appears to have stayed in it for the two and a half hour crossing. The ferry went into port backwards so we had to reverse off, which was interesting.

I'd had a couple of ideas for overnight parking but it was too dark to see so we joined the road in the Turku direction. Sections of the road we being resurfaced and there was more traffic than I'd have liked. We'd have settled for a lay-by but then there was a left turn to Wattkast so I took it. Just by the start of a long bridge (over to Wattkast island) there was a murky area off to the left. Investigating with the aid of headlights, we found an old road descending gently to a metal barrier, the other side of which was a river. It would appear that we are at what would have been the ferry crossing before the bridge was built. We could just about make out a similar one on the other side. It should be a quiet night.

Amanda

Geoff later explored the outside of the Kökar Museum (closed) and we stopped at the beginning of the path to the site of a Bronze Age dwelling. I'm afraid I let Geoff go on alone after scrambling up over the first rocky part.

At this point we had seen all that there is to see in Kökar and the little ferry port/harbour had as good views as any as a spot to cook and eat supper before catching the ferry at 6.30. The ferry, which had come from Långnäs, hove into sight, and the several cars and one large motorhome on board disembarked. The embarkation is so swiftly done that we had hardly got the handbrake on before we were on the move. There is only one ferry a day which continues for the second leg of the crossing, and I am writing this in the lounge. It is the sister ship of the one we sailed on yesterday. There are three vehicles and five passengers on board!! And absolutely no musak, I'm very pleased to say. We had chatted a bit to the other couple on board while waiting. They are Russian, from St Petersburg, and have very little English. We had seen them earlier, in Karlby, and they had also visited the Apple place just before us.

We have just been out on deck to watch the sunset, very pretty but not spectacular, and in about 30 minutes time should arrive at Galtby. Then we just have to find somewhere to park for the night!

A little later. Our arrival was done as speedily as everything else, and included reversing off the ferry, which was a bit daunting, then finding our bearings in the dark, and straight on to a very rough road (signposted Turku 75km) which seems to be in the process of being repaired. Geoff was very pleased to turn off at the first available opportunity, and then he dived off again, onto a short rough track which led down beside a very new looking bridge crossing the water onto what we now see from the map is an island. At the end was a concrete slab by the water, with a low iron bar across, presumably the jetty for a ferry before the bridge was built. It is solid, and flat, and here we shall stay for the night. The camper is in reverse gear, with the handbrake firmly on, I hope. If this gets posted, then all was well!