Fika on Erstaviksbadet

The return of the sun triggered a desire to spend time at Erstaviksbadet. It’s a small beach at the end of a train line that feels like a secret location at this time of year; it’s usually deserted apart from a few joggers and dog walkers. Fika on a sunny beach was our main reason for visiting this time.

The temperature was only 8°c but we laid on the beach without coats on — just a single merino base layer for me! It felt like Summer compared to the last few weeks. We only planned to stop for fika (tea and homemade banana cake) but ended up laying in the sun for a while and eating the rest of our food. Winter has created a new level of appreciation for this glowing interstellar custard pie hanging in the sky. I can now understand why Sweden becomes a nation of sun worshippers during Summer.

This beautiful cup is called a kuksa. Traditionally made from birch and carved by the Sámi people of Northern Scandinavia. The one I have was handmade in Northern Sweden. Most people use them for coffee but we filled ours with tea instead. Well, tea with an accidental sprinkling of sand on top.

We sat looking out over the Baltic sea. Most of our time in Stockholm is spent in archipelago waters but Erstaviksbadet is where Stockholm meets the Baltic sea coast.

This beach is a sensory feast for me. Sounds of the waves and breeze with the smell of coniferous forest — which is very noticeable on warm days like this one. We hopped around the rocks for a while before starting our journey home through the forest.

Further inland, everywhere still looked stark but there were small signs of the warmer days ahead.

And debris Winter has left behind.

I’m now wondering if it’s possible to fika full time. This is an open call for someone to pay me to sit in spots like this with a hot drink and cake! Erstaviksbadet is on the hit list for a Summer swim though, so no doubt we’ll be back again soon.