Outdoor swimming at Solviksbadet

You know it's going to be a good day when getting ice cream is first on the to-do list. We caught the tram from central Stockholm to Ålstensgatan and joined a line of people queueing out the door at Scarfo Gelateria, in the blazing hot sun. Hazlenut and mint for Scott, pistaccio and dark chocolate for me.

Ice cream in hand, we walked along tree lined streets to Solviksbadet, a beach and outdoor swimming area. We skipped the crowded beach and headed straight for the shady trails in search of our own quiet spot by the water.

Waiting paid off because we found the perfect spot! Scott settled on the bank but I couldn't contain my excitement so I stripped off and hobbled down to the water straight away. I planned to sink down into the water slowly — until I was wasist deep anyway! I held onto the big branch you can see and everything was going well until a wave rolled in. I wobbled, the branch snapped and I fell all the way in (much to Scott's amusement).

I could have spent the whole day dipping in and out of the water but I would have been burnt to a crisp. Scott had a paddle after me and was far steadier on his feet when the waves came — which was a shame because the camera was pointed directly at him ready for hilarity. There is some footage from Solviksbadet in our Swedish adventure — part 2 video.

It felt good to finally tick outdoor swimming in Scandinavia off my bucket list! Eating the world's best gelato was a bonus :)

Travel notes

• Hötorget (which is in central Stockholm) to Alvik — metro line 17, 18 or 19.
• Alvik to Ålstensgatan — tram line Nockebybanan 12.
• Total one way journey was around 45 minutes from central Stockholm.
• This travel route is based on stopping off at Scarfo Gelateria on the way, which you should definitely do!
• Our SL Access Cards covered the whole journey. These are pre-paid top up cards but single tickets are available at stations if you don't have one.