On the way
While I was walking around, I came across a map of the area, with some descriptions of what you can find here. The magic word was right there - orchids! So without further ado, I rushed back to the car and drove to closest parking and tried to find the trailhead. At first I almost ended up on a nudist beach. Naked people and me with a camera… I think the risk of misunderstanding would have been considerable! But I quickly found the trailhead and the common spotted orchids were the first flowers I came across, oh happiness! And this time, there is no shadow of a doubt that these are the real McCoy. They’re so Dactylorhiza maculata ssp. fuchsii it screams.
There was a promise of even more orchids - one of them new to me - so I followed the trail. Alas, I didn’t find new orchids but some other new flowers instead, including the biggest darn bluebell I’ve ever seen. Yes I’ve been living a sheltered life..
I wish I had had more time there. The coastal environment provides its own species for flowers, just the mountains did. If I ever take the same morning ferry again (in the summertime), I will make sure to do this same stopover in Älvkarleby but with more time to spare.
At the hostel, something gave me an allergic reaction. I couldn’t quite pin down what it was, maybe it was the place itself - Laxön (Salmon Island). I’m allergic to fish…
