Stockholm to London 2025

Summer 2025, now long gone. 3 unforgettable weeks from Stockholm – Goteborg – Kobenhavn – Hamburg – Rotterdam – London.

I flew BA from London with my Genesis CdF 50 (2020 model, GRX, DT Swiss wheels). The bike and all camping gear fit as part of the luggage allowance on economy.   

My trusted Robbens Starlight 2 tent was overkill for summer, but its total waterproofing means no matter the weather I always get a good night sleep. Summer storms, warterlogged fields, shearing winds, bring it on. This time, two days of mild rain over 3 weeks made it all easy.  Sweden was sweltering with daytime temperatures around 30C, which I didn't expect.  

First time **touring with aero bars** and…. boy, oh boy, why didn't I do this before? **Total game changer**.

Sweden blew me away, as the photos and videos hopefully show. Endless gravel through endless forests, long days always finishing by a swim on lake all to myself, lots of wildlife (martens, woodpeckers, snakes, rodents, birdlife everywhere,  and only a few midges on one single day), in a whole week of solitude, peace, and silence on the saddle, between Stockholm and Gothenburg. 

There are very few shops and supermarkets available in rural Sweden, even in small hamlets and villages, so I was running out of water often in the heat in the first two days, until I realised that cemeteries not only have shade, but also water taps. So, I started hanging out with the dead several times a day for the first week.

Saw a serious motorbike crash right in front of me, in the middle of nowhere… it's so easy to relax too much on empty rural roads when you only pass one car or so per hour! Rider was conscious but not moving by the time the ambulance arrived.

In Gothenburg and down to Denmark, civilisation returns, and I had a good time, but not comprarable to that first week. Everything else seemed a bit *meh* by comparison. Gothenburg is a lovely little city, lots to see and for a place that size. Lots of history too, and shopping, if you're so inclined.

Denmark's Kattegat coast is gentle, easy, rich and pleasant, almost too pleasant, and cars are ever-present, especially coming from the Swedish wilderness.

Germany, Holland and all the rest aren't worth describing. Sweden is my new favourite bikepacking country!

For previous trip reports, see

[France, Belgium and Netherlands](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/comments/1cxfppg/trip_report_belgium_france_netherlands/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) 2024

[French Alps 2024](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/comments/1g9coyw/climbing_the_french_alps_ventoux/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)