Allemansrätten, or the Right of Public Access, is one of the unique joys of Sweden. It allows anyone to roam freely in the countryside, swim and travel by boat in someone else’s waters and pick mushrooms and berries in the forest.

Sunday 17 July 2011

Less of a perch, more of an armchair!

Yes, you heard correctly, an armchair!
That's the best way I can describe my new Sparton Cruiser float tube.
I spent an afternoon casting gold-headed nymphs & mini-muddlers on Simmesjon. Paired with my diving fins the Sparton Cruiser is a revelation, very comfortable to fish from, much quicker moving through the water than my old round tube &, best of all, so much easier to get in & out of (especially when you need a pee)!


Here it is, one tricked out float tube.

No trout this trip but a dozen assorted perch all caught (& returned) on the fly!

Update!
The deer have returned too! A roe doe munched her way around the hay field behind Munch's Hideaway before settling down in the small stand of trees in the middle.

Wierd Poo - an update!

Well it's official, it's (most likely) BEAR POO!!!!!!!!!!!


Talking to our neighbours, they have confirmed that bears are regularly sighted close to "Munch's Hideaway", two females have been seen with cubs along with a couple of young males.


(Unfortunately these are not the culprits of the poo but two cubs playing in their enclosure at Jarvzoo in 2010).

June 2011

I know, you can't believe just how imaginative I can be when I title a new post. What can I do, I'm middle aged, bald & according to the "Hairy Bikers", I'm a master "wok smuggler"!
Well, we've been back to Munch's Hideaway for another month of relaxing, fishing, wildlife watching & doing a few chores.
Being the spontaneous & exciting guy that I am, the first thing I did when I got there was to cut the grass, in my defence I find it relaxing after two & a half days driving & like most blokes I enjoy tinkering with machinery (aka the mower).

I remembered my salt-lick block this time &, as luck would have it, when I sited it at the bottom of the garden I found this on a small birch close to where I've put the block.


To me it looked like a Roe had been rubbing velvet from his antlers & had scored the bark.

I thought I'd check out a new fishing spot & took a drive out to Bergtjarn,


Cool!

I also fitted some kevlar skid plates to the "Nice Beaver". I decided to fit these as the canoe is there for anyone visiting Munch's Hideaway to use.


Not the easiest thing to do but, with lots of help from Mrs Labrador, & a blowtorch we got the plates fitted. Just need to take out some West System epoxy & filler powder next year to smooth out the edges.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Am I related to the new Robin Hood?

A few weeks ago, my nephew Harry competed in his first (NFAS) 3D field archery competition at Broadland Bowmen in Norwich. Well, as you can see from the following pictures, Harry has an amazing talent with a bow........

First, the practice butts,


Then onto the 3D course proper........





Harry was awarded a silver medal in his first ever competition & was only a handful of points away from a "Master Bowman" medal. Well done Harry, only a matter of time now before you're representing England at the World Champs!