This year’s scout camp is nearly here so we’ll get plenty of camping and outdoors activities soon. But Adrian still wanted to go camping with just us as well, and Ingrid came as well.

We’ve tented in Tyresta before, and Paradiset. Those two are my favourite nature reserves near Stockholm, beautiful and varied and easy to reach. This time I thought we’d try a new spot, so we aimed for a tenting spot next to lake Stensjön.

Somehow the preparations took me most of the day, even though I started just after breakfast. Getting all the gear, packing my own stuff, helping Adrian pack, shopping food, prepping food… by the time we were at the parking lot at Brakmaren, it was already six o’clock. We had a four-kilometre hike to the lake, and then there was a fire to build and light, and dinner to cook. (For dinner we had our traditional “hajkbomb” and then a delicious dessert of sauteed apples with chopped nuts and chocolate and cinnamon.)

Adrian went to sleep in the tent, while Ingrid and I went for a late night swim. There was a small island quite close to the shore – too far for the children to swim to on their own, but close enough for me and Ingrid. The weather was quite chilly so we didn’t stay on the island for more than just a moment. During our swim back, we had company of a bat that swooped by very close to us, just above the water.

When we got back, we found Adrian still awake, because the tent wasn’t like home, so we also went to bed to keep him company. Just as Ingrid went for a last pee in the dark, some animal rustled in the bushes right next to her. I joked about bears and elephants, but I wonder what it really was. Fox? (Those don’t make much noise, though, I believe…) Badger?