Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [136]
Bornholmstrafikken (55 87 00; www.bornholmstrafikken.dk) run frequent ferries and catamarans between Ystad and Rønne, on the Danish island of Bornholm: Click here. Catamarans operate from a terminal directly behind the train station.
BUS
Buses depart from outside Ystad train station. Bus 190 runs from Ystad to Trelleborg (Skr63, one hour) via Smygehuk 12 times daily on weekdays, six times on Saturday and twice on Sunday. The direct bus to Simrishamn (Skr45, one hour) via Löderup runs three to nine times daily.
SkåneExpressen bus 6 runs to Lund (Skr81, 1¼ hours, hourly weekdays, infrequently on weekends) and bus 4 runs three to nine times daily to Kristianstad (Skr63, 1¾ hours). Local train is the only way to get to Malmö.
TRAIN
Pågatågen trains run roughly every hour (fewer on weekends) from Malmö (Skr75, 50 minutes). Other local trains run up to 12 times daily to Simrishamn (Skr39, 40 minutes).
Getting Around
There are a handful of local bus services; all depart from outside the tourist office (St Knuts Torg). Try Taxi Ystad (720 00) for a taxi or Roslins Cykel (123 15; Jennygatan 11; per day/week Skr65/295; Mon-Sat) for bike hire.
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AROUND YSTAD
Ales Stenar
Ales Stenar has all the mystery of England’s Stonehenge, with none of the commercial greed. It’s Sweden’s largest stone ship setting and an intriguing sight. The 67m-long oval of stones, shaped like a boat, was probably constructed around AD 600 for reasons unknown. Limited excavations at the site have revealed no body; it’s possible that this wasn’t a grave but a ritual site, with built-in solar calendar (the ‘stem’ and ‘stern’ stones point towards the midsummer sunset and midwinter sunrise).
The enigmatic ship is in the middle of a raised field, with an uncannily low and level 360-degree horizon. There’s a tiny shack at Kåseberga harbour offering information about the stones. Visitors do swamp the place, particularly in summer, and the harbour car park is chaotic – the one off the main road is better. From either place, the setting is a 1km walk.
Free to visit and always open, Ales Stenar lies 19km east of Ystad at Kåseberga. It’s badly served by public transport. Bus 322 from Ystad runs three times daily in summer; at other times, take bus 570 from Ystad to Valleberga kyrka (church) and then walk 5km south to Kåseberga.
Löderups Strandbad
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With its long, white-sand beaches, the Baltic resort of Löderups Strandbad, 4km east of Ales Stenar, is perfect for lounging, although it can get busy during the school holidays.
Dag Hammarskjölds Backåkra (52 60 10; Löderup; adult/under 15yr Skr30/free; noon-5pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug, Sat & Sun only rest of Aug), about 1km east of Löderups Strandbad, was a summer house acquired by the secretary-general of the UN in 1957. Hammarskjöld was killed in a mysterious plane crash in Zambia four years later; many of his unusual belongings and souvenirs were moved to this peaceful place to form a memorial museum. The old farmhouse is set in a nature reserve of sand dunes, heath and wildflower meadows.
On the edge of the Hagestad Nature Reserve, Löderups Strandbads Camping (52 63 11; sites Skr160, cabins from Skr500; Apr-Sep) is a pleasant spot in a pine forest next to the beach.
Beside the main road, the helpful STF Vandrarhem Backåkra (52 60 80; www.backakra.se; dm Skr180; mid-Jun–mid-Aug; ) has simple but cheery rooms, a great garden and bicycles for rent, plus it’s within walking distance of the beach. Book ahead in summer.
Near the campsite, the family hotel Löderups Strandbad Hotell (52 62 60; www.loderupsstrandbad.com; s/d Skr670/895, discounted to Skr515/740; ) is a popular summer spot, complete with sauna, heated outdoor pool and restaurant. Cheaper rooms (without bathrooms) are available, as are some great cabins, all