Stones and tea and stones and tea
Planning for two more days in Scåne the girls found a map and studied some possible destinations mostly involving tea and rocks…
First we drove as far as we could down to the southern tip of Sweden, parked the car and commenced walking…
…and after a bit more than a kilometre we arrived at the national historic site of the Ales Stones…
…it was a foggy day so the sea was as grey as the sky.
The stones are positioned in the outline of a ship, and they are big! The tallest ones at “prow” and “stern” are taller than the human!
Photos usually show the stones from the air! Taken from the ground it is harder to get a sense of the ship-shape, but they were impressive nonetheless.
Not far away was the little town of Ystad where we found a cup of tea in one of the old timbered buildings lining the cobblestone streets.
The next day we found the “kings grave” in Kivik… these stones have a strange story… the diameter of this stone pile follows the known size as recorded in the 17th century, but most of the rocks were removed over time to build other things, and the central tomb was looted. “Experts” in the early 1900’s decided to “restore” the shape of the stone pile but made it into a Phoenician style tomb, because they were sure there was some connection. The tombstones stones inside are actually very interesting with petroglyphs etc.
After speculation, interpretation, and much perambulation, it was very pleasant to have a cup of tea, an open-faced sandwich and a little cake. This is a really nice coffee shop called Alunbruket near Brosarp! It is a little hard to find but so worth it! And look at the teacup! It’s the same pattern that my Swedish grandfather treasured… I have two of his cups (though as a typical Swede, he preferred to drink coffee in them)!
It’s the end of our visit to the countryside of my fore-fathers and mothers…it was so nice to tramp around and visit places and see the views and vistas they saw too, satisfying and enriching, I am so glad we came here.
On to the next part of our adventure!
Quimper Hittys 
And I’m so glad you like to share! Thank you
❤️ You are welcome!
When I first looked at the picture of the Ales stones it looked like the stone circles round here but that ship shape is quite different. The weather doesn’t seem to be particularly good for you but you are visiting such interesting places and I am loving seeing your photos. Good places to stop for something to eat and drink really help make a vist special don’t they? Thank you for taking us along with you.
We were hoping to see the stones, and were not disappointed! These monuments are quite special I think. The ships must suggest a strong involvement with maritime culture! There were some stone circles too, and they were petty interesting too.
The Ales stones look like a group of women in shawls, watching and waiting for the fishing boats to come back in.
They are in the right location! It wasn’t a clear day when we were there but if it had been, anything approaching would have been very visible!
Journeying with you has been very “satisfying and enriching” for this reader too…thank you for these narrative gifts.
You are more than welcome! I am enjoying the trip, and enjoying sharing it with you!
thank you so much for sharing, I can almost walk down that path and stand amongst the stones, feel the fog and smell the sea. Love grandfather’s china and the log cross treatment on the top of the thatch roof at the coffee shop is really interesting.
There seems to be quite a variety of styles in cottage roofs. That teacup was a complete surprise and another whisper from the past for me.
what an adventure you are having. Pretty special to be able to visit a place that you knew your ancestors came from. Those stones are amazing. in the shape of ships? how intriguing.
It is special! I am so lucky!! I loved seeing the ship stones, in their remote location overlooking the sea.
Like a miniature Stonehenge! Must have been a place of ceremony. Looks like the girls had a wonderful wander about and then delicious food 🙂
I am enjoying your posts about your Scandinavian travels!
The stones were larger than I imagined when I first read about them, and very evocative! The food is amazing! I am really enjoying the whole trip!