Scandy Trip 2023 - PART 2
A look back at my scandy adventure, crossing Sweden and into Denmark, through vast forests and countryside, exploring Theme Parks, Sightseeing and mastering the Train Network!
Kolmården - A Zoo with a twist
Day 2 involved an early start, with a 90-minute breezy train journey through the Swedish countryside south of Stockholm to visit Kolmården Wildlife Park, Sweden’s largest and most extraordinary Zoo for a number of reasons.
The bus trip from Kolmården Station climbs along a windy gradient hugging the massive picturesque Bråviken Bay, deep into the Swedish wilderness. It is the altitude and remoteness of the location of this park that makes it truly spectacular and almost a mythical land to be discovered.
You may be wondering how I heard about such a place, and the answer is from an unlikely source - a Theme Park blog during the pandemic!
Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) are the biggest and arguably best manufacturer of Theme Park rides in the United States, with innovative track designs enabling never-before-seen inversions to be created on Wooden Coasters with a combination of Wood and Steel.
No park this side of the Atlantic had invested in such a ride. Well, not until Kolmården in 2014 that is! After 2-and-a-half-years of challenging construction, especially over the winter, it was finally unleashed to the world in summer 2016.
Towering 466ft above sea level, and built into the rocky terrain landscape, it features a 187ft lift hill, with a stunning turnaround section giving 360 views of Bråviken Bay, before a 83-degree drop, a zero-g stall and a couple more inversions in an exhilarating ride from start to finish for a world-class rollercoaster experience!
An astonishing feat of engineering on an uneven landscape with various gradients, and just as astonishing, the fearless 9 and 10 year olds rushing round to give it another go! (I had 10 gos over the course of the day, as it was so good, and ranks near the top of coaster I have ever ridden!)
Of course, the Zoo itself is extraordinary too. It has a specific focus on saving endangered species (those the park deem on the “red list”) from becoming extinct, the likes of Red Pandas, Brown Bears, Rhinos, Elephants and Snow Leopards. It’s evident to see the great ongoing dedication of the keepers and the care in preserving the animals in their natural habitats.
A unique experience is a 30-minute Cable Car Safari high above the treetops in the remote Swedish forest, inaccessible on foot by the public, and a vast haven for animals such as Brown Bears, Giraffes, Moose and Deer among others. A great way to see animals largely undisturbed by humans.
Another unforgettable experience was seeing the “Flying Dolphins” show in the Marine World
Arena, which was adorable, and a reminder of the immense talent and personality of these animals, as well as the skill and dedication of their trainers.
It really was a brilliant day that delivered on so many counts!
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