There's one on every trip like this when using public transport. A place that you don't have any intention of going to, that you really don't want to go to, but the timetables make you visit. Try as you may, every permutation of the trip always brings you back to that place.
And so it is that I find myself in the Swedish city of Ostersund. With only two trains a day between here and Trondheim in Norway, it was a choice of either travelling up from Stockholm on the sleeper or staying the night here as the first train leaves at 07:24. My way of dealing with these places is book a hotel but do limited research and see if they surprise or disappoint.
To get here I took an Inter-City from Stockholm north for 3.5 hours to Sundsvall where I changed for a local train that travelled for 2.5 hours sort of west i.e. inland. The picture below is of the local train, very comfortable and very spacious.
Ostersund itself seems pretty average, a nice sort of place beside a large lake - there were lots of lakes on the journey here. The air here is definitely cleaner and fresher and I now feel the need to wear a jumper.
What was a pleasant surprise though was that while I was out just wandering around to see what was here, I found an English pub - The Bishops Arms - makes a change from an Irish one doesn't it! Very traditional looking inside and I've just sat down to a nice steak and a pint. Not being an ale guy, I had a 40cl (pint) of Bud but they had all sorts of English ales. On checking on the internet I have found that it is a chain operating right across Sweden so it's something to look out for when you have had enough of meatballs and open prawn sandwiches.
One word of warning though - it might be an English pub but its still Swedish prices - £6.60 a pint.
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