Smögenbryggan, the long wooden boardwalk along Smögen's harbour, is lined with little red, yellow and white boathouses, fishing sheds turned into shops, bars and cafes, and in July it is one of the busiest places on the Swedish west coast. Hundreds of boats crowd the harbour, music drifts from the bars, and people eat shrimp straight from the paper. Come in June or late August, though, and it is a different place: quieter, with fishing boats unloading their catch and the light glowing on the pink granite rocks.
Smögen is a small fishing village of about thirteen hundred people on an island at the tip of the Sotenäs peninsula, linked by a bridge to Kungshamn on the mainland. The village is built on bare, smooth granite, rounded by the ice and the sea, and the houses cling to the rock in tight rows. Fishing has been the life of this coast for centuries, especially herring, which brought booms and busts, and shrimp and lobster, which are still landed here and sold at the fish auction. The coast of Bohuslän is famous for its granite, its islands and its seafood.
The rocks beyond the village are the real highlight. Paths lead out over the smooth granite to the sea, with views over the islands and skerries, and in summer people swim from the rocks in the cold, clear water. The light here, especially in the evening, is extraordinary, and the sunsets over the sea are long and spectacular.
For riders on the Bohuslän Coastal Route, the roads around Smögen are short and winding, through rocky hills and fishing villages, with views over the sea. The main road along the coast is narrow and busy in summer, with tourists, caravans and cyclists. Smögen itself is small and crowded, and parking can be difficult, so it is best to leave the bike in Kungshamn and walk over the bridge. Kungshamn has fuel and supermarkets, and Lysekil, about fifteen kilometres south, has more services. The weather is changeable, with wind off the sea, and the water is cold even in summer.