Norwegians cross the border in large numbers to shop in Strömstad, because many things are cheaper here than at home, and on a Saturday the supermarkets and car parks are full of Norwegian number plates. The town is the northernmost on the Swedish west coast, just a few kilometres from the border at Svinesund, where two bridges cross the deep fjord between the two countries. With about seven thousand people, Strömstad is a lively little town, with a harbour, a spa past and plenty of summer visitors.
Off the coast lie the Koster islands and Kosterhavet, Sweden's first marine national park, created in 2009 to protect the deep, cold waters of the Koster fjord, home to cold-water corals, seals and thousands of species of marine life. Ferries run from the harbour to the islands, which have no cars, sandy beaches, rocky shores and walking and cycling paths. It is a fine place to spend a day away from the bike.
Strömstad was a spa town in the nineteenth century, when people came for the sea bathing and the mud baths, and its old wooden houses and promenade recall that era. Further south, toward Tanum, the bare granite of Bohuslän carries thousands of Bronze Age rock carvings, showing ships, animals, warriors and everyday life, some of which are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and well worth a detour.
For riders, the roads around Strömstad are narrow and winding, through rocky hills, forests and fishing villages, with views over the sea and the islands. The main road south along the coast toward Grebbestad and Fjällbacka is busy in summer but beautiful, and the smaller roads inland through the granite hills are quieter and fun to ride. Strömstad has fuel, food and plenty of accommodation, and there are ferries from the harbour to Sandefjord in Norway. The weather is changeable, with wind and rain off the sea, but summers can be warm and sunny. Seafood is excellent, especially shrimp and lobster, and the fish markets in the harbour sell them fresh.