I first came to Skillinge in August 1996. Ann-Christin, my second wife, had sold her summer house in Pinntuvorna, which was near Skillinge, a couple of years before we met in Stockholm in 1991. She had spoken enthusiastically about the area but at that time we lived in Northern Italy and the Mediterranean was more convenient.
It was a fine sunny day when we arrived in Skillinge to stay with some of her friends. I was immediately enchanted by the harbour, narrow streets and the cottages around it. We decided to try to buy a summerhouse but in the end, we only managed to find an apartment over the local supermarket, Kopmangården.
This interesting building had been built by the 19 year old son of a brickmaker who had a sideline as a smuggler.
It was a nice apartment with views over the sea. We kept it for about a year before buying a Captain’s house in Kaptensgatan.
The key attraction of Skillinge to me was the scenery. The combination of long sandy beaches, dark blue sea and the rolling open landscape tended by the farming community. When the rape blooms bright yellow the effect is stunning.