Start and finish: Trosa havsbad and Sollenkroka brygga.

Distance: 167 km

Difficulty level: The described route is difficult in windy conditions, but an alternative route closer to the mainland is less exposed. In calm weather, moderately difficult.

The trip offers: Outer archipelago and open bays, open sea, well-known archipelago environments, famous lighthouse stations, historic customs and pilot stations, nature centre.

From Trosa into Stockholm's southern archipelago

Trosa is said to be the end of the world, but is despite that, or perhaps because of it, a great starting point for a trip through Stockholm's southern archipelago. From Trosa havsbad, we paddle past the Julafton lighthouse and along a chain of smaller islands that provide shelter from the open sea. After Fifång, there is a longer crossing of nearly two kilometres across the shipping lane towards Södertälje. The fog is thick and we listen intently for approaching vessels. Just as we have crossed, a ship silently appears from the fog, but by then we are already past. When we pass Örudden at the far end of Torö, we catch a glimpse of the Landsort lighthouse on the island Öja almost due south. We have now entered Stockholm's archipelago and gradually turn northward. After the wide bay towards Järflotta and an overnight stay at the Arnholmarna islands, we pass the narrow strait called Draget with remnants of old pile works. This narrow waterway was part of King Valdemar's sailing route, a sailing description from the 13th century.

King Valdemar's sailing route

More than 700 years ago, a document was recorded that describes the sea route along the Swedish Baltic coast from the island Utlängan in Blekinge to Arholma in Stockholm's northern archipelago. The sailing route then continues eastward via Åland and Finland's southern coast and ends in Reval, present-day Tallinn in Estonia. The sailing description mentions a long list of place names along the coast. The document is part of King Valdemar's cadastre from the 13th century. The author of the cadastre was the Danish king Valdemar II Sejr, who reigned between 1202 and 1241. In 1219, he conquered Estonia, which then came under Danish rule until 1346.

Approaching Utö

When we spot Nynäshamn over the tree line to the north, we turn eastward. Before us lie two completely open bays, Gårdsfjarden and Danziger Gatt, and between them the small island Mällsten. Light wind and sunshine make the mile-long crossing possible. When the wind picks up here, a crossing is not recommended. A flock of Razorbills fly curiously close over our heads before we reach Nåttarö with its friendly sandy beaches for a rest stop. From here, weather permitting, we plan to paddle in the outer archipelago past Huvudskär, Fjärdlång, and Bullerö to Sollenkroka on Vindö, just north of Stavsnäs. On many of the islands we pass, remnants of fortifications are visible – for example on Mällsten and Utö's east side – from the troubled years of the last century. We spend the night on a small islet off Hamnudden on Utö.

Visiting Huvudskär and meeting a paddling companion

Huvudskär lies furthest east in this part of the archipelago and furthest out towards the open sea. In summer heat, sunshine, and a light breeze, we first pass the remarkably dome-shaped island Borgen and reach Huvudskär by midday. Here there is an old pilot and customs station, a lighthouse from the 1930s, and a small hostel housed in the old customs building. The island suffers from water shortage, so water must be brought along. This applies almost everywhere in the outer archipelago, for that matter. But now the wind picks up; the sea breeze has free play out here on the open bays. In a crosswind, we push northwestward to Fjärdlång's west side, which offers better shelter. We have arranged to meet a friend and spend the evening on sun-warmed rocks, telling tall tales and paddling memories. A few years ago, we did a long trip along Greenland's west coast, and the year before that a trip north of Lofoten in Norway. Fjärdlång is a nature reserve that also has a hostel.

We part the next morning and paddle out towards Ängsön, following the outermost skerries past Biskopsön and Söderö to Långviksskär. The journey is tough in choppy seas with persistent wind, now from the north – i.e. headwind. Without windproof paddling jackets, we would have had to stay put and wait for better weather. Even though the wind is not directly cold, it quickly saps the strength from your body. You become chilled and easily seasick if there is a lot of rocking.

Continuing northward to Långviksskär and Bullerö

Långviksskär is a nature reserve consisting of a multitude of low skerries with narrow passages between them, and is a very pleasant area to paddle through. The area is exposed to weather and wind and requires good weather to paddle to. Approximately 8 kilometres due north lies Bullerön, a nature reserve well worth a visit. The headwind persists and we reach the small harbour after a tough paddle from islet to islet, resting and catching our breath after each short leg. On the island there is a nature centre, a guesthouse, and a cultural trail.

Calm paddling outside the shipping lanes to the finish

From Bullerön, we turn northwest and paddle in towards Runmarö and closer to the mainland. To avoid the bird sanctuary west of Bullerö, we have to make a wide detour to the north. We spend the night on a small islet next to Munkön with remarkable geological rock formations. Boat traffic is denser here closer to inhabited areas. We paddle along Runmarö's east side, past Söderby brygga. The marine forecast last evening had warned of strong winds, but nothing came of it. We get calm and fine weather all day. After the narrow strait at Skarp-Runmarö, we come out into the busy shipping lane towards Sandhamn. An unpleasant passage that we want to leave behind as quickly as possible. At Hasselö and Harö, we find a very narrow passage, very suitable for kayaks, and come out into the easternmost part of Kanholmsfjärden. Here it is calm and still. In general, in Stockholm's archipelago, if you avoid the most visited natural harbours and guest harbours and are far enough out from the developed middle archipelago, it is quiet and easy to find spots for rest and overnight stays. We send a grateful thought to Skärgårdsstiftelsen (the Archipelago Foundation), which has ensured that large areas are preserved free from exploitation and open for public outdoor recreation. We set up camp on Stora Skatholmen, one of the few islands where you can easily come ashore and pitch a tent in this inner part of the archipelago. From here, we then conclude this week-long trip by paddling to Sollenkroka brygga, where friends meet us.

The trip was completed during the first week of August and comprised the following daily stages:

Trosa havsbad – Arnholmarna, 27 km. Arnholmarna – Albroskär 41 km. Albroskär – Huvudskär – Fjärdlång 26 km. Fjärdlång – Långviksskär 26 km. Långviksskär – island next to Munkön 17 km. Munkön – Stora Skatholmen 24 km. Stora Skatholmen – Sollenkroka 6 km. Total 167 km

Olle Persson