Overview Map of Saint Anna & Gryt

The cairn up top has been used by seafarers for a couple of centuries.

‍Travel tip: Good route when you're out for 6+ days, for shorter trips you'll probably start heading south when you reach the islets south of Aspöja.

The rocks here display very special and colourful folding patterns – winding dark bands of pyroxene-rich minerals meander in a snake-like pattern between layers of white and red marble. There is also a giant kettle hole. Read more in How Ice Shaped These Lands.

There is a restored hunting cabin from the 1700s on Melskär, likely its history dates all the way back to the Middle Ages. For centuries, island dwellers used the outer parts of the archipelago as hunting and fishing grounds. In early summer, thousands of molting Eiders can be heard from the outer skerries!

In a little bay on the island, we find sea dog Mats’ rustic pub. He's taking a little break from feeding the public this year, but we dine here for our Flavours of Archipelago tour.

The restaurant and farm shop is in a historic storage house for grains. It's been moved here from further inland, rebuilt peace by peace. They make many of their dishes using lamb and beef from Anna-Karin's farm on Missjö.

‍Travel tip: Uvmarö is located quite far into the inner archipelago and is a good option if you’re experiencing some windy weather. To continue, you can cut south through the long narrow boat passage and end up by Väggö.

The cliffs along Väggö's eastern side are impressively high with steep precipices crashing into the water.

Be sure to look down at the vast bladder wrack forests on the seabed as you approach the island! The many protected creeks attract many birds, e.g. Velvet scooters, Tufted Ducks and Mergansers. On the northern part of the island, there is a small lake covered with pretty white water lilies.

Smooth rocky beaches and knotty old pines dominate the islands, which are unusually large for such a far out location. A short hike will take you around the beautiful little lake on Ytterö.

Innerö is hillier with aspen and spruce trees, climb up the hills to get a splendid view of the archipelago. Shallow areas are home to waders like Oystercatchers and Sandpipers, and colonies of Arctic terns.

Kråkmarö has a long history of human activity and there used to be as many as 16 homesteads here. Many of the old houses have been restored as summer homes, and the settlement hasn’t changed much since people lived here permanently.

There are many remnants from the mining era. Steep, water-filled shafts and massive piles of waste rock stand as testaments to the extensive work undertaken here. You can also find a few old house foundations.

You can often spot White-tailed Eagles soaring past here! The cairn has been a navigation mark for centuries, and there was also a fire beacon for signalling danger to neighbouring areas. In the event of peril, the beacon at Harstena was lit. This could be seen from Gubbö, where the next beacon was then lit, and so on down the coast.

The traditional homestead at Håskö is one of few year-round operations in the area. There is a great self-served wood-fired sauna right by the waterfront at a very reasonable price. If you wanna go really luxurious, there is also a wood-fired hot tub, pricier for sure and need to be booked in advance.

If you’re lucky, you may catch Göran's alder-smoked salmon still warm right from the smokehouse, otherwise it's for sale in the kiosk.

If you're out for 5 or more days, and winds haven't been too unfavourable, you'll make it all the way to Fyrudden. Well done! There is a large marina here with a few shops and a couple of restaurants.

Here stands Sweden's oldest iron lighthouse, constructed in 1863 and still in use today. The last lighthouse keeper moved away in the sixties, when it got switched to electricity, and these days the island is uninhabited. At its peak more than fourty pilots, lighthouse keepers and their families lived here. The old cottages where the islanders lived are still here.

‍Travel tip: The route to Häradsskär is very exposed, but well worth it if you're up for a challenge! You will more likely have enough time to visit the lighthouse if you're out for 6+ days.

Pop into her little café for a cinnamon roll and some coffee.

‍Travel tip: You may finish here if you're out for a shorter trip or taking it pretty easy. It's also a good place to fill up your water and take a break along your route. Harstena is your better option for a water top-up, since it's further out, but it's nice to have a more sheltered option too.

The black cairn up top has been used as a navigation mark by seafarers for at least three hundred years.

The Missjö archipelago is a bird lover’s paradise! Arctic Skuas, Ruddy Turnstones and Razorbills breed on the barren islands closest to the open sea. A little further in, you’ll find Arctic terns, Oystercatchers, and Mergansers. Seals are spotted regularly by Norrbådarna and Ådskär! Read more in Birdlife, Grey Seals and Marine Life.

There is a whole village of rental cabins here and many services for the guests and visitors. The restaurant has some great seafood options. There is also a well-stocked country store, sandy beach and stand-up paddle board rental.

Around 20 people live permanently in Aspöja village. It's much less visited than Harstena village further south, and incredibly serene and beautiful. Pop by the tiny farmshop that sells home-grown veggies, Forsman's restaurant, and walk one of the nature trails.

‍Travel tip: The clusters of islets south of Aspöja are arguably one of the most beautiful settings in the archipelago. It's a great area to spend your first night and appr. 2.5–3 hours paddle from our launch.

Look out for the beautiful Great Crested Grebe, it breeds around here! So does the majestic Grey Heron, the largest coastal bird of the archipelago.

‍Travel tip: We'll go through route suggestions during the briefing. Normally you'll head northeast first, towards the large island Aspöja and then work your way south from there. In 5 days or more, it's common to finish all the way at the bottom of the chart, at Fyrudden. But you also have the option to finish at Mon, Gunvor's or back at the launch if you like.

Harstena is by far the most visited spot in these archipelagos. You’ve probably barely seen a soul on your journey until now, and it’s great fun to meet the locals. Read more in the Culture and History of the Islands.

‍Travel tip: You’ll likely reach Harstena on day 3 (or 4 on a longer trip) if you follow our route suggestions.