The archipelago around Stendörren is located on the Sörmland coast between Nyköping and Trosa. It is a nature reserve consisting of two parts: a mainland section with adjacent islands, several of which can be reached on foot via suspension bridges, and an archipelago section that can only be reached by boat. On the mainland section, there is a Naturum (nature center) at Aspnäset, open in summer, and two rental cabins and several wind shelters. (Naturum tel: 0155-263180, County Administrative Board of Sörmland tel: 010-223 40 00). The purpose of the reserve is to make the area accessible for outdoor recreation, but note that camping is prohibited in the areas reachable on foot and west of the inner archipelago route. Just before the parking area at Stendörren, there is a floating dock for launching kayaks. The entire area, and especially the archipelago section, is very scenic. You paddle through a labyrinth of narrow passages where open sea is always close by. You have many fine rock ledges to choose from for rest stops or overnight stays.

How to get here and where to launch your kayak

To get here, follow road 219 between Vagnhärad and Nyköping. You can launch your kayak at Studsvik pier or at Stendörren. For Studsvik pier and Stendörren, turn off at the road sign for Studsvik. For Studsvik pier, continue past the industrial facilities and down to the water. The best launch spot is from the boat ramp at the far end of the docks. For Stendörren, turn right just over 2 km after the turnoff from road 219, at the road sign for Stendörren, and continue to the last parking area before the barrier. 150 meters before the parking area, an arrow points right to a floating dock for canoes.

Paddling around Stendörren

The archipelago section of Stendörren is unique of its kind. Within a small area, the various landscape types of the archipelago are represented, from inner archipelago to outer archipelago. A Naturum located adjacent to one of the east coast's most well-known shipping lanes enhances your own experiences with easily accessible information. The beautiful landscape where sea and land meet provides an intense nature experience. You can combine the paddling trip with a hike within the reserve. On the islands connected to the mainland, there are numerous barbecue areas and rest stops.

Launch site: Stendörren

Distance: 7.5 km

Difficulty: Easy

Map: Terrain map Sörmland archipelago, scale 1:50,000

The trip offers: Accessible living archipelago landscape, dense archipelago with narrow passages between islands, open sea, Naturum, well-maintained rest areas

You launch your kayak at the floating dock in a calm bay surrounded by cliffs with sparse pine forest. Paddle under the suspension bridge over to Stora Krokholmen, out into Fladen, and round Runnudden with its boat docks and Naturum just behind. Now you are in the inner archipelago route with often heavy boat traffic. The grazing animals at Aspnäset to your left keep the landscape open. The shoal in the middle of the fairway, Nordstjärnans grund, is watched over by a lighthouse, Fyrhuset, which has ancient origins. The fairway is difficult to navigate just here. Pass through the narrow passage northward that gave the area its name, Stendörren, and round Krampö to the right, to the southeast. Most of Krampö is not part of the reserve. You now have a fairway on your left side out in the strait toward Ringsö. When you have passed Krampö, you have the Griskär Övre lighthouse on a skerry to your right. Follow the east side of Griskär, pass the Griskär Nedre lighthouse, and round the southern point. Across the strait toward Ringsö lies Barnmorskegrundet, which surely has an interesting history. Round Griskär and paddle up into the narrow strait toward Springarholmen, round Granholmen to the south, and up through the strait toward Klovskär. This area is the most spectacular in the reserve, with narrow passages, cliffs, open sea mixed with inner archipelago. Here there are many rock ledges for resting or overnight stays, for example on the south side of Springarholmen and the west side of Klovskär. Cross Krampöfladen, the open bay you see before you, westward. Round Krampö on the south side, again through narrow passages toward the smaller islets beyond. Now you return to the inner archipelago route. Cross it northward, watching out especially for speeding motorboats, and paddle in between Stora and Lilla Krokholmen back to the floating dock where you started.

Olle Persson