Nykvarn: Hiking Trails, Nature and Culture

On the southern shore of Lake Turingen in Nykvarn runs the orange-marked Turingeleden: the trail is 3.8 kilometres long. Together with the trails in Jägarskogen Nature Reserve, the protected areas and the canoe route, it offers a varied programme combining time outdoors with cultural history. For planning, there are both specific route lengths and individual places whose histories span several centuries.

Hiking Trails and Nature Reserves

If you compare trails by length, Turingeleden offers a 3.8-kilometre route. The full loop in Jägarskogen is 3 kilometres long. A 1.5-kilometre section is suitable for pushchairs; the western “Strandstigen” is about 0.7 kilometres long. These figures distinguish the loop, the designated section and the shorter trail, so they need not be confused with one another.

Jägarskogen Nature Reserve lies on the northern shore of Yngern. There are marked circular trails, a bathing spot, a lakeside barbecue area and a wind shelter. The stated purpose of the protected area is to preserve and develop a varied forest with high natural values and great importance for local recreation. Lake Yngern itself is deep, large and highly indented, and offers numerous fishing spots.

Björkviksmossen Nature Reserve in Nykvarn Municipality offers a different landscape. It has been protected since 1996 and covers 15 hectares. The small pine bog is surrounded by coniferous forest that appears close to its natural state; species on the Red List that require protection occur there. The concise area figures and habitat description give this reserve a distinctive character alongside the forest and lake area of Jägarskogen.

Plan a Hike or Canoe Trip

For a longer hike, a connecting section of the Sörmlandsleden trail passes through old forest to the northern part of Yngern and reaches Sandtorpsbadet after about 6 kilometres. It starts about 100 metres west of Nykvarn railway station. This means there are longer hiking options alongside the shorter routes, as well as a specific reference point at the station to help with planning.

On the water, the 27-kilometre Åkers Styckebruk–Nykvarn canoe route runs via Visnaren, the Marviken lakes, Klämmingen, Stora and Lilla Kvarnsjön and Gullsmorasjön to Lake Yngern. The route is easy to paddle and includes seven portages; the longest is 700 metres. If you are weighing up hiking versus paddling, you will find different planning considerations here: marked trails ranging from less than a kilometre to about 6 kilometres, and a canoe route where the portages are also useful to know about.

Church, Local History and Special Experiences

The oldest part of Turinge Church dates from the 12th century. In the entrance hall is a runestone from the 10th century, bearing one of the longest inscriptions in Södermanland. The church also has a funerary chapel designed by Erik Dahlbergh, considered one of Sweden’s more significant Baroque monuments. The runestone, oldest building section and funerary chapel each represent different aspects of local and art history.

Smedsbygget is a local heritage museum in a former residence for the enterprise’s blacksmiths and presents exhibitions on local history. A monument in Nykvarn was erected to mark a person’s 300th birthday and faces the person’s former estates. Together with Turinge Church, the museum offers a way to explore local history through buildings, exhibitions and a monument.

Taxinge Castle also combines architectural history with a café visit: the present main building was constructed between 1806 and 1813 and has undergone no major changes since. The café offers around 65 varieties of home-baked goods; the selection may vary seasonally. Coffee is served in the library or, weather permitting, in the park.

In central Nykvarn, Folkets Park is a hundred-year-old retro attraction with a rotunda, refreshments and space for mini golf, boules and other activities. As activity details may change, check the current offerings before your visit. Lådbilslandet in Nykvarn is presented as a full-day family experience with activities for children aged 3 to 9. These destinations offer a different focus from hiking trails and nature reserves and can shape plans for a stay with a cultural or family programme.

The route distances help you compare hiking options; for the canoe trip, you also need to consider its length and portages. This makes it possible to look for a hotel suited to the kind of stay you actually have in mind, rather than trying to squeeze every experience into the same itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Nykvarn, Huddinge, Norrtälje, Södertälje, Upplands-Bro, Stockholm, Tyresö, Danderyd.

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