About the section
Section Ålö is the wildest of all. This 12.4 km stage will enchant you.
It is worth spending an entire day exploring. Here, you will find breathtaking views, enchanting forests, sandy beaches and cliffs. You will experience a free horizon and a proximity to the sea that you can only understand once you have been here.
On Ålö, you will feel the freedom of nature and soul.
How to hike the section?
To fully experience the “wow” factor, this section should be hiked counterclockwise.
You can either arrive by boat at the dock near Båtshaket or come by bike or on foot from Utö along the gravel road.
Regardless of your starting point, turn right onto the trail and prepare for a fantastic day. The section is challenging, and you need to be able to walk in all terrains and be self-sufficient.
The sections Utö, Ålö, Rånö, and Nåttarö fit very well together.
Trail markings
Follow the trail marked with ribbons and arrows where blue represents the sea, the yellow represents the sun, and a reflecting center line represents the shimmering horizon. This also makes the trail visible in the light of a headlamp.
The marking of the trail is done in one direction, either clockwise or anti-clockwise according to “How to hike the section?”. Where it is obvious where you should walk the marking is sporadic, where it is unclear or at intersections the marking is much closer together. If you do not see a marking continue straight on the path you are on or check out your position in the digital map.
Accessibility on the trail
On Ålö, there are some options if you have a pram, or if you have limited mobility or if you use a wheelchair.
You should disembark the ferry at Båtshaket. In the summer, tyou will find afantastic summer restaurant as you leave the ferry quay. From there, you can either take the forest road along the eastern side of the bay until it transitions into a trail, or you can take the gravel road north towards Ålö Gård. About 500 m east of the farm you will find a beautiful wetland (approx. 2 km from the Quay). If you’re really strong, you can make it to Ålö Storsand (4 km from the quay).
About Ålö
On Ålö, a few families live year-round. Apart from that, it is a nature and cultural landscape like no other. Ålö has some beautiful sandy beaches, with Ålö Storsand being particularly amazing. The sand is the same as on Nåttarö and Gotska Sandön.
On Ålö, you will find a rich variety of flora, fauna, and rock formations.
At the dock where the Waxholmsbåten arrives, you will find Båtshaket, a fantastic summer restaurant.
Ålö Gård helps keep the landscape open with its grazing animals. Ålö Gård has been mentioned since the 1500s.
Ålö is now a nature reserve and is well-preserved thanks to the Archipelago Foundation, which owns and manages the island.
Plan your trip
You can travel to Ålö from Nynäshamn. You can also go to Utö and take the road to Ålö (10 km). Search for Ålö in Google’s travel planner below.
Eat, sleep and do on Ålö
Ålö is almost entirely nature. There are no large accommodations except for your own tent, respecting the Right of Public Access (Allemansrätten). In the summer, you can eat and rent bikes at Båtshaket. By bike, you can cycle 12 km to Utö Gruvbryggan along the gravel road.
With the ferry, you can continue to Rånö and Nåttarö, where you can both eat and stay.
Ålö is a gem for those who want to connect with nature. See explorearchipelago.se for more ideas.
The right of public access – an obligation when venturing into nature
In Sweden we have a common law called “The Right of public access”. It is fantastic to have the freedom to roam but it comes with obligations. The existence of the Stockholm Archipelago Trail is solely thanks to the goodwill of all landowners. In nature, we respect all people, all animals, and all protected areas. We leave only footprints behind and we take only memories with us.
Please take whatever garbage you generate back to the mainland where waste management works and is available. On the islands it is expensive and complicated. Please use public toilets or make sure that there is no trace left behind.
From March to September, dogs must always be kept on a leash.
Respect fire bans and absolutely do not light fires on the rocks. They crack.
Read more here