About the section
The hiking section on Ornö gives you the chance to experience it all. Beautiful forests, cultural landscapes, winding paths over rocky areas, open grazing lands and a vibrant island.
The hike takes you up to heights with stunning views, through forests and along coastal trails. Ornö is the longest section on the Stockholm Archipelago Trail.
Experiencing Ornö is more than a day trip; it is a journey for the soul.
How to hike the section?
The section can start from four different places. You can hike from Hässelmara, where the “Waxholms ferry” and the car ferry from Dalarö arrives. Ornöboda, the northernmost point of the trail where the Waxholm boat docks across from Kymendö is the most hard-core option as you can only hike out on the trail from there. You can begin at Lättinge quay, close to the island’s two different accommodations, or start at Ornö Church, which we actually recommend as your endpoint.
We highly recommend hiking the section clockwise if you intend to hike it in full. That way, you experience everything. The section along Ornö’s western side is marked in a southern direction from Hässelmara to Bodal, where the yellow trail continues from the trail hub to Kråkmora and Lättinge.
Between Lättinge, Hässelmara, and Skinnardal, the SL bus (public transport) runs along the paved road.
If you split the section into two, you can stay either at Ornö Skärgårdshotell in Brunnsviken by Lättinge or at Sundby B&B. Both are accessible by the bus that runs along the paved road in the middle of the island, allowing you to start or finish wherever you like.
In Kyrkviken, below Ornö Church, there is a store, a restaurant, a bread shop and a summer restaurant by the guest harbor, next to the quay where the Nordsyd linjen (North-South ferry line) arrives.
In some sections, the trail is clearly marked; in others, we rely on existing markings. With the help of the digital map, the step-by-step instructions, or the physical map, you will find your way with ease.
The sections of Ornö, Fjärdlång, and Utö work well together.
Trail marking
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.
On Ornö specifically, there is a section that follows an existing blue marking, from Söderviken to Fiversätra. Another section follows a yellow marking, between Bodal and Kråkmora/Lättinge.
Accessibility on the trail
On Ornö, there are several sections where you can get around with a stroller, or with a wheelchair or if you have limited mobility. We recommend the stretch from Hässelmara to Bodal, where you can also take the opportunity to swim. Around Ornö Church, the community & heritage center and down to the water at Kyrkviken is a very nice area to visit. There, you will also find the restaurant and the bread shop.
Other areas are a bit more challenging.
Frequent questions about Ornö
The bus on Ornö runs between Lättinge, Sundby, Ornö Church, Hässelmara, and Skinnardal. It runs several times a day, and you can use your SL card or purchase a single ticket.
Nordsyd linjen (the North-South line) is a ferry route that operates for 7 weeks during the summer. It runs from Norrtälje to Sandhamn and from Sandhamn to Nynäshamn, back and forth. On Ornö, it stops at Kyrkviken.
With this ferry, you can travel to both Fjärdlång and Utö.
About Ornö
Ornö is the largest island in Stockholm’s southern archipelago, bordering the outer archipelago, in Haninge Municipality. It is an island with about 300 year-round residents. The car ferry to Dalarö and the proximity to the mainland makes Ornö an attractive place to live.
Ornö has beautiful forests, rocky outcrops, orchids, twelve inland lakes and two nature reserves. The island is rich in wildlife and birdlife.
During the Bronze Age, before the land uplift, a seal-hunting population lived on the islands that later became Ornö. After the land rose and from the 1400s onward, cottages and farms on Ornö are mentioned in written records. By the 1500s, there were about 30 farms and cottages, which more than doubled by the 1800s.
In 1719, nearly all of Ornö was burned down during the Russian raids, requiring all the farms to be rebuilt. Sheep and cattle were essential for the farmers, as was fishing. Fish was rowed or sailed into Stockholm for sale. In the early 1900s, Sundby Manor divided and sold land for recreational housing.
Today, there is a school, a church, a restaurant, a bread shop, a grocery store, a museum, a library and community&heritage center near Ornö Church. There is also a kayak rental station for exploring the islands around Ornö. Sundby has a B&B, and in Brunnsviken by Lättinge, there is the Ornö Skärgårdshotell.
Plan your trip
You travel to Hässelmara on Ornö from Dalarö with the car ferry year-round. During the summer, you can take the Nordsyd linjen (North-South ferry line), as well as travel from Stockholm City via Saltsjöbaden and Tyresö to Kyrkviken. Lättinge is less trafficked, and from Ornöboda, there is only a trail to hike out from.
Search for Hässelmara, Kyrkviken, Lättinge, or Ornöboda in the Google travel planner below.
Eat, sleep and do on Ornö
On Ornö you can stay at Sundby B&B or at the Ornö Skärgårdshotell in the Lättinge bay.
All other services are found next to the church in Kyrkviken. There you will find the two restaurants; Ornö Krog and Gittans strandbar You will also find the Ornö bread shop, The local museum, Ornö church, the Community & Heritage center, the school, the convenience store and the library.
If you want to combine hiking with paddling, you can rent a kayak at the Kayakomaten in Kyrkviken and set out to explore.
In end of Brunnsviken, near Lättinge, you will find Ornö Boat Yard. This charming spot offers small camping cabins, a guest harbor, a micro-store and a small café. Additionally, you can enjoy a sauna and rent bicycles for further exploration.
Ornö offers beautiful hiking trails, refreshing swimming spots and a warm welcome.
See explorearchipelago och Orno.se for various 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