My pages about West Coast of Sweden |
Gullholmen | Käringön | Skaftö, hiking to lovely Grundsund | |
Hälleviksstrand | Marstrand | Stocken | |
Härmanö | Mollösund | Tresticklan NP | |
Koster Islands | Ramsvikslandet |
One of our favourite spots to visit for a week during the spring, before the tourist season starts, is the West Coast of Sweden. I think this is my seventh visit to this part of Sweden, quite remarkable as I hardly ever revisit a place! I often squeeze in some all-time favourites during these visits, but I also try to discover new places. And although I have been to the cute villages of Fiskebäckkil and Grundsund before, I had never hiked the coastal stretch between the two, until today. And it didn't disappoint! A very varied hiking trail and always a pleasure to walk through picturesque Grundsund.
For now this page will be a sort of photo collage, but hopefully some day soon I will have some time to write a bit more in depth about my visit to Skaftö.
All the photos in the collage below are clickable, so you can view the larger photo.
Hiking on the island of Skaftö
From Fiskebäckskil to lovely Grundsund
Fiskebäckskil
We have an app on our phone that records our walks, which is quite fun (the App is called Komoot). The map on the left side is our recorded walk.
If you want to do the exact same hike as we did, you can find the link here: https://www.komoot.com/tour/387985645
Starting point: The harbour of Fiskebäckskil
GPS starting point: N58.250276, 11.4578591 (click to open coordinates on google maps)
Type: Loop trail
length: 12,6 km.
total height difference: 130 m
Trail signs:A combination of several trails, but not that difficult to navigate.
Difficulties:
On the ferry from Lysebäckkil
Follow the signs "Vandringsled" (which means Hiking Trail), "Gåsevik - Gröderäng - Korpelia"
On Skaftö are a number of scenic trails. The barren cliffs on the coast coexist with inland areas that offer meadows, small farms, cows and sheep.
Korpelia trail: yellow trail signs, distance 1 kilometer. The association Munkeviksleden has initiated this footpath. It starts from the bay at "Gröderhamnsängen" and winds its way up Korpeberget and away towards Stockevik harbor. With the help of steps where it is small and steep and ropes where it is extra steep or difficult to get to, you get up the mountain. A bench is in place halfway up the mountain where you can sit down, breathe out, have coffee and look out over Gåsöfjorden and the bay at Gröderhamnsängen. The mountain that the trail crosses is called Korpeberget. Lia is an old name which is an abbreviation of lid and lid means steep road and that is exactly what this line crosses, hence the name. It was inaugurated on Midsummer Day 2018.
And Up, Up, Up we go! Slowly climbing up the "Korpeberget".
The trails turns back into the forest, and after a while we pass the Cholera Cemetary at Åse. It is a desolate place, in the middle of the forest. There is not much to see here, being away from the rest of the world. The grass is growing high, and some wildflowers are thriving in this clearing in the forest soaking up the sunshine.
Åse Cholera Cemetary
But the cemetary is spot for some reflection while being in the midst of the current Covid Pandemic (June 2021). Almost a century ago, in the year 1834, at the end of summer, a cholera epedimic hit Skaftö and many died in the surrounding communities. In this cemetary 13 people were buried that didn't survive the cholera. The cemetary was erected here, on common ground, to avoid the long transport to the excisting cemetaries that were located much further away.
Sign to Munkeviksleden
It is also here that we continue our journey on the next hiking trail called "Munkeviksleden". No worries that you will miss this trail as the signs are quite obvious. We slowly wind our way through the forest down to Munkevik before continuing along the coastal strip and ending in Vigerna where the "Strandpromenaden" will take over the route towards Grundsund.
Sign to Munkeviksleden
Which way to go?
Munkeviksleden: https://www.vastsverige.com/lysekil/leder/skafto-munkeviksleden/
Strandpromenaden: https://www.vastsverige.com/lysekil/leder/skafto---strandpromenaden/
It is time to return and head back to Fiskebäckskil. We take an alternative route, a bit more inland which turned out to be a nice and very easy hike. A broad bicycle pass through the lush green forest and mainly go downhill.
Simone & Åke, June 2021, Skaftö, Sweden
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:-) Simone