I invited a friend for a hike in the archipelago to enjoy early spring. We wanted to see migratory birds, cranes, geese, and catch the first wild flowers waking up after winter. My friend is an archaeologist; he knows of every Viking Age treasury hoard, Bronze Age relic, and Stone Age settlement found in the area. I also brought the dog along. Good company for the day. We didn't meet anyone else there.
I chose our destination for the day: Eriksö, a nature reserve off the coast of Mörkö south of Botkyrka. Here the land has risen through the ages since the ice retreated at the end of the last ice age. In between rocky ridges, a local farmer even today tend to patches of pasture and farmland. Pine trees, birch trees and occasional oak grooves cover the hills. Here and there the landscape opens into views over water, a calm brackish sea with many small islands scattered.
I visited Eriksö last year also end of March and knew there was a good chance to see cranes there. The weather forecast promised temperatures between 1 and 9 degree Celsius, very little wind and clouds clearing for sunshine in the afternoon. Perfect.
I decided to take the scenic route there through southern Botkyrka. Once you leave the villas and high rises of northern Botkyrka, it is all pasture and forest as you make your way through the hilly landscape on winding roads. An added bonus is the charming little ferry that takes you over Skanssundet to the northern tip of Mörkö.
One of the first things you notice when you step out of the car is how calm and quiet everything is. Except for the birds, of course, who are busy chirping away on such a sunny day. No sound of human activity. No cars, boats, or planes.
The trail is about 8 km. The eastern part is on hard road while the western part takes you over muddy pasture and wet marsh land so be sure to bring sturdy boots. The dog enjoyed the cow dung and quickly earned himself an extra bath for the week. We made our way to the southern tip of the island and found a scenic spot to prepare and enjoy our lunch. We also made time for a game of Nine Kingdoms, under open sky on a flat rock.
Happy and tired we returned to the car after having lost ourselves in time for a couple of hours. We did see both cranes, geese, deer, elk, cows and predatory birds on the trail or on the road there. On our way back home, we stopped at the local medieval church. It has a charming wooden belfry, an oversized mausoleum for the local nobility, and a badly damaged Viking Age rune stone.
Mange tak!