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A trip report shared by Långholmen Kajak – the Swedish part of Northkayak.
Häradsskär is the last outpost at the southern end of the wide Östergötland archipelago. From its bare rocks you meet the open sea and an endless horizon, and the Heidenstam lighthouse from 1863 guides seafarers in towards the coast. Just getting here by kayak is a small adventure in itself. You can stay overnight in one of the cabins on the island if you book in advance, or bring your own tent.
Start and finish: Fyrudden, a fishing harbour outside Valdemarsvik; alternatively Ekön campsite just south of Fyrudden.
Distance: 22 km round trip
Difficulty: Medium, bordering on difficult. The last 3 kilometres out to Häradsskär cross open water exposed to wind and weather.
The trip offers: An intricate archipelago, Sandö lighthouse at the fairway into the archipelago, a lagoon, open sea, an old pilot station and the Heidenstam lighthouse on Häradsskär.
From Fyrudden harbour I cross the open bay straight east towards Kättilö, one of the year-round inhabited islands in this part of the archipelago, and follow its western shore south to the southernmost point, Bådudden. Here I catch a glimpse of the open sea to the south between Kviholmen and Lilla Barnsö. It is late afternoon, and with a warming sun at my back I have decided on an evening paddle to Häradsskär, to experience the open sea and enjoy the sunset. The day's waves, built up by the afternoon sea breeze, still make for a bumpy ride wherever islands and skerries give no shelter – but north of Barnsö it is calmer.
I come out into the outer fairway that leads into the archipelago from the south. Only a few late sailors disturb the silence in the otherwise fairly busy channel. Sandö lighthouse marks the approach from the south, and here the open sea is on my starboard side. After Vässlingö I paddle quickly into Alsundet and turn right into the lagoon enclosed by Lisselfjärd and Ekholmen to the south and Långholmen to the north. It is a popular spot for boaters, but right now it is quiet and still, with no boats in sight.
Dusk is falling as I set course straight for Häradsskär across open water. The waves have settled, it is quiet, and a fantastic pink evening light rests over the water. The lighthouse and the pilot lookout on Häradsskär stand out sharply against the horizon three kilometres further out to sea.
I land in the small harbour on the western side of Häradsskär. A good alternative is the strait between Häradsskär and Stångskär – approach from the north, as the southern entrance is almost too shallow to pass. On Stångskär, below the old lighthouse keepers' houses, there is a flat grassy area where you can land. The lighthouse station actually consists of two islands, Häradsskär and Stångskär, linked by a footbridge. The view from the rocks out to sea is almost magical in the late evening light reflected in the tower windows of the pilot lookout, but this time I have no time to explore further.
After a short meal break I get back in the kayak and return the way I came. Now the water is completely still. The dark silhouettes of the islands are mirrored in the water and the shadows grow ever longer, while Sandö lighthouse stays clearly visible. It is almost dark when I reach Barnsö, where I pitch my dome tent on a rock on the south-western side of the island – the same place I camped many years ago.
The next morning brings sunshine and light winds. The open bay of Flisdjupet to the south lies calm, with the sea heaving in long, soft swells, and launching is no problem. I follow the south side of the chain of islands that separates the dense archipelago to the north from the open sea to the south. The rocky southern shores of Kviholmen and Skrakholmen pass on my starboard side, and over my shoulder I can make out the silhouette of the lighthouse and the radar mast on Häradsskär against the light.
I cross Flisörännan to Ekön campsite and beach, where I go ashore, take a quick swim from the floating jetty and cook soup on the camping stove before climbing back into the cockpit. I paddle north through Flisörännan, where the inner coastal fairway runs along the shore and boat traffic can at times be busy. Right now it is calm, with only a few leisure boats passing slowly. Ahead lies Fyrudden harbour. I round the pier and paddle in from the north to the ramp on the north side of the harbour, where no other boats are in the way. I go ashore and pull the kayak up so that it is not blocking anyone.
Häradsskär and Stångskär form their own small archipelago at the very outer edge of the islands. No one lives here permanently any more, but people have lived here for hundreds of years. Already in the Middle Ages fishermen stayed here seasonally. In 1697 it was decided that Häradsskär should have a permanent pilot, and by 1775 seven pilot families lived on the island.
Early on, Stångskär had a pole beacon – a tall pole with a white barrel on top – mentioned as early as the 17th century and the origin of the island's name (stång means pole). In 1745 it was replaced by a beacon considered at the time to be the most beautiful in the country, and in 1863 by a Heidenstam iron lighthouse. Lighthouse keepers then moved out to Stångskär, and the population grew further: between 1888 and 1935 so many people lived here that a school was needed. The lighthouse was electrified in 1960 and no longer needed keepers, and piloting continued until 1968.
The lighthouse is a landfall light: from the open sea, its characteristics let seafarers determine their position safely and make landfall on the coast and the nearest fairways. Other types of lighthouses include leading lights and range lights. The islands were fortified during the Second World War and the Cold War; the fortifications have since been removed, but a modern, fifty-metre-tall military radar mast remains.
The crossing to Häradsskär is exposed, so choose a seaworthy kayak with a spray skirt and always wear a life jacket. Bring a tent, drinking water and a camping stove if you plan to stay overnight. See our sea kayaks, inflatable kayaks, life jackets and kayak accessories.
