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Fricamping vid sjön Erken

23 June 2020 / 13 Comments

Free camping at Lake Erken and Norr Malma nature reserve

During the last night of the midsummer weekend, we went free camping at Lake Erken in Roslagen, at Svanberga bathing area. Here we had a fantastic view of the beautiful lake, and we were surprised by a nature reserve with impressive oak trees and ... a Viking village. We start by telling you about Norr Malma Nature Reserve.

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Free camping at Lake Erken

We spent two nights at Väddö sea baths and camping during the midsummer weekend, but we had not planned the third night. That it became free camping at Lake Erken was simply because we saw a bunch of motorhomes from the road at Svanberga. We drove down to the car park, which was nicely located at Svanberga bathing area.

Fricamping vid sjön Erken, vid Svanberga badplats
Fricamping vid sjön Erken, vid Svanberga badplats
Sjön Erken och Svanberga badplats

Lake Erken is a lake in Roslagen, located north of Norrtälje. At Svanberga, in the eastern part of the lake, is Svanberga bathing place, and it was thus at the bathing place's car park that we stayed. Here we had a fantastic view of the lake, both during the day and later when the sun sank over the water. In the car park we also had some service, in the form of garbage collection and bajamaja.

Fricamping vid sjön Erken och Svanberga badplats

Svanberga bathing area at Lake Erken

During the day there were quite a lot of people at the beach, both families with children and groups of young people. People were enjoying the nice weather all day long, and many of them picked up pizza at the nearby pizzeria.

Svanberga badplats vid sjön Erken
Svanberga badplats vid sjön Erken

Norr Malma nature reserve

Already when we rolled down to the car park, we had seen that there would be a nature reserve nearby, Norr Malma nature reserve. After lunch we changed into trainers and set off on the path towards the nature reserve.

Norr Malma naturreservat, nära Svanberga badplats

The natural area is intensely green and full of wild plants and birds. Apparently there are also five species of bats.

Norr Malma naturreservat
Norr Malma naturreservat
Norr Malma naturreservat

Norr Malma Nature Reserve is best known for its magnificent oak trees. We can't remember ever walking around among so many and so large oak trees. Fascinating! A single oak tree can live for over 1000 years and is home to 1500 different species such as fungi, lichens, insects, bats and birds. Of these species, 500 are entirely dependent on the oak for their survival.

Norr Malma naturreservat
Norr Malma naturreservat
Norr Malma naturreservat

The nature reserve is beautifully situated by Lake Erken, and it is not only today that the area is beautiful. The people who lived in the younger Iron Age apparently also liked this place, and there is a large burial ground from this time.

Sjön Erken och Norr Malma naturreservat
Sjön Erken och Norr Malma naturreservat
Sjön Erken och Norr Malma naturreservat
Sjön Erken och Norr Malma naturreservat

At one end of the nature reserve, which is quite small, there are also large pastures with sheep. One poor little guy had ended up on the wrong side of the fence and panicked when we came walking. We hope that he found his way home to his family a little later.

Viking village Storholmen

Our free camping at Lake Erken offered much more than we could have imagined. The biggest surprise was still the Viking village Storholmen. We stepped right on it, and although it had not yet opened for the season, we had to come in and look. We will tell you about this in a separate post!

Göra i Uppland
Want more tips on things to do in Uppland? Click here!

Facts about Lake Erken

  • Municipality: Norrtälje municipality
  • Landscape: Uppland
  • Name: In the 1580s the lake was called 'Jerkan', and the name is thought to mean 'the clear, sparkling, shining one'.
  • Area: 23.3 square kilometres
  • Average depth: 9.1 metres
  • Maximum depth: 20 metres
  • Largest island: Södergarn
  • Fish: Perch, birch, bream, pike, pike-perch, pike-perch, pike-perch, roach, burbot and burbot.

Facts about Norr Malma Nature Reserve

  • Size: 9 hectares
  • Formation: 1982 (protected since 1955)
  • Municipality: Norrtälje municipality
  • Location: Located on the south-eastern shore of Lake Erken.
  • Other: Natura 2000 site
  • Read more: You can find more information at County Council website.

Animals and nature

  • Nature: Oak grove, meadow and pasture land and cultural environment.
  • Trees: Large oaks and also maple, ash, lime and other deciduous trees.
  • Plants: Blueflowers, whiteflowers, cowslips and fungi and lichens, some of which are red-listed.
  • Birds: Barn owl, jackdaw, wood pigeon, shoebill and others.
  • Other animals: These include five species of bats.
  • domesticated mammals: Sheep

Activities in Norr Malma Nature Reserve

  • Go for a walk: It is nice to walk in the scenic surroundings, among the oak trees by Lake Erken.
  • Discovering burial sites: In the eastern part of the reserve there is a burial ground with graves from the Younger Iron Age.
  • Visit the Viking village: Just outside the nature reserve is a Viking village, which is open for a few weeks during the summer.

Rules in Norr Malma Nature Reserve

As a visitor to Norr Malma Nature Reserve at Lake Erken, you must follow the rules and regulations. It is not allowed to:

  • Destroying or damaging rock, soil or stone by drilling, hacking, blasting, carving, digging, painting or similar activities.
  • Breaking branches, felling or otherwise damaging living or dead trees and shrubs or otherwise damaging vegetation.
  • Disrupting wildlife
  • Trapping and collecting invertebrates
  • Carrying an unleashed dog
  • Camping
  • Elda
  • Put up a board, poster, billboard, sign or make an inscription.
  • Driving a motorised vehicle or bicycle
  • Parking other than in a designated area or parking a caravan or trailer.

Finding Lake Erken and the Norr Malma nature reserve

  • Car: From Norrtälje, drive towards Svanberga. Turn off at the sign for nature reserve or at the sign for Svanberga badplats.
  • Bus: Bus towards Singö or bus towards Hallstavik from Norrtälje to stop Norrmalma.
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23 June 2020 6:00
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9 Comments

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  1. Ruth in Virginia says:

    What an absolutely FANTASTIC header! Like a dreamscape.
    The jetty is SO inviting.
    The summer has begun with the best of what Sweden has to offer.
    offer.

    23 June 2020 - 6:20

    Reply

  2. Monet says:

    Oh, how fun that you are botanising in our area! Roslagen IS fantastic and we who live here know it but exploit it a little too little. As it often happens when you have it too close to you. How many times have we driven past Svanberga? I have been there once several years ago when it was a fairly well-known inn instead of a pizzeria and thought it was fantastic to sit in the garden with a lake view. Did not have a clue if this also lpg at a nature reserve - can you walk a shorter distance only? Really looking forward to reading about the Viking village - have long wondered what it is but imagined some kind of smaller amusement park for families with children? Thank you for promoting these wonderful areas so well!

    23 June 2020 - 8:27

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Yes, very nice indeed! The nature reserve is quite small (maybe I should clarify that, thanks!), so it's great for short walks. But very nice! Vikingabyn ... well, in a way you are probably right. The target group is primarily children and families with children (but also some adult activities). We were there before they opened so it was very quiet. What we liked is that it is run by a foundation and an association (enthusiasts!) and that the association members live there during the summer weeks. They receive tourists for a few hours a day, and the rest of the time it is their holiday home. Very committed people who are passionate about their interest and know a lot about the Viking Age, we liked that! They build successfully, as far as they are financially able. We will write about it tomorrow!

      23 June 2020 - 8:37

      Reply

  3. Ditte says:

    What luck you had and that it was a successful stop. Have passed here on the way up in Roslagen but only stopped as a hurry and then we looked at the Viking village with the grandchildren.

    23 June 2020 - 15:48

    Reply

  4. Snows says:

    It's amazing how many places we discover and visit now that we can't travel abroad. It looked really nice and seemed to be an enjoyable place.

    23 June 2020 - 18:46

    Reply

  5. Ann-Louise Paulsson says:

    What a great view in the picture at the top!

    24 June 2020 - 9:31

    Reply

  6. Lena - good for the soul says:

    I can imagine that it was really powerful to walk among large oak trees. It looks nice!

    Hug Lena

    01 July 2020 - 5:53

    Reply

  7. Maria Hellsteöm says:

    We stayed at Svanberga bathing place very nice and well maintained!

    13 July 2021 - 13:58

    Reply

4 Pingbacks

  1. Vikingabyn Storholmen - outdoor museum in Roslagen | FREEDOMtravel
  2. Pythagoras Industrial Museum in Norrtälje - step into history | FREEDOMtravel
  3. Grisslehamn in Roslagen - charming on Väddö | FREEDOMtravel
  4. Kapellskär Camping in the Riddersholm Nature Reserve | FREEDOMtravel

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