Runnö – Forest Trails, Tomtningar and Settlement History

Three features are particularly characteristic when choosing Runnö as a travel destination: the island can only be reached by private boat, several walking trails lead through the forest to the water, and traces of historical settlement and fishing shape the landscape. Sörgården has a public landing stage for arriving boats. Orientation on Runnö therefore begins not at a ferry station, but with your own journey across the water.

Forest, Water and a Distinctive Landscape

Runnö and the surrounding small islands lie in the transition zone between the moraine archipelago landscape in the south and the bedrock archipelago landscape in the north. The island’s sandstone also points to a landscape history reaching far back in time: it formed around 600 to 500 million years ago during the geological period of the Cambrian. For visitors, this character is most tangible where the walking trails lead through the forest to the water.

When planning your visit, Runnö Rödskär should also be taken into account. Access to this area is prohibited from 1 April to 10 July. This time restriction should be considered when choosing your route and length of stay, without extending it to other parts of the island.

Tomtningar and Traces of Fishing

Along the Kalmarsund, Runnö has the largest group of prehistoric so-called Tomtningar. These are low stone house foundations with simple superstructures that were used during seasonal fishing. Most of these sites are concentrated in the northern part of the island, within Långgloviken and Nättlevik. There, simple buildings probably served as overnight accommodation for fishermen involved in the former summer herring fishery.

Old boat landing places complete this picture. Eel fishing was the most important source of livelihood on Runnö; berry picking was an important source of income for women and children. The island was first mentioned around the year 1300 in a sailing description. These references make Runnö interesting not only as a natural destination, but also as a place with a connection to fishing, boats and seasonal work documented over several centuries.

Sörgården, Norrgården and the Island’s Architecture

The buildings are concentrated in the two villages of Sörgården and Norrgården on the western side of the island. At the beginning of the 19th century, they were relocated: the buildings around Norrgården were moved farther north, while those around Sörgården were moved farther south. The old village square lay between the two present-day clusters of settlement.

Sörgården has a row-like settlement by the water. First come the boathouses at the jetties and along the shore, followed by the houses behind them. Barns and hay sheds are located on the eastern side of the continuous village road. The boathouses are notable for their distinctive overhangs on one gable end; in some cases, these are as large as the actual space of the boathouse. At the entrance to Sörgården harbour, the Holkkvarn windmill stands on Kvarneholmen. It is a highly visible landmark at sea.

If you would like to explore more destinations, you can also discover Gullabo Gullabo and Rugstorp Rugstorp.

For the overview of destinations: Kalmar.