Heby between Nature Reserves and Culture

Heby draws attention to Färnebofjärden National Park: its mosaic landscape of distinctive habitats was shaped over thousands of years by recurring floods along the Lower Dalälven. More than 100 bird species regularly breed in the national park.

Nature

Östa Nature Reserve is located on a peninsula in the Dalälven. Sandy beaches, gnarled pines, forest hiking trails and expansive marshes define the landscape. The reserve includes a campsite, wind shelters, fire pits, a birdwatching tower, parking areas, information boards, dry toilets and bathing areas.

Several trails explore the surroundings in different ways: the approximately 5-kilometre-long Gula stigen runs through Östa Nature Reserve. The 10-kilometre-long Gröna stigen leads to the Stormossens fågeltorn birdwatching tower and the Ingbo-Källorna springs. The 2.5-kilometre-long Röda stigen is easy to walk and passes the beaches of Östa.

Aspnäs Nature Reserve encompasses grazed cultural landscapes and flowering meadows in the immediate vicinity of Lake Tämnaren. The old Aspnäs manor church stands at a site with medieval origins and can be visited. Lake Tämnaren is one of Uppland’s richest lakes in terms of birdlife; many protected species breed there, while numerous migratory birds stop there in spring and autumn.

Hårsbäcksdalen Nature Reserve is a 20-metre-deep gorge with lush vegetation. Easily accessible paths, rest areas and fire pits are among the reserve’s facilities; a complete circular hike through Hårsbäcksdalen is approximately 3.7 kilometres long.

In Ingbokällorna Nature Reserve, the crystal-clear water has a blue-green colour that changes depending on the light and the season. The largest spring at Ingbo-Källorna releases 4.3 million litres of water every day.

Hiking

In Skattmansödalen Nature Reserve, several marked trails follow the Upplandsleden for 1.6 kilometres from the ski slope to the historically interesting site of Ytterkvarn. In total, five stages of the Upplandsleden pass through Heby Municipality.

Stage 19 of the Upplandsleden in Tärnsjö, known as Kyrkstigen, is 9.5 kilometres long and passes through a historic landscape that has been used by people for a very long time. Stage 22 begins at the Tenasjön bathing area in Vittinge and is also 9.5 kilometres long. There is a car park for this stage; the Rosenbacka bus stop is approximately 2.5 kilometres from the starting point.

The 20-metre-high Skekarsbotornet observation tower offers wide-ranging views and the opportunity to spot, among other things, white-tailed eagles and ospreys. At Gårdsjö Älgpark, the moose tour provides information about the lives of moose in the wild and in the park; questions can be asked during the tour. The approximately one-hour moose safari takes place entirely outdoors and uses authentic “Grålle” tractors from the 1950s and 1960s made by Massey Ferguson.

Culture

At the locality level, Heby, Östervåla and Tärnsjö are directly assigned localities.

The Heby Tegelbruksmuseum is housed in a former brewery building made of handmade bricks from Juhlins tegelbruk brickworks. Using presses, equipment, tools, bricks and photographs, the museum presents the history of the brickworks and the lives of their workers. The permanent exhibition includes sculptures by Sonja Petterson and paintings by ÅC Danell.

Heby Municipality has a rune stone museum open to visitors and several rune stones. Studio Kapellet is a venue for community art in a former Baptist chapel dating from 1890 in Staffansbo, Östervåla. Performances, workshops and social gatherings are held there; it also includes a sculpture garden.

In Östervåla, a museum displays a 1920s carpentry workshop and a large collection of various Östervåla chairs. Tant Fridas stig is a sculpture park with a walking path beside the former brewery building on both sides of the Örsundaån River.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Östhammar, Håbo, Älvkarleby, Enköping.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Uppsala.