Tjörn: Archipelago, Hiking Trails and Maritime Culture

Tjörn is located in a diverse archipelago: The landscape of the Tjörn archipelago comprises 1,546 islands and skerries, some of which are inhabited. On Tjörn, the sea, large deciduous forests, lakes, bogs, marshes, mountains and cultural landscapes meet.

Landscape

Toftenäs combines rocky ridges and rift valleys with a species-rich coastal flora, diverse birdlife and small-scale farming. The area is part of the Natura 2000 network and is located directly next to Skärhamn on Tjörn. Around Sundsby Manor, the park, garden and hiking trails are open around the clock all year round.

The trails near Sundsby offer views over the Stigfjord, pass through a beech grove and lead through narrow passages and caves. On the hiking trails of Dyrön, visitors can observe free-roaming mouflon, while the trails on Härön partly pass through a nature reserve and offer several alternative routes.

Hiking and Active Days

Skärhamnsvandringen is an easy route of approximately 5 kilometres through the oldest part of Skärhamn to Hamneberget. Along the way, it leads to the Maritime Museum, the town’s first post office, Brunnsparken and a Bronze Age burial mound.

Dyrön offers two differently designed trails: The yellow trail is an approximately 5-kilometre loop around the island, while the blue trail runs for 1.6 kilometres over the mountains from north to south. The relatively easy-to-walk hiking trail on Vetteberget leads to a summit 116 metres above sea level and offers views across the sea to the western horizon.

Cycling tours on Tjörn offer views of the sea and islands; gravel roads lead through old cultural landscapes. Swimming opportunities include sandy beaches and rocky bathing spots with diving towers. Paddling is possible on the Stigfjord and Hakefjord, where both open sea and sheltered bays are available.

Culture and History

The Nordic Watercolour Museum in Skärhamn opened in summer 2000 and has become an institution for watercolour art in the Nordic countries and Europe. It has guest studios for professional artists as well as an open studio where beginners can try out watercolour techniques.

The Pilane burial ground comprises around 90 Iron Age stone circles, standing stones and stone formations. Pilane also combines traces of Stone Age settlements and Iron Age graves with world-class art in a vibrant agricultural landscape. By prior arrangement, Pilane offers guided tours for groups.

The Pater Noster lighthouse is 32 metres high and was designed by Nils Gustav von Heidenstam. In 2015, it was declared a listed national monument of high cultural-historical value.

Säbygården is a large farm from the early 19th century and one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in Bohuslän. Since the beginning of the 1980s, Säbygården has been a venue for cultural activities and welcomes visitors.

The museum in Klädesholmen presents the history and development of the village, focusing on fish and herring processing from around 1860 to 1960. The community day, Samhällets dag, has been celebrated in Klädesholmen since 1972 with numerous activities and a communal herring meal.

Local and Practical Information

Several farm shops and roadside stands on Tjörn offer local produce and homemade delicacies; visitors can buy directly from the producer. The Tjörn Tourist Office gives visitors tips, provides maps and brochures, and also sells tickets for buses and ferries operated by Västtrafik.

Places

Further destination pages lead to Kyrkesund, Myggenäs, Rönnäng, Tjörn, Stora Dyrön, Rörvik, Hakenäset, Skärhamn, Kållekärr, Åstol, Bleket, Fagerfjäll, Hjälteby, Höviksnäs, Klädesholmen, Klövedal, Viks Ödegärde and Långekärr.

To the overarching travel overview: Västra Götaland.