Dalarö and the southern archipelago by boat: 5 routes

Dalarö is the gateway to the southern Stockholm archipelago. From this old pilot and customs village you can reach the sheltered sounds of Ornö, the natural harbours of Fjärdlång, the mining village on Utö and the sandy beaches of Nåttarö within an hour and a half. As you leave the harbour you pass Dalarö skans, the star-shaped fort that has guarded the southern approach to Stockholm since the 1600s. It suits short afternoon trips and long days alike.

Where can you rent a boat near Dalarö?

On Ship O'Hoi, private owners rent out their own boats, from small motorboats and RIBs to daycruisers and sailboats. You can rent a boat in Dalarö where these routes start, rent a boat in Haninge for more options, or rent a boat in Tyresö further north. Each owner states in the listing what experience or certificate they require, and some owners can come along as skipper if you would rather not navigate yourself.

5 boat trips from Dalarö

In Sweden a gästhamn is a guest harbour, a marina where visiting boats pay per night, and a naturhamn is a natural harbour, a sheltered bay where you anchor or tie up to the rocks for free. Distances are estimated from the chart, from the guest harbour at Askfatshamnen on Dalarö's south-west side. Always plan with a chart or chart app, and allow time for speed-limited stretches.

Dalarö skans and Gålö – a short afternoon trip

Approx. 5 nm one way, 20–30 minutes in a planing motorboat. Start by rounding Dalarö skans on the islet of Stockskäret just south of the village. Work on the fort began in 1656; it was rebuilt to Erik Dahlberg's design and was ready for defence in 1724. The star shape of the walls is clearly visible from the water, and the public can visit the island by private boat. Continue west to Gålö, a nature reserve managed by Skärgårdsstiftelsen, the Stockholm Archipelago Foundation. At Skälåker on Gålö havsbad there is a popular sandy beach and a campsite, and rocky bathing spots around the island.

Tip: West of the fort the limit is 8 knots from 15 May to 15 September, and 7 knots applies in the sound off Dalarö harbour. It is one of the busiest stretches in the area.

Ornö and Kyrkviken via Kymmendösund

Approx. 6 nm one way, 25–35 minutes. The route south runs through Kymmendösund, where the limit is 8 knots, and on to Kyrkviken on Ornö. The island's centre lies around this bay, with a guest harbour, a fuel station on the water selling petrol, and a kiosk. For a quieter berth, continue to Ornö Båtvarv in little Brunnsviken on the Mysingen side, where you moor alongside or to a buoy in about 3 metres of water, with electricity, a shower and a sauna.

Tip: 8 knots applies in the dredged channel into Kyrkviken. Fill up here if you are heading on towards Utö.

Fjärdlång – natural harbours towards Nämdö

Approx. 7 nm one way, 25–40 minutes. Fjärdlång lies north-east of Ornö, towards Nämdöfjärden, and is one of Skärgårdsstiftelsen's nature reserves. There is a small guest harbour, the popular natural harbour of Vedviken, and mooring buoys in Mörkviken. Skärgårdsstiftelsen has laid 75 buoys in three natural harbours in the archipelago, this one included, to reduce anchor damage to the seabed.

Tip: Within 100 metres of the shore in the reserve the limit is 7 knots, except in the public fairways. Ängsön-Marskär is a bird protection area – see the rules below.

Utö – the mining village and the guest harbour at Gruvbryggan

Approx. 12 nm one way, 40–60 minutes in a planing boat, around 2.5 hours under sail. Utö guest harbour lies in Gruvbyn, the old mining village, and has room for about 300 leisure boats, with electricity at every berth. The northern part has the fuel station and the Waxholm ferry pier; the southern part, entered south of Persholmen, is often quieter in high season. Maximum depth is about 3 metres. For a more secluded berth, Sandudden guest harbour at Utö Varv has 15–20 places.

Then walk up into Gruvbyn. Iron ore was mined here on and off for 700 years, starting as early as the 1100s. Along Lurgatan stand preserved workers' houses from the 1700s and 1800s, and the windmill from 1791 sits on the hill west of the village. In the spoil heaps you can spot glittering pyrite, blue tourmaline and red garnets – but leave them where they are. For swimming, try the shallow beaches at Rävstavik and Barnens bad north of Gruvbyn, or Ålö Storsand, which you reach by boat or on a hiking trail.

Tip: 5 knots applies in the harbour at Gruvbryggan and in Bodsundet, and 8 knots in Kyrkviken on Utö. East of Utö there is a military firing range with an access ban when it is in use – check the chart.

Nåttarö – sandy beaches at the edge of the archipelago

Approx. 20 nm one way via Utö (about 9 nm from Utö), 1–1.5 hours. Nåttarö is a nature reserve with a guest harbour at the old steamboat pier. The floating pontoon has 45 berths with 230 V electricity, 3–4 metres of water at the outer end and 1–2 metres further in, and buoy mooring at every berth. Day visitors are directed to the old steamboat pier, which has 16 buoy berths. By the harbour there is a service building with toilets, showers and a sauna, and Nåttarö Krog, where you can also pay the harbour fee. For a quiet night, try Östermarsfladen in the north, a popular natural harbour with free mooring buoys. Storsand on the east side is one of the longest sandy beaches in the archipelago, with large dunes.

Tip: This is the longest trip – check the weather and your fuel before leaving Utö, and expect more open water across Mysingen.

The routes at a glance

Rules and safety in the southern Stockholm archipelago

Speed limits. The County Administrative Board of Stockholm (Länsstyrelsen) has set local limits in the area, including 5 knots in Dalarö kanal, 7 knots in the sound off Dalarö harbour, 8 knots west of Dalarö skans from 15 May to 15 September, 8 knots in Kymmendösund, 8 knots in Björkösund by Ornö from 1 May to 30 September, 5 knots in the harbour at Gruvbryggan on Utö and 5 knots in Muskö kanal. The limits are signposted – follow the signs and the chart.

Bird protection areas. On Nåttarö you may not land on islands including Östra Rödko, Långholmen, Grönborgen, Vittskär, Gjusskär and Tärnkobben from 1 February to 15 August, nor be on the water within 100 metres of them. The same applies to Bodskär and Österskär from 1 April to 31 July. In Gålö nature reserve landing is banned on Fågelgrundet, Mödomen and Västra and Östra Fjäderholmen from 1 April to 31 July, with the same 100-metre zone. On Fjärdlång the ban covers Ängsön-Marskär from 1 February to 15 August. The full rules are published by Länsstyrelsen Stockholm.

Mooring in the reserves. In Skärgårdsstiftelsen's reserves, such as Gålö, Nåttarö, Fjärdlång and northern Utö, you may not stay moored or anchored for more than two days in a row at the same shore, outside piers and harbours. On Utö you may not drive or moor inside buoyed swimming areas. Fires are only allowed at designated sites (on Fjärdlång open fires are banned), and dogs must be kept on a lead.

The right of public access on the water. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket), allemansrätten lets you go ashore, swim, anchor and moor temporarily at shores that are not part of someone's garden, and spend a night or two on board. Jetties that belong to a house are private. You may borrow a jetty outside private grounds for a short time, but must move if the owner arrives.

Shipping lanes and military areas. Landsortsleden, the fairway for large ships, runs from Landsort across Mysingen, Jungfrufjärden and Nämdöfjärden to Kanholmsfjärden. Keep a lookout for merchant ships when crossing Mysingen. The Swedish Maritime Administration notes that anchoring is prohibited at several places in the area. Under Länsstyrelsen's sea traffic rules you may not moor to navy buoys or anchor in parts of Horsfjärden, the bay south of Gålö and northern Mysingen, and there are military bans on anchoring, fishing and diving in areas including between Ornö and Utö, east of Utö and in the waters around Nåttarö. They are marked on the chart and signposted – follow them.

Toilet waste and alcohol. Since 1 April 2015 it has been illegal to discharge toilet waste from leisure boats. A blood alcohol limit of 0.2 per mille applies to boats that can do at least 15 knots or are at least 10 metres long.

Licence. No licence is needed for a leisure boat under 12 metres long or under 4 metres wide, whatever the engine. A boat that is both at least 12 metres long and at least 4 metres wide requires a coastal skipper certificate (kustskepparintyg) or higher. The rules apply to visitors too. Read more in our guide to boat licences in Sweden.

Best time for a boat trip in the southern archipelago

The best season is late May to early September. The guest harbour in Dalarö is open daily from 15 May to 15 September, and Utö has a harbour master on site during the season. The café at Ornö Båtvarv opens in early June. Early summer is beautiful, but remember that the bird protection bans last until 15 August at the latest. August and September are quieter, but check opening times first.

FAQ

How long does it take from Dalarö to Utö by boat?

Allow about 12 nm and 40–60 minutes in a planing motorboat. Under sail it takes around 2.5 hours, depending on the wind.

Can you stay overnight for free in the southern archipelago?

Yes, in natural harbours and at Skärgårdsstiftelsen's free buoys, for example in Östermarsfladen on Nåttarö. In the nature reserves you may stay for no more than two days at the same shore.

Can you go ashore at Dalarö skans?

Yes. The National Property Board (Statens fastighetsverk), which owns the fort, says the public can visit the island by private boat. It is also used for events, so be considerate.

Where can you refuel south of Dalarö?

There are fuel stations on the water in Kyrkviken on Ornö and in the northern part of Utö guest harbour.

Do I need a boat licence to rent a boat here?

Not by law for a normal leisure boat under 12 metres long or under 4 metres wide. Each owner may still set their own requirements, shown in the listing.

To continue north towards the outer archipelago, read our guide to Sandhamn and Värmdö by boat. For a shorter overview of Utö and other islands, see the most beautiful islands in the Stockholm archipelago.