Tjörn and Orust by boat: routes, harbours and rules
Seen from the water, Tjörn and Orust are all about their fishing villages: Skärhamn with its watercolour museum, the herring island of Klädesholmen, car-free Åstol and Käringön, and Mollösund tucked in behind Mollön. The harbours are close together, often only a few nautical miles apart, so a day trip can take in two or three villages. Sheltered inner routes run through Stigfjorden and Hakefjorden, and far out lie the bare Pater Noster skerries.
Where can you rent a boat on Tjörn and Orust?
Private owners rent out their own boats around the islands, usually by the day. On north-west Tjörn you can rent a boat in Kyrkesund, close to Mollösund and Käringön. By the Tjörn bridges in the east there are boats to rent in Myggenäs, and south of Tjörn you find boat rental in Marstrand, a short hop from Åstol and Dyrön. Each owner states which experience or certificate they require, and some owners can come along as skipper.
6 boat trips on Tjörn and Orust
The distances below are approximate and estimated from the map. Always plan with a nautical chart or a chart app. In Swedish, a gästhamn is a guest harbour with visitor berths, and a naturhamn is a natural harbour: a sheltered cove with no facilities.
Skärhamn – Klädesholmen – Åstol
Approx. 5 nautical miles from Skärhamn to Åstol, 30–60 minutes in a fast motorboat. Skärhamn guest harbour is open all year and lies in the middle of the village. The Nordic Watercolour Museum (Nordiska Akvarellmuseet) in the south harbour itself names the guest harbour as the nearest place to moor, and next to the museum is the Gråskär bathing spot with a sandy beach, bathing jetty and diving tower. Further south is Klädesholmen, Sweden's herring island, with a herring museum and restaurants within walking distance of the guest harbour. The harbour is sheltered and 3–4 metres deep, but only five berths can be booked ahead. The last leg to Åstol crosses more open water. Tip: Mossholmens Marina at Klädesholmen also has guest berths and 24-hour diesel.
Island hop Rönnäng – Åstol – Dyrön – Tjörnekalv
Approx. 4 nautical miles round the three islands from Rönnäng, half a day with stops. Rönnäng is the hub of southern Tjörn, with a guest harbour, a café-restaurant by the ferry dock and Kårevik sandy beach. Åstol is a car-free rock island almost covered by white wooden houses; in the horseshoe harbour you moor alongside on the south side. Dyrön has two guest harbours, Nordhamnen and Sydhamnen, and the 5 km Dyröleden trail circles the island past bathing coves. Tjörnekalv has eight guest berths and a bathing spot a short walk from the harbour. Tip: From here Marstrand is only approx. 3 nautical miles south; see our guide Sail to Marstrand.
Skärhamn – Kyrkesund – Björholmen – Mollösund
Approx. 7 nautical miles along Tjörn's west side, 1–2 hours. Kyrkesund is an old fishing village of white houses and red boathouses; across the sound lies the Härön nature reserve with hiking trails. In Kyrkesund and Ängevikssundet the limit is 5 knots. Just north is Björholmens Marina, with guest berths, a restaurant and a jetty bar in high season. The last leg crosses open water to Mollösund, where the guest harbour has about 100 berths and cafés and restaurants line the quay. Tip: Walk up Klockeberget in Mollösund for the view over the fairway.
Mollösund – Käringön – Hälleviksstrand
Approx. 10 nautical miles as a loop, a full day. Käringön is car-free, has been a fishing centre since the 1700s and has a guest harbour with 125 berths and 4 metres of depth. Hälleviksstrand on Orust's west side has a wooden boatyard, rocks, boathouses and bathing with diving towers, but only eight guest berths and 1.5–3.5 metres of depth. The route runs between islets and skerries, so stay in the marked fairway. Tip: Hälleviksstrand guest harbour is only open 1 May–31 August, so plan your coffee stop in Mollösund or on Käringön in spring and autumn.
Inner route: Rönnäng – Hakefjorden – Myggenäs – Stenungsund
Approx. 12 nautical miles from Rönnäng to Stenungsund, 1.5–3 hours. The water here stays sheltered even when it blows out at Pater Noster. From Rönnäng you head east past Kärrsön and Risön, where a 5-knot limit applies, and north through Hakefjorden along the mainland. By the Tjörn bridges, Almösunds Marina in Myggenäs is a few minutes' walk from shops and a restaurant. Stenungsund guest harbour is on Strandvägen in the town centre; it cannot be booked ahead, but larger boats should call ahead in high season. Tip: The Tjörn bridges have different clearances. Read the clearance of each bridge on the chart before choosing a sound, especially in a sailboat.
The Pater Noster archipelago
Approx. 4 nautical miles from Klädesholmen or Åstol out to Hamneskär, 20–40 minutes. Pater Noster is a nature reserve of bare skerries south-west of Tjörn, with the decommissioned lighthouse on Hamneskär. It can only be reached by your own boat, there is no guest harbour and you should only go out on a calm day. Vannholmarna lie closer to Klädesholmen. Tip: The bird sanctuary is closed to visitors 1 April–15 July; come after mid-July if you want to go ashore.
| Route | Distance | Time | Highlight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skärhamn – Klädesholmen – Åstol | approx. 5 nm | 30–60 min | Watercolour museum and herring island | Culture and food |
| Rönnäng – Åstol – Dyrön – Tjörnekalv | approx. 4 nm | half day | Car-free islands, Dyröleden | Families, beginners |
| Skärhamn – Kyrkesund – Mollösund | approx. 7 nm | 1–2 h | Fishing villages and Härön | Day trip |
| Mollösund – Käringön – Hälleviksstrand | approx. 10 nm | full day | Käringön and the boatyard | Experienced skippers |
| Rönnäng – Hakefjorden – Stenungsund | approx. 12 nm | 1.5–3 h | Tjörn bridges, sheltered water | Windy days |
| Pater Noster archipelago | approx. 4 nm | 20–40 min | Bare skerries and lighthouse | Calm days after 15 July |
Rules and safety on Tjörn and Orust
- Speed limits: The county board (Länsstyrelsen) has set a 5-knot limit at Härön, Kyrkesund and Ängevikssundet, a 5-knot limit at Kärrsön and Risön on south-east Tjörn, and a 5-knot limit in Björnsundskanalen on Orust from 1 June to 31 August. Whatever the signs say, never go faster than conditions allow.
- Pater Noster archipelago: In the bird sanctuary you may not land on or set foot on islets and skerries from 1 April to 15 July, nor anchor or stay within 50 metres of them in that period. Dogs must be on a lead and fires are only allowed at designated places.
- Stigfjorden: The nature reserve between Tjörn and Orust holds some of the coast's richest bird sites, including Kalvöfjorden. Laying mooring buoys is banned, and houseboats may not stay more than one day outside a harbour. Dogs must generally be on a lead. The reserve lists sheltered natural harbours at Kalven, Bockholmarna and Hälsön, among others.
- Ferry routes: At the Svanesund ferry route between Orust and Stenungsund, anchoring, fishing and diving are banned. Also watch for the passenger ferries between Rönnäng, Tjörnekalv, Åstol and Dyrön, and between Kyrkesund and Härön.
- Right of public access on the water: You may briefly use a jetty outside the private zone around a house if the owner does not need it. If you stay overnight, keep further away from houses.
- Toilet waste: Discharging toilet waste from leisure boats into Swedish waters is banned. Pump-out stations are available in places including Mollösund, Käringön, Dyrön, Almösund and Stenungsund.
- Licence: As our guide Do you need a boat licence in Sweden? explains, no licence is needed for a leisure boat under 12 metres long or under 4 metres wide, whatever the engine. Only a boat at least 12 metres long and at least 4 metres wide requires a coastal skipper certificate (kustskepparintyg) or higher, and this applies to foreign visitors too.
- Alcohol: The 0.2 per mille limit applies to boats that can do at least 15 knots or are at least 10 metres long.
Best time for a boat trip on Tjörn and Orust
Orust municipality's guest harbours in Mollösund and Käringön are open 1 April–30 September, while Hälleviksstrand is only open 1 May–31 August. Skärhamn guest harbour is open all year, with high season in weeks 25–33 and no staff in the early and late season. Björholmens Marina's season runs 1 April–31 October, and Stenungsund guest harbour is staffed 16 June–16 August. June brings light evenings and free berths; on 6 June Klädesholmen celebrates Herring Day (Sillens dag). July and early August are high season with full harbours. If you want to go ashore on the Pater Noster skerries, wait until after 15 July. Late summer in August and September means quieter harbours, but check opening hours for restaurants and cafés.
FAQ
Can you go round all of Tjörn by boat in a day?
Yes, in a fast motorboat and good weather, but expect a long day and several speed-limited stretches. The west side faces the open sea; take the inner route through Hakefjorden if it is windy.
Which guest harbour is best for a first trip?
Skärhamn and Rönnäng are easy to enter and have services. From Rönnäng you reach Åstol, Dyrön and Tjörnekalv in minutes.
Do I need to book a guest berth?
Mollösund and Käringön can be booked via Dockspot, Klädesholmen and Åstol have a few bookable berths, and Stenungsund cannot be booked ahead. On high-season days it is usually easier to find a berth before lunch.
Can I go ashore on the Pater Noster skerries?
Not on the skerries in the bird sanctuary from 1 April to 15 July. The rest of the year it is allowed, but only in calm weather since there is no harbour.
Is Myggenäs or Kyrkesund the better starting point?
Kyrkesund is close to Mollösund and Käringön on the open west side. Myggenäs lies by the Tjörn bridges, with sheltered water in Hakefjorden and Askeröfjorden.
Carry on south with our guide Gothenburg archipelago by boat, or head north along the coast to Smögen and Sotenäs by boat.
