Hiking & outdoor recreationLength23,7 km
Duration(2 days)
The Björkö–Panike hiking trail takes you deep into the heart of the Kvarken Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way, you’ll walk on uplifted shores shaped by post-glacial rebound, pass overgrown sea bays, cross narrow straits, and wander through birch groves used for summer grazing. The birch forests in the area are rich in windthrows and hollow trees, creating valuable habitats for a wide variety of plant and animal species. From June to October, sheep graze freely in the archipelago, helping to maintain the traditional landscape. The trail is equipped with lean-tos, designated camping areas, cooking shelters, and campfire sites. A ferry operates from the Långgrund jetty to Stora Segelsören. Boat transport can also be arranged between Rotörskatan and either Vargis or Panike. Please note that the terrain can be rocky and wet in places, and the trail is not maintained during winter. You can also hike the trail as a round trip by returning from Rotörskatan to the starting point at the Svedjehamn parking area. If you choose to return via the southern section of the trail, waterproof footwear is essential.
The ferry between Korsbådafjärden and Stora Segelsören operates from May to September
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Campfire siteAlways check for any wildfire warnings in effect before making a fire.
Camping permitted
Dry toiletRemember to bring toilet paper.
Remember to bring a trash bagThere are no waste bins on the trail. Bring along your own trash bag and take your waste out with you when leaving.
No winter maintenance
Contact information
Starting pointSvedjehamn parkering pysäköintialue
The trail starts at the Svedjehamn parking area. The first section follows a gravel road leading toward the Saltkaret observation tower.
Near the tower, there is a dry toilet and an accessible dry toilet, with a firewood storage nearby. A campfire site is located along the trail. The route continues to the Märaryggbron fish viewing platform, which also serves as a bridge over the stream. After the platform, the path becomes narrower and rockier. Along the trail, you’ll encounter various wetlands, fladas, and gloe lakes, as well as ponds and mires. The forest along the path gradually shifts to a mix of birch and spruce.
The trail splits into a circular route, allowing you to take either path toward the Långgrund (Korsbådafjärden) jetty. If you pass by the Långgrund rest area, it’s worth making a short detour to the tip of Långgrundsrevet.
You can continue to Stora Segelsören by ferry. There is a cooking shelter on Stora Segelsören.
There is a bridge about 10 meters long between the islands of Stora Segelsören and Slåttskäret. Stairs have been built along the trail to help cross the sheep fences.
At the Bullrikören rest area, there is a lean-to shelter and a campfire site. The rest area is surrounded by a sheep fence, with stairs provided for crossing. From the rest area, the trail continues through a light-filled birch forest. After Havrefladan, the path descends rather steeply onto the island of Rönnskäret.
The trail to the Rotörskatan rest area winds through a damp forest shaped by land uplift, where birch is the dominant tree species. Along the path, you’ll see a few old hay barns that were once used to store shoreline hay, branches, and leaves collected from bays and mires as winter fodder for livestock. In early summer, this section of the trail is especially rich with blooming lilies of the valley. There is a cooking shelter at Rotörskatan.
To reach Panike, you can arrange a boat transfer between Rotörskatan and Vargis. From Panike, the hiking trail continues as the Vargis nature trails.
Along the Vargis nature trails, there is a viewing platform offering beautiful views over the Kvicksund strait and out to sea. The trail also passes a rocky devil’s field—an ancient shoreline—at the edge of which lies a historical relic: a large stone cairn.
In the early 1900s, the yard area at Vargis was home to the farm of Richard and Amanda Warg. Richard Warg was a well-known merchant and a fearless activist. During the Prohibition era, he smuggled alcohol and sold it to both locals and visiting city dwellers. Vargis has a designated camping area, a cooking shelter, and a lean-to shelter.
End pointVargis p- alue