Hiking & outdoor recreationLength3.8 km
Duration(1-2 hours)
About 100 years ago, the old fishing port of Bodback set off on dangerous trips across the rocky Kvarken to Umeå. In addition to mail, government officials were also transported. Now only a small creek connects this port to the sea! Come and see how land uplift changes the Kvarken World Heritage landscape. Walk along the land uplift shores, pass the bays that are closing up from the sea and roam in the birch forests that are used for grazing. Along the trail, you will see Bodback, which is the former fishing harbour of the village of Björkö. Today, Bodback is a museum site that boasts many boathouses and boat docks. During the summer, the seaside meadows are managed by grazing Highland cattle. Along the trail, there are metal silhouettes of the the animals in the area and nature trail boards. Easy for beginners, families and groups. With wheelchair and baby carriages it is possible to go from Svedjehamn's parking area to the observation tower and Märaryggbridge (about 1 km) and to Bodback's old harbour (about 1,4 km). The entire trail is not maintained during the winter, only the section from the parking area to the observation tower is ploughed in the winter. Along the trail, you can find accessible toilets, an accessible campfire site, table-bench sets, the Saltkaret Observation Tower and a fish observation bridge. The services of the Svedjehamn Fishing Harbour are available at the starting and end point.
Circle trail
The trail can only be used during the snow-free seasonOnly the trail to the observation tower will be ploughed during the winter
Campfire site
Dry toilet
Remember to bring a trash bag
No water point
No winter maintenanceOnly the trail to the observation tower will be ploughed during the winter.
Contact information
There is an information roof on the parking area with the main signs and information about Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage area. For children there is an infowall with tasks.
The first section is a wide gravel road, that continues all the way to the Saltkaret Observation Tower. Approximately halfway through is a junction with signs pointing left towards a compact, gravelled trail. This demanding accessible trail leads to Bodback’s old harbour. The Bodvattnet Circular Trail can be walked either clockwise or counterclockwise.
If you go clockwise, you will pass by Bodback, the former fishing harbour of the village of Björkö, which is currently a museum area with numerous boathouses and boat havens. The trail is easy to walk after Bodback. The trail does not have great height differences, but it is rocky in places. The trail runs through birches and passes by wet depressions. Along the way, you can find a pasture area with grazing Highland cattle.
The trail continues along the seashore towards the Märarygg trail bridge and the Saltkaret Observation Tower.
Märaryggbro also serves as a platform to see fish. The two meter wide bridge has railings and a ramp. Especially in the spring, the stream buzzes when thousands of pike, perch and roach come up the stream to spawn in Bodvattnet.
Along the trail, you will see Saltkaret, an observation tower, from where gorgeous views open out over the area. The Saltkaret observation tower has an accessible lower platfrom. There you can see the nearby bay and de Geer moraine ridges.
The route section from the observation tower to the parking area continues as an accessible path.
On the trail between the Svedjehamn parking area and Saltkaret tower, there is a soundbox from which you can listen to the sounds of nature and a brief presentation of the impact of the post-glacial rebound on the landscape.