Tunaberg Loop (Tunabergsrundan): The Pearl of Bråviken Bay

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildlife

The Tunaberg Loop takes you on a magical journey on Sörmlandsleden Trail's most stunning sections down at Bråviken, a large bay at the Baltic Sea. Your run will be through large areas of wilderness, you can swim in the lakes, meet wild and tame animals, listen to birds, and breathe freedom.

Sörmlandsleden Trail
The Sörmlandleden Trail, with more than 1,000 kilometers of winding paths through the county of Sörmland, is one of the longest long-distance path in Sweden. The 100 or so sections of the path take runners through wilderness, areas of cultural tradition, and past historical monuments. Most of the sections are easily accessible by car, bus, or train and each section offers a suitable starting point. For accommodation, there are shelters and for rest stops, there are picnic areas.

Read the Swedish law about Right of public access – a unique opportunity.

Total duration on trail, will probably be between 6-10 hours depending on stops, size of group, endurance level of each individual and earlier experience etc. But, my strong recommendation is DO. NOT. HURRY. There are so many things to see and discover so it would be a waste of experience if you hurry.

The trail has some quite technical and steep sections so be careful and run in a pair of shoes that you are used to and feel confident in.

Bring your own water/hydration/energy drinks; I would recommend approximately 1-2 liters, maybe more on a hot summer day. You'll find water along the trail (see the interactive map where I have pointed out water stations, stores and cafés where you'll find water) but there will also be long sections without any water.

Bring your own energy, you'll need it! And when you find a store or a café, refill with whatever they have, you'll need that too.

Trailhead
The church in Koppartorp (58°38'41.5"N 16°54'01.3"E).

Other possible trailheads
The harbor of Nävekvarn (58°37'35.8"N 16°47'58.0"E)

Logistics
Your own car or you can use the Sörmland public transport company

Highlights
- The views from all the "mountains" around the trail
- The mines around Koppartorp
- The bay of Bråviken
- The spectacular trail and all the mossy hills and beautiful pine forests
- The loneliness and silence

Main Trail
Sörmlandsleden Trail - you'll run on section 37:2, 37:1, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41. Read more below.

Accommodation
If you plan for a longer journey, you'll need to plan ahead on where to sleep and eat.

In Nävekvarn, you have several options to get a bed and a nice meal.

You also have a number of wind shelters along the trail. They are log huts with an open front, away from roads and near lakes or the sea. You can overnight here in you bring your own sleeping bag. The shelters are designed for four people. They are free of charge, but cannot be booked. If other hikers turn up, you must share the space. Next to all shelters are prepared fireplaces. A tip is to start gathering dry wood during the last kilometer of your run, as previous visitors may have used up all the firewood in the vicinity of the shelter.

You are also allowed to pitch a tent in the countryside without permission from the land owner, but not in nature reserves or, needless to say, in populated areas or on cultivated land.

Find your accommodation options here

Each section of Sörmlandsleden Trail that you'll run on during Tunaberg Loop
37:2. Kärrgruvorna - Koppartorp, 8 km
37:1. Nävekvarn - Kärrgruvorna, 8,5 km
37. Nävekvarn - Lilla Uttervik, 6 km
38. Lilla Uttervik - Västra Kovik, 7 km
39. Västra Kovik - Dragsviken, 6 km
40. Dragsviken - Mellsjön, 4 km
41. Mellsjön - Koppartorp, 6 km

Trail reports (in Swedish)
livsnjutarbloggen.se/?p=7392
livsnjutarbloggen.se/?p=8006
barefootsweden.com/2016/05/…

Varied and diverse are two words that are often used when describing the area. The landscape is like Sweden in miniature. You encounter Swedish landscape of all types except for treeless mountains. Your day may well start on planks across a bog and end in a manor. The trail goes through an area that is rural and sparsely populated, with large forests and many lakes, as well as along a relatively unspoiled stretch of Baltic Sea coast.

A more fundamental explanation for the variations in the landscape is related to the latest ice age, which ended around 12,000 years ago. When the several kilometers thick ice sheet melted, this area was a sea. Land elevation gradually created an archipelago of islands and inlets. The elevations were washed clean from fine-grained material, which were deposited in depressions. Land elevation still takes place with around 4 millimeters per year.

A major reason for the abundance of uninhabited wilderness is that land ownership was dominated by large estates and forestry companies, which did not encourage summer cottages and private residences on their land. Also, Sweden is a largely urbanized nation. Your run along the trail will be remarkably undisturbed.