Sörmlandsleden Trail: Stage 38 (Lilla Uttervik - Västra Kovik)

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Swimming · Views · Wildlife

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

Start: Lilla Uttervik (58.622717, 16.867600). Parking at section 37, approx. 200 meters before information board/section map. 
End: Västra Kovik (58.618333, 16.937833). Parking.
Water: Uttervik. Tap at water treatment plant (58.622517, 16.913117)

Highlights;
- The epic view over Bråviken Bay from ”Mt” Gullängsberget
- A large Viking grave at Gullängsberget
- A 3000-year old graves and stone settings from the Bronze Age at the end of the trail

An alternative route is to follow the trail along the coastline instead (follow the Tunaberg Loop), where you’ll get stunning views and more ”trail running”, but it requires a little more navigation skills and goes through more technical terrain. Though, you'll be rewarded, that’s a promise.

The section starts at Lilla Uttervik and continues through an area of disused mines. A slow ascent through sparse rocky forest takes you to the top of Gullängsberget. Here you'll see a large Viking grave from where you have a splendid view over the Baltic coast. For those who do not want to run up and over the mountain, there is a shorter alternative route to the north.

The southern position and calcareous ground along the fault precipice has resulted in a herb-rich flora with a number of southern plants, e.g. ivy. Before the section end, you pass an area of ancient monuments including 3000-year old graves and stone settings from the Bronze Age.

About the Sörmlandsleden Trail
Sörmlandsleden, with more than 1,000 kilometers of winding paths through the county of Sörmland, is one of the longest long-distance path in Scandinavia. The 100 or so sections of the path take runners through wilderness, areas of cultural tradition and past historical monuments. There is everything from open landscape, wilderness, lakes, and beautiful coastline. 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.

The Sörmlandsleden Trail is marked with orange trail markings. Usually, the mark is an orange circle around a tree or pole. Road crossings are marked with orange S-arrows. In population centers, you follow orange stickers, usually placed on lampposts. Planks and footbridges take runners across sensitive and waterlogged areas. You also find signs that indicate spring (källa), shelter (skärmskydd) or privy (dass).

The Sörmlandsleden Trail is maintained by an association. Members of the Sörmlandsleden Association work as volunteers to keep the trail in the best possible order. One person is responsible for each section.

Read more about the Sörmlandsleden Trail.