Törnskogens naturreservat - vilse två gånger på en dag

Writer: Helena Bergström

Törnskogen Nature Reserve consists of Södra Törnskogen in Sollentuna and Norra Törnskogen in Upplands Väsby. There is beautiful, and in some places really wild nature here. For our part, there was also a lot of wandering and whirling.

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Törnskogen nature reserve

Törnskogen Nature Reserve consists of Norra Törnskogen Nature Reserve in Upplans Väsby Municipality and Södra Törnskogen Nature Reserve in Sollentuna Municipality. The area is located in the so-called Rösjökilen, which is one of the green wedges in the Stockholm region.

We took the car here and chose to start in the northern part. Here we drove past a horse farm and found a small visitors' car park with about 10 parking spaces and an information sign. You could say that we met a lot of nature, and very few people.

Norra Törnskogen nature reserve

Norra Törnskogen nature reserve offers many different habitats. On the heights, rocky ground pine forests dominate and in the depressions you will find swamp forests and bogs. The forest contains traces of human activity over a long period of time. The Långbro trail is believed to be at least 1000 years old, and it crosses a postal route from Queen Kristina's time. The area also contains cairns from the Bronze Age and traces of old crofts.

Sago ladder

Sagostigen is a 0.5 kilometre long path with a fairytale theme. It was closed at the time, but according to the municipality's website, it will reopen at the end of April.

The art of following a trail

We decided to follow a trail. At this particular entrance there were a few different trails to choose from. Since it was unclear how long the first two were, and where they would end, we chose the Emmylundsmossestigen, thinking that we might be able to combine it later with another tour in the Södra Törnskogen nature reserve.

The Långbro trail
Around the Törnstigen
Emmylundsmossestigen (3 km)
Hällmarksslingan (1.5 km)
Törnskogen fairytale trail (0,5 km)
Cycle path (1.8 km)

How hard could it be to follow a small blue marker? It went like thatand we can probably say that it was both our fault and the municipality's. The start was confusing to say the least (check out the top picture!) and it took some time before we realised which way to start.

Later, we can admit that we forgot to look. so very well following the signs. We saw a blue sign every now and then, but didn't think much of the fact that there was a bike on it. After a while we saw no signs at all ...

The path ended and it became more and more difficult to walk, and we realised that we had to turn around. Eventually we found our way back to the path and the right way. According to our iPhones it was 6.5 kilometres instead of 3 ... But it was nice in nature!

READ MORE: Järvafältet nature reserve - an oasis near Stockholm
READ MORE: Judarskogen nature reserve in Bromma - nature in the city centre

Södra Törnskogen nature reserve

We then took the car to check out the Södra Törnskogen nature reserve, which belongs to the municipality of Sollentuna. On the the municipality's website says "Several entrances to the reserve are in the southern part of the reserve from Vaxmora". We steered the car towards Vaxmora and once there, we spun around for a long time without managing to find either a sign or a car park near the nature reserve. Eventually frustration took over and we gave up. A bit disappointing.

Viewpoint

Since I spent a lot of time looking at the GPS, I found a point called "beautiful viewpoint" (on Kraftverksvägen in Sollentuna). That sounded a bit interesting! We circled upwards, upwards with the car and found a really nice view (even though it started to blow nails across the road just as we were standing there).

More to see and do in Uppland

Facts about Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Size: 108 hectares (Norra Törnskogen) and 480 hectares (Södra Törnskogen).
Formation: 2012 (Southern Thorn Forest) and 2016 (Northern Thorn Forest)
Municipalities: Upplands Väsby (Norra Törnskogen) and Sollentuna (Södra Törnskogen).
Lakes: Norrviken and Snuggan

Animals and nature

Nature: Coniferous forest, upland pine forest, wetlands, swamp forest, marshes and open farmland.
Trees: Pine, spruce, aspen, birch, sallow and oak.
Plants: These include hazel, rose hips, hawthorn and the red-listed fungi pine thistle, coral and moth fungus.
Wild animals: For example, woodpeckers, butterflies, wasps and the red-listed beetle, the relict beetle.

Activities in Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Hiking: There are several different hiking trails.
Cycling: There are several different cycle paths.
Rida: For those with access to horses, there are riding trails.
The sago ladder: Sagostigen is located in Norra Törnskogen. It is closed until the end of April 2020.

Rules in Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Certain rules must be observed in the nature reserve. In addition to general laws, it is forbidden to

Put up a poster, sign or similar. Signposts, orienteering screens and tip sheets may be set up temporarily.
Driving motor vehicles on non-road surfaces.
Cycling other than on roads and marked cycle paths.
Riding other than on roads and marked trails.
Damage or destroy fixed natural objects.
Breaking branches, felling or otherwise damaging living or dead trees and shrubs.
Damage vegetation by digging up plants, or removing mosses, lichens or woodland fungi, or picking finger fungi.
Lighting fires other than in designated and organised places.
Collecting plants or animals or digging pits for research or teaching purposes without the municipality's authorisation (note that you can pick flowers, berries and terrestrial fungi, except finger fungi).
Organising a competition or event with more than 100 participants without the municipality's permission.

Find the Törnskogen nature reserve

Norra Törnskogen nature reserve: Take Frestavägen and turn off at the sign "Törnskogens naturreservat" onto Grönanvägen. There are also various buses that stop at Fornboda.
Southern Törnskogen nature reserve: There will be several entrances to the reserve in Vaxmora. From the north, the reserve is reached via Frestavägen and Grönanvägen. If you go by public transport, take the commuter train to Sollentuna station and then bus 527.

All our top tips about Sweden! Click on the image

READ MORE: Experiences in Stockholm County - Norrtälje to Södertälje

11 Comments

Add yours →

Solan says:

We recognise the wandering and whirling. Countless times the marking suddenly stops and then you just have to back up or take your chances!
But you get a lot of fresh air in return. And a certain irrationality! ??
You are great at sniffing out the reserves! Inspiring.

14 April 2020 - 9:24

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  A little nice anyway that we are not alone in wandering ... 😉 Although sad that it can not be clearer! Yes, it's a bit of fun to look for new nature reserves, there are many 🙂.
  
  14 April 2020 - 18:22
  
bmlarsreseblogg says:

Nor do we realise how easy it is to get lost on marked trails! Last spring we succeeded again in Åkulla beech forest! Our planned 6 km round (without water and coffee) became much longer and it started to get dark before we were back in the motorhome.
The instructions on your first slide were not easy to interpret❓❗❓.

14 April 2020 - 9:48

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Oh, that does sound a bit difficult! We sometimes wonder why it can't be a bit clearer... We understand that we have to pay attention too, but sometimes it's not easy. The topmost sign, haha, we didn't understand anything 😉.
  
  14 April 2020 - 18:23
  
koppar tvålpump says:

how cosy to be out in nature

14 April 2020 - 10:14

Lena - gott för själen says:

Poor signage is one of the worst things I know. Both when I sit behind the wheel or have my hiking boots on my feet. So, I can go crazy! Either you have to signpost properly so that it is both easy to understand and to follow, or you don't have to signpost. At least then you know the conditions.

I have also wandered around looking for both car parks and trails a number of times. But yeah, sure, you get to see more then 🙂.

How good you are to work on your hiking career! 🙂

Hug Lena

14 April 2020 - 12:32

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We are really starting to understand what you mean now! The experience is not the same when you can't find it. Finding the trails is a dilemma, but it's not always easy to find the car parks either... And thank you, haha, yes we are working on this career 😉.
  
  14 April 2020 - 18:24
  
Emma, Sol som sol? says:

Well, my goodness! Sometimes following the instructions is worse than what the inbuilt GPS tells you. But at least you had a nice day, it seems!

14 April 2020 - 16:10

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It was sunny and nice and nice nature, so if you ignore some irritation, it was a nice day! 🙂
  
  14 April 2020 - 18:25
  
Marias Memoarer says:

How nice it looks 🙂 But a little less fun to get half lost 😉 .

14 April 2020 - 17:58

BP says:

At least you got some extra exercise. The top sign is a joke, so no wonder you got lost. I can recommend buying "hiking maps", such old, honest paper versions. Then you don't follow arrows but existing "trails". Cycling maps are also good, as in 90 per cent of cases they are also valid for walking.
All signs including the barbecue area look brand new. Maybe that's why it went slightly wrong;-)

14 April 2020 - 20:15

Törnskogen nature reserve - lost twice in one day

Writer: Helena Bergström

Törnskogen nature reserve

Norra Törnskogen nature reserve

Sago ladder

The art of following a trail

Södra Törnskogen nature reserve

Viewpoint

More to see and do in Uppland

Facts about Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Animals and nature

Activities in Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Rules in Törnskogen Nature Reserve

Find the Törnskogen nature reserve

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11 Comments

Solan says:

Helena says:

bmlarsreseblogg says:

Helena says:

koppar tvålpump says:

Lena - gott för själen says:

Helena says:

Emma, Sol som sol? says:

Helena says:

Marias Memoarer says:

BP says:

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