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Free camping at Lake Erken and Norr Malma nature reserve

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During the last night of the midsummer weekend, we went free camping at Lake Erken in Roslagen, at Svanberga bathing area. Here we had a fantastic view of the beautiful lake, and we were surprised by a nature reserve with impressive oak trees and ... a Viking village. We start by telling you about Norr Malma Nature Reserve.

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Free camping at Lake Erken

We spent two nights at Väddö sea baths and camping during the midsummer weekend, but we had not planned the third night. That it became free camping at Lake Erken was simply because we saw a bunch of motorhomes from the road at Svanberga. We drove down to the car park, which was nicely located at Svanberga bathing area.

Lake Erken is a lake in Roslagen, located north of Norrtälje. At Svanberga, in the eastern part of the lake, is Svanberga bathing place, and it was thus at the bathing place's car park that we stayed. Here we had a fantastic view of the lake, both during the day and later when the sun sank over the water. In the car park we also had some service, in the form of garbage collection and bajamaja.

Fricamping vid sjön Erken och Svanberga badplats

Svanberga bathing area at Lake Erken

During the day there were quite a lot of people at the beach, both families with children and groups of young people. People were enjoying the nice weather all day long, and many of them picked up pizza at the nearby pizzeria.

Svanberga badplats vid sjön Erken
Svanberga badplats vid sjön Erken

Norr Malma nature reserve

Already when we rolled down to the car park, we had seen that there would be a nature reserve nearby, Norr Malma nature reserve. After lunch we changed into trainers and set off on the path towards the nature reserve.

Norr Malma naturreservat, nära Svanberga badplats

The natural area is intensely green and full of wild plants and birds. Apparently there are also five species of bats.

Norr Malma Nature Reserve is best known for its magnificent oak trees. We can't remember ever walking around among so many and so large oak trees. Fascinating! A single oak tree can live for over 1000 years and is home to 1500 different species such as fungi, lichens, insects, bats and birds. Of these species, 500 are entirely dependent on the oak for their survival.

The nature reserve is beautifully situated by Lake Erken, and it is not only today that the area is beautiful. The people who lived in the younger Iron Age apparently also liked this place, and there is a large burial ground from this time.

Sjön Erken och Norr Malma naturreservat

At one end of the nature reserve, which is quite small, there are also large pastures with sheep. One poor little guy had ended up on the wrong side of the fence and panicked when we came walking. We hope that he found his way home to his family a little later.

Viking village Storholmen

Our free camping at Lake Erken offered much more than we could have imagined. The biggest surprise was still the Viking village Storholmen. We stepped right on it, and although it had not yet opened for the season, we had to come in and look. We will tell you about this in a separate post!

Göra i Uppland
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Facts about Lake Erken

  • Municipality: Norrtälje municipality
  • Landscape: Uppland
  • Name: In the 1580s the lake was called 'Jerkan', and the name is thought to mean 'the clear, sparkling, shining one'.
  • Area: 23.3 square kilometres
  • Average depth: 9.1 metres
  • Maximum depth: 20 metres
  • Largest island: Södergarn
  • Fish: Perch, birch, bream, pike, pike-perch, pike-perch, pike-perch, roach, burbot and burbot.

Facts about Norr Malma Nature Reserve

  • Size: 9 hectares
  • Formation: 1982 (protected since 1955)
  • Municipality: Norrtälje municipality
  • Location: Located on the south-eastern shore of Lake Erken.
  • Other: Natura 2000 site
  • Read more: You can find more information at County Council website.

Animals and nature

  • Nature: Oak grove, meadow and pasture land and cultural environment.
  • Trees: Large oaks and also maple, ash, lime and other deciduous trees.
  • Plants: Blueflowers, whiteflowers, cowslips and fungi and lichens, some of which are red-listed.
  • Birds: Barn owl, jackdaw, wood pigeon, shoebill and others.
  • Other animals: These include five species of bats.
  • domesticated mammals: Sheep

Activities in Norr Malma Nature Reserve

  • Go for a walk: It is nice to walk in the scenic surroundings, among the oak trees by Lake Erken.
  • Discovering burial sites: In the eastern part of the reserve there is a burial ground with graves from the Younger Iron Age.
  • Visit the Viking village: Just outside the nature reserve is a Viking village, which is open for a few weeks during the summer.

Rules in Norr Malma Nature Reserve

As a visitor to Norr Malma Nature Reserve at Lake Erken, you must follow the rules and regulations. It is not allowed to:

  • Destroying or damaging rock, soil or stone by drilling, hacking, blasting, carving, digging, painting or similar activities.
  • Breaking branches, felling or otherwise damaging living or dead trees and shrubs or otherwise damaging vegetation.
  • Disrupting wildlife
  • Trapping and collecting invertebrates
  • Carrying an unleashed dog
  • Camping
  • Elda
  • Put up a board, poster, billboard, sign or make an inscription.
  • Driving a motorised vehicle or bicycle
  • Parking other than in a designated area or parking a caravan or trailer.

Finding Lake Erken and the Norr Malma nature reserve

  • Car: From Norrtälje, drive towards Svanberga. Turn off at the sign for nature reserve or at the sign for Svanberga badplats.
  • Bus: Bus towards Singö or bus towards Hallstavik from Norrtälje to stop Norrmalma.
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