Deep valleys, thick clay deposits and bare rock surfaces dotted with gnarled pines define Alby Nature Reserve on Lake Albysjön. Oak and hazel grow in places between the ridges, where glacial deposits are found. The nature area lies about three kilometres from the centre of Tyresö and combines this varied landscape with swimming spots and a recreational area.

Alby: Landscapes and activities at Lake Albysjön

In the Alby recreation area, you’ll find swimming spots, barbecue areas, hiking trails, fitness trails and large lawns for various activities by Lake Albysjön. The landscape makes a visit interesting beyond the water: exposed, barren rock surfaces alternate with wooded areas and deep valleys. Alby Nature Reserve is accessible on foot and by bicycle. From the Nyfors bus stop, it’s about 500 metres to the reserve.

Trails also offer different perspectives on the surrounding area. The loop at Nyfors is 1.5 kilometres in total and leads to a waterfall with a five-metre drop. The third stage of the Sörmlandsleden begins at the Alby recreation area or Alby Nature Reserve. From there, it passes through a depression, over a bog with a cold spring, and continues across rocky ground into Tyresta National Park. Several types of landscape come together along this stage.

Those interested in pilgrimage routes will find several trails in Tyresö that begin at the Stockholm Pilgrimage Centre. They are suitable for all age groups, range from just under three to fifteen kilometres, and are marked in the landscape in some places. Tyresö’s nature walks also include six self-guided hikes. Companion guides are available for areas accessible by wheelchair or mobility walker.

Tyresta and the archipelago landscape

Both Tyresta National Park and Tyresta Nature Reserve can be reached from Tyresö; several entrances to the national park are in Tyresö. The forests there have retained their primeval character. They are shaped by trees of different ages and species, with particularly diverse mosses, lichens and fungi. The nature reserve has a stroller-friendly trail, a barbecue area, a rest shelter and a café. Nationalparkernas hus adds exhibitions and guided tours.

Sandholmarna Nature Reserve offers a different landscape: it includes a mainland section, the islands of Stora Sandholmen and Lilla Sandholmen, and part of Erstaviken. Together, these form a relatively unspoilt archipelago landscape in the Stockholm archipelago. On the Brevik peninsula, a nature reserve includes rocky pine forest, a fault scarp with broadleaf woodland and a cave system. At Klövberget, there are opportunities for swimming from the rocks and beautiful views over Kalvfjärden. A nature reserve forms a headland in the western part of Kalvfjärden; it has significant natural values and is of great interest for local recreation.

Castle, island and historic sites

Tyresö Castle and Park is a well-preserved cultural-historical environment of national interest. The castle’s main building houses a museum showing how its last private owner, who also owned the estate, lived around the turn of the 20th century. The castle park and museum offer different perspectives on this historic site: they explore both its cultural-historical setting and the life of a specific former owner.

A bridge leads from the castle park to Notholmen. There you’ll find swimming spots, fishing areas on the rocks, picnic spots and a guest harbour. Café Notholmen serves light meals, coffee, cake and ice cream, with seating indoors and outdoors. Food and drinks are served all year round. The island offers several ways to spend time by the water, so a visit need not be limited to just one activity.

History can also be discovered in its setting at other places in Tyresö. Ahlstorp boatswain’s cottage lies within a nature reserve and along the Sörmlandsleden. The small red dwelling, with its outbuildings and meadow, is a typical crofter’s cottage or torp setting. Uddby mill and power station, meanwhile, is an industrial heritage site: the remains of various former activities stand alongside a functioning power station. Uddby farm, Tyresö municipality’s demonstration farm, is home to various animals that help keep the landscape open.

At Dyviks lövängar, you can go for a walk and swim from the rocky beach on Ällmorafjärden. Alongside forests and archipelago landscapes, Tyresö’s places to explore also include open meadows and a beach by the fjärd.

Discover more destinations: Tyresö, Sundbyberg, Upplands Väsby, Drottningholm, Sigtuna, Nacka, Björkö, Vaxholm.

For the overview of the wider region: Stockholm.