Today we decided to take a small road trip around to the next island chain and see how the spring thaw was coming along. We already have crocus and snowdrops sprouting in the front garden, the snow has all but gone and we wondered if the same was true all over the area. So after breakfast, I packed a thermos of coffee, some biscuits and a few goodies for the dog and we headed off to Torö. It was not far to go as you can see on this map.



The island of Torö is to the south west of Nynäshamn, passing through two other smaller islands (Oxnö and Svärdsö) and is the southernmost part of Stockholm County. It offers a view across the bay to the famous lighthouse of Landsort on the island of Öja (literally Land's End). We love the lighthouse - it is always a welcome sight to us after a long voyage home and these waters are ones we are very familiar with from summer sailing. As we passed through here by boat, we thought that when we had a chance we'd try and see it from the land side as well. In addition, I've been reading through a history of lighthouses in Sweden, including Landsort and the historical importance of the surrounding area in Anders Hedin's lovely book Lysande skärgård and it was great to see some of the places he talked about.

Our first stop for a brief look was when we spotted an area in the ice just as we entered Oxnö where the water was flowing freely.



See how striking it looks. The whole area is frozen except for that channel. Upon further investigation, we discovered that there were pipes beneath the surface pumping water and keeping it circulating so it would not freeze. This was because the only access to the tiny island of Malhuvud a couple of hundred metres away is by a small manual punt or ferry. Yes, the island is inhabited and also has a hereford cattle stud, so access is very important.

Looking out to our right across Fållnäsviken we saw that the waters were still frozen over, with the rocks that we try to avoid clearly visible for a change.



Beyond the shallower waters of the bays, the water is subject to more currents and has melted, though it can still be difficult to tell where the land ends and the water begins. In the sunshine, the ice looks very porous so is more than likely unsafe to walk out on. But what a magnificent view and we were envious of people who can wake up to this every morning. It was so quiet, peaceful and calming. We are pretty sure that the house right out on the edge of the peninsula has our name written on it.



We then drove down along the main road through the island. While this area has been inhabited since the ninth century, very little in the way of historical sights remain, mostly because the Russians, under the command of Peter the Great swept through here in 1719 burning everything in sight. The two churches were destroyed (though one had been rebuilt) and almost everything else dates from the mid nineteenth century onwards. The end of the road brought us to Ankarudden, where we gazed across the glittering water towards Krokskär.



Again, you could almost believe that it was a summer day except for the snow on the rocks. This seemed like a perfect place for fika, so we had some warm drink and food and relaxed in the warm sunshine admiring the summer houses that dotted the shoreline near the harbour area. This is normally a busy fishing harbour as well as the place where the passenger ferry takes people and goods across to Öja, so it was a treat to sit here alone and enjoy the quiet.



Landsort and the port of Ankarudden were at the cross-roads of many fairways on the Baltic: from the north and the south of Sweden, from Stockholm and the towns in Lake Mälaren and from neighbouring countries in the Baltic, being the southern gateway to the Stockholm archipelago. There is one manor house on Torö called Herrhamra, built in the 1850's. I particularly love the avenue of elms that mark the old entrance to the property.



Stark and leafless now, it is hard to imagine them in summer with their leafy canopy reaching across the road to provide a shady archway. It always reminds me of the entrances to stately homes in England or the beautiful Victoria Avenue at Unley Park (though they are an avenue of plane trees).

Our final stop was on a tiny peninsula on Ängsholmen (meadow island) where we admired the waterways and the location of the homes and even farms that lined the shores and bays.



Unsurprisingly, there is no sign of the animals outside, though in summer we did see cattle on the shore when we passed by. I guess they are inside the warm barns until the grass reappears. Still, if it's location you are looking for, then this place on the shores of the archipelago with spectacular views of the water just can't be beaten.