Mom and dad, can we go on an excursion this weekend? I want to be surprised. And go exploring. Spend the night, and check out animals. Maybe go fishing. And ride…what do you call one of those boats that’s not really a boat, but where you sit in a row and steer with a paddle. I want to ride one of those!
We received a funny text message from our 10-year-old son and decided on a somewhat different holiday. Near nature, with adventures among castles and forests. We went to Nynäs, Sörmland’s largest nature reserve. All of 3,822 hectares of sea, land, and lakes. Here we found adventures and experiences right in nature. A place where animals, culture, and nature meet. And where history awaits behind every corner.
Fishing for the whole family
In the nature reserve, we went exploring, finding endless of ways to experience nature. We found marked trails taking us on everything from shorter walks to a long hike along the Sörmlandsleden Trail. We barbecued and learned to make a fire. Did some fishing from land and stopped by Lake Rundbosjön. There, we rented a boat to do some more fishing, and our son happily tried canoeing.
In the farm shop, we browsed all things garden. And dreamed about how to grow both vegetables and plants back home. We found something for the young ones as well as for ourselves.
Rent bicycles at the farm shop
We cycled around on the small roads crossing the nature reserve. Cycling feels good for the environment and is both fast-paced and great fun. We rented our bikes at the farm shop. And found Sverigeleden Trail pass through Nynäs. Incredible Sverigeleden Trail totals nearly 2,600 kilometres and runs from Helsingborg in the south to Karesuando in the north. We thought about which stretch we would like to go to on our next holiday. The Näckrosleden bike trail is about 700 kilometres long and loops around the province of Södermanland, with several adjacent stretches to discover.
Become knights at Nynäs
The stately Orangery was built by the Gripenstedt family between 1905 and 1907. Designed by the famous architect Isak Gustaf Clason, this place had a lovely restaurant with focus on organic and locally grown ingredients. Good and full of flavour. It was nice to be able to tell the kids about the whole cycle from growing to harvesting.
At the various cultural exhibits, we learned that findings and tombs from the Bronze and Iron Ages are a sign that the area around Nynäs has been populated for a very, very long time. During the Middle Ages, the nobility took power, and the Nynäs Estate itself is mentioned as early as 1328. Since then, Nynäs has belonged to several of the most influential noble families in Sweden. We therefore played knights and pretended to live in the 14th century. What did life look like back then?
Staying at the distillery
Would you like to stay a bit longer? We booked a room at the Bränneriet Hostel, waking up with all the nature adventures right around the corner. Convenient and practical. Appreciated by us all. Young and old. We tell everyone. Go to Nynäs, a paradise with nature adventures as well as imaginative experiences.
Nynäs is worth exploring during all seasons of the year. Next time, we want to come when the snow covers the fields like a white blanket. Skiing here must be magical. Bringing hot chocolate to enjoy amidst a sparkling winter wonderland. Building snow caves and snowmen. Finding a toboggan hill and staying out for hours and hours. Or why not come here during autumn break, when the colours shift from green to yellow and you can play hide and seek in the piles of leaves? Or in the summer, when everything is bursting with sun and heat? Animals and nature alike. We’ll be back for sure!
