Holiday apartment in Tierp: Nature, coast and ironworks history

Tierp combines vast moorlands, coastal villages and the history of several ironworks communities. Three stages of the Upplandsleden trail pass through the municipality, from the Florarna marshland area in the south to the Dalälven in the north. In Tierp, the trail passes through marshlands, cultural landscapes and woodland – a varied succession of different landscape types.

Nature and trails

Florarna is Uppland’s largest marshland area. The nature reserve has marked trails and boardwalks; Florarna is also suitable for winter ski tours. Björns skärgård offers a different natural setting. The area is protected as a nature reserve, a Natura 2000 site and a bird protection area. It is home to 3,000 breeding pairs of coastal birds, and Björns skärgård also hosts Sweden’s largest colony of the rare Caspian tern. Björn is most easily reached by boat from Fågelsundet.

Coast and water

The Hållnäs peninsula offers trails through beautiful natural surroundings and extensive fields of exposed rocks. At its northern tip lies Fågelsundet, an old fishing village with boat sheds from different periods, cooking houses and drying racks for nets and fishing gear. In Fagerviken, visitors can sample smoked fish.

The Tämnarån river also reveals a special side of the landscape. The Tierp–Strömsberg section of the Tämnarån canoe trail is 8 kilometres long, calm and free of rapids or shallows. At the bridge in Skämsta, the canoe trail has a launch site and parking spaces. At Hjällsjön, there is an accessible fishing pier and a picnic area.

Culture and history

Söderfors is home to the preserved anchor forge, which is now a museum. It was built in 1786, and anchors were forged there until 1883. Several Vallonbruk ironworks communities in Tierp Municipality are open to the public. The Greek temple in the English Park in Söderfors was also built in 1797.

Lövstabruk was once Sweden’s largest ironworks and was founded by Louis de Geer in the 1620s. Visitors can take a guided tour of the manor house. Klaverens Hus in Lövstabruk displays around 350 pianos. Another historical trail leads to Vendel Church, one of the largest and most magnificent medieval churches in Uppland. The boat graves discovered near Vendel Church in 1881, dating from around 550 to 1050 AD, gave the Vendel Period its name.

At Örbyhus Castle, guided tours of Erik XIV’s prison, the castle park and the carriage museum are offered during almost the entire summer season. Karlholmsbruk also preserves its industrial past: the village was founded by Charles De Geer in 1729 and retains historic ironworks buildings and water installations. The Lancashire forge is exceptionally well preserved; its original hearths, bellows and drop hammers remain intact. It is used for concerts and exhibitions and is included in guided tours of the ironworks environment. Strömsbergs bruk is one of Sweden’s best-preserved examples of a complete ironworks community.

Additional direct destinations for selecting a locality: Söderfors, Karlholmsbruk, Skärplinge, Lövstabruk and Tierp.

For the broader travel overview: Uppsala.

More travel destinations

More places within the same destination:

Håbo, Heby, Enköping.