Forest Junkie
- 3 min read

ÄNGSÖ NATURRESERVAT

Where: Västerås, Västmanland When: All year round What: Hiking, bathing, barbecue, wildlife, camping, culture, restaurant

Oh my, have we visited Ängsö a lot...

When we go there, we usually park at the castle. But along the road that runs through Ängsö, there are several starting points for beautiful trails with their own parking lots and various facilities.

ÄNGSÖ SLÖTT

Back to the castle. The much-talked-about castle, has a rich history and is known for the many ghost stories that have been circulating for about 300 years now. It’s interesting to delve into. We ourselves have never experienced anything strange there. Nowadays, it’s a museum and is used for events and weddings.

A MEAL OUTDOORS AT ÄNGSÖ

If you start from the park around the castle, you can take a beautiful walk along the water from there (Präsgårdsrundan 5.5km). You’ll find several barbecue areas with a stunning view. These barbecue areas in Sweden are something special. Often, you’ll find picnic tables or benches to sit on, as well as a shed with wood and an axe, a compost toilet, and trash bins.

They are equipped with everything you need and, in our experience, are also treated with respect by the users. For us, this was a very pleasant surprise. Both in summer and winter, it’s lovely to prepare a meal outdoors here with friends. Another plus, in this area, you can easily access the water for a swim.

BIRDWATCHING AT ÄNGSÖ

From the parking lot at the castle, you can also choose to follow Grevens Stig (2.2km). Here, you’ll find a clearly marked path that leads you in the opposite direction through another beautiful part of Ängsö. If you enjoy birdwatching, walk a bit further, as on this side, you’ll find a viewpoint over the water where the birds are easily visible. It's called 'Utsiktsplattform, Dalins trädgård'.

Since the trails easily connect to each other, we usually follow our own path. This way, we can take a longer hike and enjoy more of this beautiful raw and rocky island. There are a total of 6 trails varying between 1.5 km and 8.5 km. I'm probably saying this too much, but you will enter a completely different world here every season. No surprise that I love to take photo's here, right?

WHERE CAN I SEE DEER?

When driving around the island (and the road leading to it) during golden hour, you’ll almost always see deer. They often stand together in groups, peacefully grazing. It’s a beautiful sight. Sometimes we also spot foxes and predatory birds. In Sweden, it’s said that spring arrives with the cranes. You’ll find plenty of them here in spring and summer, and everyone is happy to see them. I wrote a blog post about these great birds, I will link it below.

CAN I SPEND THE NIGHT AT ÄNGSÖ?

Since this reserve is only a half-hour drive away for us, we don’t need to stay overnight in the area. But if you do want to spend a night here... you can! Just before you drive onto the island, there’s a nice campground with excellent facilities.

Are you more adventurous? Drive all the way to the end of the island, you’ll reach a free camper spot by the water. There’s a compost toilet, a barbecue area, and trash bins. Here too, you have access to various hiking trails. Almost at the end of the island, you’ll find Ängsö Fisk. In summer, you can enjoy their smoked fresh catch from Lake Mälaren on the cozy garden terrace. If you live nearby, you can also order and pick up fish here.

Ängsö Naturreservat is a beautiful area with countless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Highly recommended. Don't forget to check out the links I left below for more information.