Örskär

Örskär is located in northern Uppland, about 170 km from Stockholm. By car it takes about three hours from Stockholm to the island, or about two hours from Uppsala. From Öregrund you take the car ferry across to Gräsö and continue north for 22 km until the road ends. There you are picked up by boat at a set time.

On Örskär there is no car traffic. To the lighthouse station it is about a 15-minute walk along a gravel road that winds up towards the northwest. The lighthouse was described after its construction in 1738-1740. The lighthouse is still in use and is looked after by lighthouse keepers who supervise the lighthouse, change the lamp and polish the lenses. Örskär lighthouse is one of few show lighthouses, which means the public can visit the lighthouse tower. The lighthouse is shown once a day during the summer.

Örskär is not a living archipelago community; the activity revolves around the lighthouse station and visitor numbers are low. There are bathing rocks and you can walk around the island. The island is larger than many think, and walking all the way around the island along the shoreline takes a whole day. There are marked paths both on the island's western part and within the nature reserve. People come to Örskär to take it easy, sunbathe, fish, swim from the rocks and socialise. If you have booked a whole week, an extra boat trip to Gräsö is included for your party if you want to go in and shop. Then you can take the chance to visit Öregrund, which has several cafés, restaurants and sights.

More information about Örskär lighthouse and lighthouse history is available on the Swedish Lighthouse Society's website, www.fyr.org, as well as on www.orskarsfyr.se.