Runstenar i vikingarnas spår

a modern urban area

The bike ride starts at Bålsta Centrum. Here you can take a commuter train from Stockholm, and bring your bike on board (not in rush hour traffic). You start cycling north along the old Enköpingsvägen and over the motorway.

with relics from prehistoric times

You cycle parallel to Lilla Ullfjärden, one of Lake Mälaren's deepest bays (approx. 50 meters). The clear and calcareous water provides a unique animal and plant environment. How about four species of Arctic crayfish, which are remnants from the ice age. Within the shoreline runs the coniferous forest-covered pebble ridge Granåsen. After the straight line you see Grans Gård with a large barn on the left and the farm on the right.

murals by Albertus Pictor

You cycle on and up on the ridge is Yttergrans church, Sweden's smallest stone church built in the 12th century. Inside the church there are beautiful murals made in the 1480s by the famous church painter Albertus Pictor. Here the big thief Lasse-Maja made one of his coups and stole the church silver. The drilled church gate is preserved and is set up at the belfry.

a classic for sunbathing and swimming

Feel free to stop by Ekillabadet - a classic for sunbathing and swimming, but also the base for many outdoor activities. The large sandy beach at Ekillaåsen nature reserve has been popular for decades. Here you will find food, coffee and ice cream to buy during the summer months. You then cycle on and after a few turns you can see to the right the remains of a huge sand roof.

from a catastrophic Viking train

Now you cycle slightly uphill but then comes "Pungpinabacken" with a steep U-turn right at the end of the hill. After a few turns, you arrive at the famous Ingvars stone at Varpsund, a rune stone erected in memory of Ingvar the White who traveled in the east but never came back. It was a catastrophic Viking train (1036-1041) and almost no one came home alive after that journey.

fabulously beautiful hub

You cycle over the bridge here, seafarers from Sigtuna had to pull the boats a bit to get out into Lake Mälaren at Kalmarsand. Draget and Ullfjärdarna were the Vikings' main route when they traveled by boat. Here was one of the important entry routes to Uppsala, which through the land uplift became a headland where for a long time they instead switched to pulling the boats to get there (hence the name Draget).

with five royal mounds

You cycle on and on the right you see a large plant for spruce plants. Continue up to Rölunda Gård with farm sales. From the road you can see some of the five burial mounds found in the area. There are also several rune stones here.

figurine at Häggeby church

After a slight uphill, turn left down towards Häggeby church dating from the 13th century. Here is the strange Häggebystenen, or rather a copy of the car stone from the 600s (the original is at the Historical Museum in Stockholm).

dating from the 13th century

But we're going on. Around the church, past the horse paddocks down to the crossroads and to the right. The road up to the stop where you turn left. Straight road past the exit to Sigtuna and after 300 meters turn left to Håtuna church.

ended with bloodshed in Nyköping

Behind the church in the 13th century was Håtuna Kungsgård. King Birger lived here. In 1306, the so-called "Håtuna game" took place when King Birger's younger brothers Erik and Waldemar managed to imprison him and took him to Nyköping's House. He was later avenged at what was called Nyköping's Guest Bid.

with Åbergs Museum

And now you have just under 9 kilometers back to Bålsta. In the square stands Stig-Helmer, the main character in the film Sällskapsresan, statue. Lasse Åberg lives in Bålsta and this is where you will find Åbergs Museum which shows series-influenced pop art, Swedish and international series originals and one of the world's best collections of old Disney objects.