Sturkö – Archipelago Landscape, Nature and Maritime Heritage

Sturkö between Archipelago Landscape and Cultural Heritage

Sturkö combines an easily walkable natural landscape with maritime history and distinctive traces of the island’s past. You can reach Sturkö via Sturkövägen, which crosses Senoren and Skällö on permanent road bridges. The island is primarily characterized by Uttorp Nature Reserve, ARK56’s archipelago routes, Ekenabben fishing harbour and the shipwreck cemetery near Sturkö.

Uttorp Nature Reserve and the Wetlands in the South

Uttorp Nature Reserve is part of a large, easily walkable open-air area in the south of Sturkö. Marked paths lead through a landscape featuring staggen heath, heathland and coastal meadows. The land continues to be grazed, helping to preserve the distinctive cultural landscape. There is a car park and information facilities at the nature reserve.

The southern landscape also includes an extensive wetland complex with various types of wetlands. Coastal meadows, wet heaths, vegetated ponds, shallow bogs and swamp forests are characteristic features. Together with the Sturkö–Hålevik–Uttorp area, shaped by centuries of grazing and extensive stone quarrying, this forms a natural environment where the coastal landscape and history of land use stand closely side by side.

Runestone, Church and Island History

An outstanding testimony to the island’s early history is the Sturkö runestone. It is the only surviving Viking Age runestone in Blekinge. The inscription reads, in essence: “Gude’s seaman erected … the stone.” This makes the stone one of the island’s notable cultural and historical attractions, even though its significance does not depend on a large site or extensive collection.

Sturkö kyrka also stands in a historically significant location. It was built in 1878 on the site of an older sacrificial church dedicated to Saint Gertrude. A later, highly visible landmark is Sturkö Kvarn, completed in 1901. The mill offers a beautiful view across the island and the archipelago. In summer, Sturkö Kvarn operates as a café and restaurant.

Ekenabben, Shipwrecks and ARK56

The shipwreck cemetery near Sturkö lies in the Djupasund strait between the islands of Sturkö and Tjurkö. It comprises around 20 ships dating from approximately 1550 to 1650, which were deliberately sunk in the late 17th century to form a barrier towards Karlskrona. Most of the wrecks can now be seen while diving. Those interested in maritime history will find an unusual underwater counterpart to the visible harbour and cultural landscapes on land.

For active days in the archipelago landscape, Sturkö has well-marked cycling routes. The island is a central hub in ARK56. This interconnected network of kayak, cycling, hiking and sailing routes links the entire Blekinge Archipelago. Ekenabben, a historic fishing harbour, lies on the western side of Sturkö. The harbour is home to the open-air exhibition “Världsarvets vrak”.

Swimming Area and Further Points of Reference

The family-friendly swimming area on Sturkö has a playground and barbecue facilities. It complements the nature and cultural experiences with a place specifically intended for spending time by the water. Depending on your interests, Sturkö therefore offers a choice of marked paths in the nature reserve, cycling routes through the archipelago landscape, maritime history, harbour atmosphere and a swimming area.

Other places you can compare in this destination area include Torhamn (Torhamn), Nävragöl (Nävragöl), Hasslö (Hasslö), Lyckeby (Lyckeby), Rödeby (Rödeby), Holmsjö (Holmsjö), Tving (Tving) and Nättraby (Nättraby).

For the overarching travel overview: Karlskrona.