Guide

The Right of Public Access – Your do's & don'ts

The Right of Public Access means that everyone is welcome to enjoy Swedish nature, no matter who own's the actual land. It’s an exceptional privilege to be able to move and camp so freely in the outdoors. But, of course, you have to do it responsibly.

Picking blueberries in a spruce forest in the archipelago.

Don't disturb. Don't destroy.

That's the simple rule of thumb. Us Swedes are very proud of the Right of Public Access, and you'll see that it's a very normal thing to go camping in the wild. And also that it goes hand in hand with not disturbing and not destroying. Our archipelagos are very clean and untouched, so let's keep them that way!

Do's

  • Camp for one or two nights without permission from the landowner
  • Pick mushrooms, berries and flowers as long as they’re not protected.
  • Have a fire unless it’s too dry out (it’s however often dry in our area, more on that below)
  • Pick branches and twigs from the ground, but not from living trees or fallen dead trees.

Don'ts

  • Have a fire when it's too dry out! In our case, we only allow fires in June and September (unless it’s too dry out then also). In pop-up grills only, never directly on the ground.
  • Litter. Bring all your rubbish, and any other rubbish you see even if it isn’t yours. Follow proper bathroom procedures. Dig a small hole, do your thing, and bury it along with your tissue.
  • Go into bird sanctuaries during protected seasons (marked on the sea chart).
  • Disturb birdlife. If they are acting alarmed, increase your distance.
  • Camp close to homes and gardens.