Åland Archipelago

This trip is recommended for you who is an intermediate or experienced kayaker. The distance can be as far or as short as you want to. Plan for a week of paddling the first time but you can easily spend another week without crossing your own trail. Some areas are exposed to winds but mostly you can paddle in protected and calm water.  Åland is a part of the Archipelago Sea between Sweden and the mainland of Finland. It consists of more than 6000 islands. In a week of paddling here you will just see a handful of paddlers, a few sailboats, a few motorboats and some ferries between Swedend and Finland. It’s a beautiful archipelago. Well worth a couple of visits.

The redish granite is common in the north of the Archipelago.

Beautiful rocks with sharp edges makes it fun to paddle close.

The Åland Archipelago is a part of Finland. It has an old fascinating histroy and has belonged to Sweden. Swedish is the main language at Åland. The main city is Mariehamn and is accessible by ferries from both Sweden and Finland. From Mariehamn you can reach many good starting positions by car. There is also good public transport with ferries that makes it possible to start even further away from the main islands.

In some areas the granite is shifting to grey but the greyscale can be stunning aswell.

Having a closer look at one of the few sailing boats. (photo: Fredrik Norström)

The Baltic sea is known of well preserved wrecks such as the Wasa but this wreck is much younger. (photo: Fredrik Norström)

Beautiful boathouses!

Åland has mostly really good weather. According to the statistic it has most time with sunshine in Scandinavia.

In July and August are the mornings often excellent for a morning tour.

Sea of mirror!

There are not many camping sites that offers grass or soil to your tent. Often you put your tent straight to the granite. The granite is mostly flat but you have to anchor your tent with rocks.

It can be windy and exposed as well. Here we camped a little to close to the sea.

We made us a sailingboat from our four kayaks and a tarp from Hilleberg.

At some places are the camping sites well protected from wind in all directions.

Rental

You can rent kayaks from different operators in the archipelago if you do no not want to bring your own kayaks.

Links

• Visit Åland – Touris information
• Roland Surfski – Surfski in Åland
• S.G.U – guided kayak trips, rental

Map

Visa Aland Archipelago on a large map