Ornö

Lat: N 59º 4' 8.28"
Long: E 18º 24' 55.31"

The green island of Ornö lies in the southern archipelago, south east of Dalarö. It is not as well known as its neighbour, Utö, but it is just as exciting with undisturbed, varied nature, perfect for discovering on foot or bicycle. There are 300 residents in the parish which includes Kymmendö, Björkö, Fjärdlång Ornö and several more islands.

Ornö was inhabited as early as the Bronze Age and there are several ancient remains to be seen on the island. The soil is thin but agriculture and animal husbandry was a necessary and scanty means of support for the island's inhabitants. For many years Feldspar was mined here for the manufacturing of china. There is still agriculture on the island including Hässelmara farm where they produce and sell vegetables. There is a very pleasant café in the barn which serves home baked bread. The island has a shop which is open all year round and a lower primary school.

The inn at Kyrkviken is included in the food and handicraft network, Skärgårdssmak, and serves good food based on local produce. From the dining room and verandah, there is a lovely view across the bay. There is a harbour below the inn and Ornö museum and Ornö church are close by. Apart from the permanent exhibits, the museum has a special exhibition every summer.

- Viewing point The lovely view can be enjoyed near the remains of an opencast mine near the point of Kyrkviken. There is also information about the mine there. Feldspar was mined here from 1914 to 1965.

- Ornö Museum has great exhibits for those interested in history.

- Orchids There are many orchids on Ornö. There are as many as 22 species to be searched for and admired.

- Stunnträsk is Stockholm's deepest lake. There is supposed to be living organisms there dating from the time of the Ice Age.

Accommodation
There are both Bed & Breakfast and cottages for rent.

Food
Hässelmara farm café with home baked bread and lighter lunches.
Krogen på Ornö is the inn, which has a beach café by Kyrkbryggan.

Shopping
ICA-store and petrol station in Vargvik

How to get there
Public ferry from Dalarö Hässelmara.
Waxholmsbolaget ferries go from Strömkajen in Stockholm to Ornöboda, Söderviken and Ornö kyrkbrygga during the summer.
On certain times, Ornöbussen, SL-bus 879 goes from Hässelmara to Brevik, Ornö kyrka and Lättinge.

Guest harbour
There are 40 berths in Kyrkviken.

Nature
Ornö is the largest island in the southern archipelago. It is about 15 km long and 4 km wide at the widest. Nature is varied including woodland, bare rock and several lakes. There are large woods on the island with plenty wildlife including elk and roe deer. Birds of prey, primarily sea eagles, ospreys and common buzzards breed here in several of the woods on Ornö. There are no less than 22 species of orchid growing here and some of these are the best habitats in the whole of Stockholm. Stunnträsk, Stockholm's deepest lake is here on Ornö. It is 40 metres deep and organisms from the last Ice Age still live down here.

History
The earliest known inhabitants are hunters from the Bronze Age 3000 years ago. There are a lot of graves near to the prehistoric settlements at what were bays at the time when the sea level was 15 metres higher than today. The waters off Ornö were known for being rich in marine life in the Middle Ages. Fishing laws and tax regulations around fishing were in existence as early as 1450 on Huvudskär, the large fishing harbour outside Ornö.

In 1645 a section of land was bought from the Crown and bacame a fee tail property, which, along with Sundby estate, was passed over to the Stenbock family in 1854. The family still own the land today.

A small ironworks with a blast furnace was built in Lättinge on the south western side of the island in 1637 where iron ore from the iron mines on Utö was processed.

In the summer of 1719, the Russians ravaged the island and it was badly hit. The manor house of Sundby was burnt down, along with a lot of small cottages. Building started on the new farm the following year and it became what is today's Sundby Gård. This farm from the turn of the 18th century has more or less maintained it's exterior since 1750.

During the second half of the 19th century the population was at its peak with 600 people and a school was built in 1842. In 1881 the islands old church was burnt down and the poor parish decided to build a copy of the wooden church of Gillhof in southern Jämtland. This was consecrated in 1886 and is still there today.

During the Second World War, the residents mainly supported themselves on agriculture and fishing but there was also mining on the island.

Holiday visitors began arriving at the end of the 19th century with the scheduled steam ferries. A lot of holiday homes were built, the first of them around the turn of the century. More were built after the Second World War at the beginning of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1970s.

General
Ornö Tourist information at the museum: +46-8-501 56305
http://www.ornobygdegard.se/