Upplandsleden, slinga 28:1, Härjaröslingan

Start/end: Suitable starting points are at the Blåhäll bathing area or the parking lot at Österby backe. You can also start at Äppelnäsgrund in the northern part of the reserve, but here it is 600 m to walk along a connecting path, from the parking lot and up to Upplandsleden.

Length: 12 km

Surface: Forest paths, two shorter sections along asphalt road and gravel road

Services: Bathing areas, barbecue areas, dry toilet at Äppelänsgrund, Österby backe and Blåhäll, campsite with shelter and fireplace

Along this circular trail you get to experience most of Härjarö Nature Reserve, which is located on a cape in Lake Mälaren in southernmost Uppland. The hike is mostly on forest trails and you pass several swimming and barbecue areas.

Blåhäll is the largest of the two bathing areas in the reserve. There is a large parking lot, several fireplaces along the beach, a bathing jetty and a dry toilet. If you start here and walk the loop clockwise, you first follow a paved walkway along the water, from the bathing area and away towards the former camping area. You walk across the camping area and enter a wide forest path heading north. After a while you come out on the highway through the reserve, which you follow for a bit before the trail again turns into a forest path south of Stensved. From here, the hike now only goes on the path all the way back to Blåhäll, except for a short stretch on a gravel road before Österby backe.

In the northernmost part of the reserve, you pass the Äppelnäsgrund bathing area, with a small sandy beach, fire pit and grassy areas. The continued stretch south goes close to the water past a couple of nice viewpoints. In several places along the trail down towards Österby cape, and also around the cape itself, you can see traces of the spruce bark beetle's progress in the reserve in the form of large areas with dead spruces. Many dead spruces along the trail have been felled but remain in the reserve to the delight of various insects and fungi.

At Österby udd there are several barbecue areas right by the water. You can collect firewood from a centrally located wood store at the campsite. The campsite is a tent meadow with a shelter, picnic table and fireplace. There is also a toilet nearby.

From Österby udd the hike continues over to Härjarö udd. There is also a barbecue area at the end of the headland. The last bit back to Blåhäll you walk along a well-trodden path very close to the water. Another nice barbecue area is located on a hill just before you arrive at Blåhäll.