Bohus Malmön is one of the most beautiful and interesting islands to visit in West Sweden and there is no better way to see it than by the Soteleden. On Bohus Malmön you will find one of the nicest beaches in the northern archipelago, a perfect place to visit in the spring and summer months. You will walk past the historic granite mines which ones provided Sweden with all the material to build the streets in Gothenburg and Stockholm. Lastly you will get to visit one of the most picturesque fishing harbours in West Sweden!
How to get to Bohus Malmön
Bohus Malmön is located in the northern part of the archipelago, just south of the more well known towns of Kungshamn and Smögen. As it is an island, you must take a ferry from the mainland over to Bohus Malmön. This is a car ferry and takes around 6 minutes in total. It is free of charge and it is also possible to take it if you are walking. The ferry leaves Malmön every half hour on the hour, and the harbour of Tullboden 10 minutes later. It is around a 1.5 hour drive from Gothenburg, and well worth it for a day trip!
If you are travelling by public transport the best way is to catch the bus 866 from Kungshamn. This bus takes you all the way to the island of Bohus Malmön. This bus route does not leave very often so it is worth double checking before you take the trip! Kungshamn can easily be reached by bus from Gothenburg, Uddevalla and other big cities!
The Soteleden Stage 8
This hike is known as the Soteleden stage 8 (etapp 8), or the Kuststigen stage 25 (etapp 25). The hike is 10.5km and takes around 4 – 6 hours depending how much you stop and how quickly you walk! The track is easy with few hills and passes through many terrains. What I loved most about this hike was how many different landscapes you saw along the way. From the beautiful small fishing harbour by the ferry, to the almost tropical beach, vibrant forest and empty quarry land. It was incredible to be able to explore every inch of Bohus Malmön during the Soteleden stage 8.
If you are wanting to do a multiple day hike as a part of the Soteleden or Kuststigen then this route is perfect when combined with stages 6 and 7! These hikes take you around the mainland through some beautiful nature reserves. If you have 3 days I would suggest doing all 3 hikes. If you only have 2 days, I would suggest doing sections 7 and 8 and camping on the mainland at the end of the first day!
Read more about stages 6 and 7 here!
Malmön Harbour
The hike begins in the main town of Malmön, located just 5 minutes south of the ferry terminal. The best way to do the hike is start by walking through the town and end at the quarry. If you are driving, there is a free 12 hour car park by the Coop in the main town. Here you will also find a map with the Soteleden route on it and arrows pointing the way. First, head towards the brown houses opposite the carpark and continue to follow the harbour around. This was one of the most beautiful parts of the hike in my opinion. It was great to explore a little big of the village on Bohus Malmön, walking past the most picturesque harbour along the way!
Malmöns Beaches
Following the town of Malmön, you enter an area with classic West Sweden coastal views. What makes this island special is that here you see some beautiful sandy beaches which are not as common along the coast! The best and most beautiful beach is called Pärlane. This is an amazing spot to stop and swim in the warmer months of the year. This part of the Soteleden is quite easy as you are walking along coastal paths, mostly with wooden platforms.
Following the beaches on the east coast of Bohus Malmön, you pass through one of the first old quarry pit. Here you will enter another small village which takes you through the the start of the area where the real granite mining took place. This part of the soteleden is relatively flat and easy! If you want, you can cut the walk short here and walk back to the main town just after the houses end.
The old granite quarry on Bohus Malmön
This is one of the most interesting parts of the walk! Once you enter the granite quarry area, everywhere you look you will see square pits and markings on rocks. This was one of Sweden’s first major stone cutting quarry’s and you can really tell how much it was used when you wander around this part of the island. The stone quarry was opening in the late 1800s and is no longer in use today.
Rounding up the Kuststigen on Bohus Malmön
From the end of the quarry area it is about a 20 minute walk down through the forest towards the car park and ferry! This hike is by far one of the most beautiful hikes in the northern part of the Bohus archipelago. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a spring or summer hike with beautiful views and a bit of history!
If you are interested in extending the hike and seeing a bit more of the coast you can catch the ferry from Malmön to Tullboden and continue along the kuststigen/ soteleden from there!
