Some of the best hiking and wilderness scenery can be found in the 4900-hectare Tyresta National Park, only 20km southeast of Stockholm. Established in 1993, the park is noted for its two-billion-year-old rocks and virgin forest, which includes 300-year-old pine trees. It’s a beautiful area, with rocky outcrops, small lakes, marshes and a wide variety of bird life. Don't miss Naturum, an exhibition centre where you can learn about all 29 of Sweden’s national parks through exhibitions and slide shows.
The centre itself is built in the shape of Sweden, complete with all 41 corners! There are even ‘lakes’ on the floor, indicated by different stones. Ask for the national park leaflet in English and the Tyresta Nationalpark och Naturreservat leaflet in Swedish, which includes an excellent topographical map at 1:25,000 scale. From the visitor centre there are various trails into the park; 45-minute guided hikes discussing the park's history and nature leave from the visitor centre at 10am daily June to August. Sörmlandsleden track cuts across 6km of the park on its way to central Stockholm.
The easiest way to reach the park is by car: exit south onto route 73 (signposted Nynäshamn). After about 15km exit right to Haninge, then turn left at the first T-junction. At the roundabout, take the first exit to Brandbergen and follow the signs.
By public transport, take the pendeltåg (commuter train) to Haninge centrum on the Nynäshamn line, then change to bus 834. You can also take bus 807 or 809 from Gullmarsplan tunnelbana station. Some buses run all the way to the park, while others stop at Svartbäcken (2km west of Tyresta village).