Kärsön

Kärsön (often written Karson in English listings) is a small wooded island in Ekerö municipality, between the Nockeby bridge and the Drottningholm bridge, within sight of Drottningholm Palace. It is a nature reserve managed by the National Property Board, with the marked Kärsöleden walking trail, meadows, old forest and several bathing spots along the shore. Locals have used the quieter rocks and woods as a nude bathing and gay cruising area for many years; it is informal, unmarked and entirely seasonal. Getting there: metro to Brommaplan (green line), then any bus towards Ekerö or Drottningholm and get off at the first stop after the Nockeby bridge (Brostugan), about five minutes; then walk into the woods along the trail. Most regulars drive. Evening buses back are thin and a taxi into town is expensive, so check return times before you set out. It is busiest on warm afternoons and long evenings from June to August and quiet the rest of the year. The island is also used by walkers, dog owners and families, especially around the swimming jetty near Kärsögården, so keep anything sexual well off the main paths and away from the official bathing spots. Reserve rules apply (no digging up plants, restrictions on camping and open fires). Take your rubbish with you, check for ticks (Stockholm county is a TBE area) and leave before dark if you do not know the trails.