The island of Dyrön
A short summary
Everything is within walking distance on Dyrön, whether you want to hike, swim, see local art, have a coffee or admire the mouflon sheep and the seascapes. This is the great attraction of Dyrön.
The journey to Dyrön starts at Rönnäng jetty, where you catch the Hakefjorden passenger ferry. From there, it heads via Tjörnekalv, through the sound, towards the Marstrand Fjord, where the seascape opens out to deliver splendid views and salt spray. This is where you get first glimpse of Åstol and Dyrön, two car-free islands with very different characters. Åstol is a rugged, craggy island, while Dyrön is its green and fertile neighbour.
Peace descends when you reach Dyrön’s north harbour (Nordhamnen). The largest motorised vehicles here are carrier mopeds, the island’s main means of transport, which putter along the asphalt lanes that wind between the Nordhamnen and Sydhamnen harbours, past homes, green spaces, playgrounds and a supermarket that is open all year round. Both harbours have marinas with service facilities and child-friendly places to swim. In Sydhamnen there is also a snack kiosk and the nearby Bockeberget gallery where artwork is exhibited in an underground cavern in summer. There are also regular ferries to Marstrand from this harbour, as well as charter tours to Gothenburg and Lysekil.
Hiking trails and saunas with magnificent views
Walking is a relaxing way to explore Dyrön, and to get the most spectacular views you should follow the hiking trail that runs over the island, which is steep in places and calls for reasonable fitness and sturdy shoes. But it is well worth the effort, as it gives you views of the horizon, Marstrand Fortress and the islands all the way out to Klädesholmen, as well as glimpses of the wild mouflon sheep that thrive on the island.
Just ten metres from the southern tip of Dyrön is Dyrön sauna, which a few years ago was voted the best electrically heated sauna in Sweden, thanks to its tranquil location overlooking the sea and cliffs. The sauna is run by the community association and can be booked all year round, even from the local supermarket.
Farmers and fishermen
Like so many other parts of Bohuslän, Dyrön has been inhabited since the Stone Age over 3,000 years ago, and the remains of a Stone Age settlement have been found on the west of the island in a high valley between bare rock faces. The remains of a Bronze Age cairn to the west also testify that people were drawn to this site long ago. In those days, however, the land that would later become farmland was still under water. The first documented farmer, Engelbrekt, was mentioned in 1566, when Dyrön was crown property. In 1743 Dyrön was bought from the crown, together with its uninhabited neighbour, Åstol, by two farmers, Anders Nilsson and Jon Jonsson Green. Just a few years later the herring fishing industry entered the biggest boom period in the history of Bohuslän, and this lasted until 1808. But while Åstol was rapidly populated by fishermen and squatters, Dyrön lacked a harbour and subsisted on farming and livestock. But eventually the land could not support everyone, so the islanders began fishing, and by 1885 around 35 per cent of Dyrön’s population were fishermen.
Nordhamnen harbour was opened in 1902 by King Oscar II. Fishing played an increasingly important role until the 1960s, and by the early 1970s Dyrön had 12 fishing boats.
Everything is within walking distance on Dyrön, whether you want to check out Tintin Hallding’s jewellery, go hiking, swim, see local art, have a coffee or admire the mouflon sheep and the seascapes. This is the great attraction of Dyrön. It’s a tiny island with a permanent population of just over 250, but with a welcoming atmosphere, cosy accommodation, sea views, and a sense of peace inspired by the forces of nature.