Skavlöten is a beautiful and popular nature reserve in Täby with free-standing boulders and edges scattered around the forest. However, all are within a short walk of one another. Climbing in the park is quite varied with crimps, slopers, traverses and weird mantels. Some climbs require strength while others reward technique and precise footwork. Trackside is the obvious place to start, with some easier climbs to get warmed up on. However, you will draw attention to yourself - be an ambassador for climbing! If you want seclusion, head to literally any of the other areas. Secret Garden has a few fun easier lines. Anyone climbing in the 7th grade will want to head up the hill to the string of boulders overlooking the lake - Bäverblocket, Skyline and Far Skyline. It is easy to forget that you are in the capital city here.
Make sure to do more than just climb while you are here. Rönninge By in the south of the reserve has an excellent cafe serving waffles, and there are family friendly activities including pony riding. The lake is great for swimming in summer. At the car park are toilets, changing rooms, an outdoor gym, fire pits, a nice beach and a summertime cafe run by the orienteering club. The local kids jump off the cliffs under Far Skyline into the lake. Here there could be potential for some deep water solos. Likewise the central cracks in the cliff could be trad climbed but at the expense of a lot of damaging cleaning of lichen.
A few people may have climbed in Skavlöten since the mid 2000s but nothing was reported, and no evidence of cleaning was found except possibly at Trackside. Serious development started during the covid pandemic in 2020 by Jonathan Bull, who lived across the road in Hägerneholm.
Although many boulders were found by running around the forest with an orienteering map (check all the big black dots!), the first climbs were done at Trackside. The Secret Garden followed soon after. Both areas were named after popular gritstone bouldering areas in the UK Peak District where the author began climbing. 'Not to be taken away' is named after a classic ramp line at Stanage - the original is unfortunately better than this one. 'Hilary Mantel' starts with a cave traverse and finishes with balancey climbing on the hanging slab - it has real gritstone feel.
Bäverblocket was found and cleaned soon after. There is a beaver dam in the lake close by and plenty of pencil-point tree stumps as evidence. 'Eager Beaver sit start' is one of the best climbs in the park, while 'Be Afraid, Beavery Afraid' has the worst name and some perplexing moves on slopers - it's been done at least 3 different ways with varying grade opinions.
During 2021 some good quality harder climbs were done. 'WFH', a sloper test piece, is a low start to 'Be Afraid, Beavery Afraid' with even more perplexing moves. 'Smultronstället' is probably the hardest and best climb at Skavlöten and features a powerful lip traverse into 'Eager Beaver sit start'. 'Strömavbrott' is a quirky little mantel problem at Svampblocket that may feel easy or impossible. 'Skavlöten Traverse' is the big link-up across the whole Trackside face, with 3 distinct cruxes - a sport route (7c?) by Stockholm standards. 'Splendid Isolation' is a pure power climb on a hidden boulder close to the popular lookout spot. Sometimes the starting hold is wet so go after a day or 2 of dry weather.
In 2022 one of the last remaining projects was done - the tall and imposing 'Halcyon Days' which felt impossible for 2 years. Finally the beta was unlocked in a toprope session. The crux is the final move, high off the ground - a ridiculous mantel onto the only hold, which happens to be the sloper you are holding. The first ascentionist had good hip flexibility! This is a unique hard climb that should be sought out by those who need more than just hard pulling.
There are a few open projects still to do. The most significant is the link-up of 'Smultronstället' into 'WFH', called the Hibernating Butterfly project, is a 7C into a 7B+/C with one hard move between them - maybe a pumpy 8A+ when done? Calling all sloper specialists!
