Vårdberget

Vårdberget is located in a wonderfully scenic natural environment above Himmerfjärden in Stockholm's southern archipelago. This crag is not very high, but quite wide and full of cracks, small holds and steps, making the routes very tightly lined up along the wall. Very solid and nice rock quality that also stays free of moss. The crag houses a number of naturally protected routes in fairly easy grades, but many of the routes are actually quite demanding to lead and the placements are not always obvious. Most of the routes are angled below vertical, but there are a few short overhanging routes as well. It's easy to rig top-rope as there are loads of ring bolts on top of the crag, but be sure to bring some long extra loops/slings to get the rope over the edge.

The crag is very suitable for a weekend outing / overnight stay with the whole family as it is arranged with a fireplace, seatings, wind protection, easily accessible ring bolts on the top, descent devices and actually even nameplates glued to the wall (hence rout finding won't be a problem). It can be a lot of people on weekends and lots of top ropes hanging. The approach involves a little downclimb (2) along a chain the last bit down to the crag. However, if you have managed to get here, this crag is very child-friendly. It's also possible to use the same parking as for Lilla Vårdberget for an easier but a bit longer approach. Might be an alternative if you want to avoid the little downclimb when coming from Vårdbergets parking.

The different sectors are very close to each other, but Svampvägen is about 50 meters west of the main wall and lies around the corner. It's quite mossy because the routes have few repetitions and there are more trees around. The more rarely climbed routes far to the right of the crag may also need to be brushed a bit on top, so it may be good bringing a brush.

Environment:
The main part of the wall is west facing and catches the sun at around 12 o'clock. It's completely open to the sun. Some parts on the main wall might be wet in spring and usually needs a few warm dry days to dry up properly.

By Claes Jelinek
Lars-Åke Svartz and Jan Mellring, two climbers from Nynäshamn were the first to start climbing on the idyllically situated Vårdberget. Names such as Höstsol, Julstämning and Lysmaskidyll testify that several routes were made during short cold autumn days. Several of the lines had elements of artificial climbing and when the guidebook ”Ännu mera klättring…” came out in 1984, several climbers registered the climbing opportunities offered by the crag. Janne Liliemark was first out and on-sighted Kuling, Höstsol and Dolly at a furious pace. Had he had more time on it that day he had made a clean house among all the climbing projects. Janne later happened to inform others of this fine crag and thus lost a few real pearls. Birger Hedlund flashed and did without moral concerns Lysmaskidyll which proved to be one of the cliff's finest lines. Later the rest of the routes were done and a number of new routes saw the light of day. Jakob Sjöstrand from Västervik did the unusually steep and fun Terminator. This was equipped with a number of homemade bolts that broke at irregular intervals and it was very close that it had fatal consequences. Nowadays it is bolted and equipped with better bolts. The crag is very popular, partly because of the enormous work that has been put into easily accessible anchors and the establishment of wind protection, etc.