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A paddling guide shared by Långholmen Kajak – the Swedish part of Northkayak.
Cape Horn, Cape Farewell, Cape Agulhas. There are many famous capes, often with evocative names that promise adventure. The word cape comes from the Latin caput, meaning head. Salt-sprayed, wind-beaten and remote, capes have for generations held an almost fearful attraction for sailors – from the fast clippers sailing between Australia and Europe to today's round-the-world yachts. Today it is relatively easy to visit these places yourself. But why travel to the other side of the world when there are capes much closer to home?
Sweden has its own "Cape Horn" – in Skåne. The real Cape Horn lies at 56 degrees south. Kullaberg in north-western Skåne lies at 56 degrees north and is very exposed to wind and weather. It cannot match the wildness of the real Cape Horn, of course, but Kullaberg offers more than enough adventure and nature – and a wonderful way to experience it is by sea kayak.
Sea kayaking is becoming ever more popular, and the conditions in Sweden are exceptionally good. Many prefer paddling in the archipelago, but more and more people paddle on the open sea, with a free horizon on one side and a fantastic coastline on the other. In waves and swell of different sizes you get to practise both balance and paddling technique.
All of Skåne can be seen as one great cape: Sweden's southernmost part, which has to be rounded on a long coastal journey. But Skåne also has many capes of its own, such as Bjäre Peninsula, Kullaberg, Falsterbo, Smygehuk, Kåseberga, Sandhammaren and Stenshuvud – more than anywhere else in Sweden over such a short stretch. In calm weather most paddlers can round them, but in rougher weather the passages are serious challenges. We know – we have tried.
The north coast of the Bjäre Peninsula can be explored by launching at, for example, Kattvik or Torekov. In westerly or north to north-westerly winds there are good chances to surf in towards the sand and pebble beaches along the peninsula's long nature reserve. Avoid the rocky stretches and shallows that sometimes reach far out from the shore closer to Torekov. The coast is especially dramatic at Hovs Hallar, where high cliffs drop steeply into the sea.
Kullaberg is our most exciting cape. The shore is hard to land on: the few bays and low beaches along the otherwise rocky coast rarely allow completely risk-free stops, and rebounding waves are another factor to consider. Keep a good distance from the steep cliffs even in fairly calm weather. In return, we promise a powerful nature experience – you might think you have been transported much further south, with lush greenery and an extraordinarily dramatic coastline. Geologically, Kullaberg is a horst, a raised block of bedrock, whose highest point is 187 metres above sea level. The water is clear, the vegetation lush and the birdlife fascinating. The crowning glory is Kullen Lighthouse at the very tip, the highest-placed lighthouse in the Nordic countries, more than 88 metres above sea level. Launch at Arild or Mölle.
The Falsterbo peninsula, with Skanör and Falsterbo, is Sweden's south-westernmost point. It is completely flat, with long sandy beaches and often shallow water. By sea you pass two points: Knösen to the north and Nabben to the south. Between them lie shallow lagoons and wetlands that are important bird habitats. A convenient launch site is the Falsterbo Canal, which you return to after rounding the point in either direction – a pleasant round trip of about 25 kilometres.
Already from Ystad Saltsjöbad you can see the Kåseberga ridge to the east. The passage around Kåsehuvud rivals Kullaberg in grandeur – but here it is not bedrock but a ridge of sand and gravel, with steep, grassy slopes running down to the shore and the open sea. On top of the ridge stands the stone ship Ales Stenar. We passed in south-westerly winds of just under 10 metres per second. As at Kullaberg, keep well away from the shore to avoid breaking waves, although rebounding waves are less of a problem here. Our kayaks took on quite a lot of water before we reached the small harbour at Kåseberga. There is a good beach for landing or launching just before the harbour entrance. A good start or finish in the other direction is the campsite at Nybrostrand.
Other well-known capes in Skåne are Smygehuk, Sandhammaren and Stenshuvud. These headlands are more like bulges along a long, even coastline, but they all lie on a completely exposed coast. Fishermen in Abbekås harbour told us that at a given wind strength, the waves get higher the further east and north-east you go along the Skåne coast – and our own paddling seemed to confirm it.
Smygehuk, Sweden's southernmost point, is a flat, sandy headland with rocky shores. Here you will find a harbour with restaurants and a nice hostel. The old lighthouse is no longer in use and is now a tourist attraction. Captain Brink's Cabin, a small museum next to the hostel, is worth a visit – when we were there, the captain himself showed us round and told us his stories.
Sandhammaren is Skåne's south-eastern cape. Its lighthouse, a little inland, is still in use – a so-called Heidenstam lighthouse, designed by the father of the writer Verner von Heidenstam. As the name suggests, this is also a sandy headland, if anything even flatter than Smygehuk. In calm weather you can paddle close to both headlands, but in rougher conditions stay outside the breaking waves. Stenshuvud, on the other hand, is a bedrock horst and the southernmost spur of the Linderödsåsen ridge. Its highest point is 97 metres above sea level, and the area has been a national park with rich biodiversity since 1986.
The Skåne coast is a paradise for sea kayakers who want an exciting change from archipelago paddling, and it is easy to combine with nature and culture. Skåne hospitality shows itself in the many cosy little restaurants – often with seafood on the menu – in almost every small harbour. Everything is close by in Skåne.
Exposed coasts call for a seaworthy kayak with a good spray skirt, a life jacket and clothing for cold water. See our sea kayaks, spray skirts, life jackets and dry suits, and read up on kayak rescue techniques before you head out.
