Borgholm

About This Anchorage

Borgholm is the main town on Öland, the long, narrow island east of the Swedish mainland (connected by the 6km Öland Bridge from Kalmar). Öland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2000) for its agricultural landscape and Alvar (limestone grassland) biodiversity. Borgholm itself has a ruined medieval castle (Borgholms slott) that is one of the largest castle ruins in Scandinavia and is open to visitors. The town is Sweden's summer-cottage heartland — the Swedish royal family has their summer residence at nearby Solliden. The anchorage in the Kalmar Strait gives reasonable shelter in E conditions but is exposed to westerly fetch across the strait.

Hazards

• !Kalmar Strait funnelling amplifies SW winds 3–5kts above forecast
• !Commercial shipping in Kalmar Strait — monitor VHF Ch 16
• !Shallow Öland Bank to the south and east — stay in marked channel
• !Very busy in July — Borgholm is peak Swedish tourist territory

Skipper's Tips

• →Borgholms slott castle ruin is one of Sweden's most romantic historical sites — open daily in summer
• →Solliden Palace gardens (Swedish royal summer residence) open to public in summer — 3km from harbour
• →Öland's Alvar grassland south of Borgholm: UNESCO-protected landscape, extraordinary flora in June
• →Kalmar city (connected by 6km bridge) has excellent chandlery and marine services
• →The Öland Bridge has 36m clearance — adequate for most cruising yachts
• →Local speciality: Öland lamb and Öland lentils (unique variety grown on the island's Alvar)

Nearby Anchorages