Stenshuvud packs a sea-view hill, beech and hornbeam woods, a heath and a squeaky sand beach into a park you can walk round in an afternoon. Its binding rules are tighter than the right of public access, and three of them surprise almost everyone.
When you need this
You’re staying on Österlen, in Malmö or across the bridge in Copenhagen, and want a day with a view, a walk and a swim. Maybe you’re hiking Skåneleden between Simrishamn and Kivik and need to know where the tent can go, or you’re wondering whether the dog, the bike, the camping stove or the motorhome can come along. This page covers the park itself: how to get in without a car, what the regulations actually say, which trail to pick and what is open when.
The park at a glance
Stenshuvud became a national park in 1986. The county board, Länsstyrelsen Skåne, puts it at about 400 hectares in Simrishamn municipality and manages it. The national-parks site describes a coastal hill, broadleaf forest and heaths running down to the beaches, with around 600 species of vascular plants. The county board calls it all of Skåne’s nature in a small space: in a couple of hours you pass lush woods, flowering pastures, sandy heath, an alder swamp, a sand beach and a cliff shore.
The hill has three peaks, south, east and north. The national-parks site gives the north peak as the highest at 97 m (the county board’s page says 96 m). From the top you look out over Hanöbukten bay, and on clear days Bornholm shows as a blue shadow on the horizon. Sailors have used the hill as a landmark for centuries; you can see it from Simrishamn harbour and from the beach at Åhus.
People have been here a long time. On the heath lies a 4,000-year-old stone burial cist (hällkista), and a wall from an ancient hillfort (fornborg) rings the southern peak. Its age depends on whom you ask: the county board’s Swedish text says about 1,700 years, Skåneleden dates the 210 m wall to around AD 400–550, and the county board’s English text says c. 500 BCE.
Getting there
The park lies just south of Kivik, about 18 km from Simrishamn and about 95 km from Malmö. It has three entrances, each with parking and toilets:
| Entrance | What’s there | How to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Main entrance | naturum (the visitor centre), four of the five trails, the orchid meadow, the only drinking-water tap | Signed from road 9 |
| North entrance, Hällevik | The tent site, the green arboretum trail, Skåneleden towards Kivik | Signed from Kivik |
| South entrance, Rörum | The coast and the sandy heath | — |
Without a car. Take Skånetrafiken’s SkåneExpressen line 3, which runs between Simrishamn and Kristianstad, to the stop Mellby skola. From there it is about 3 km on foot: walk 100 m south, turn left at the red fence up towards Svinaberga, go right at the T-junction, turn left into the Svabesholm royal farm (kungsgård), then carry straight on east for about 2 km. The park is at the end of the road. Buy and activate your ticket in the Skånetrafiken app before you board; our Skåne public transport guide explains the tickets.
By car, come early. The county board warns that the car parks are often full during holidays and at weekends, and suggests cycling there or walking in on a longer hike. Note that the bike has to stay outside: cycling is banned in the park.
The rules
Stenshuvud has its own binding regulations, Naturvårdsverkets föreskrifter om Stenshuvuds nationalpark (NFS 2014:19). They have applied since 1 January 2015, replaced the original 1986 rules, and were amended once in 2014 to restore a fishing exception that had been dropped by mistake. They are posted at every entrance and limit allemansrätten, the right of public access. We read the regulation itself, not a summary.
| Activity | What the regulation says |
|---|---|
| Tent or shelter | Only at a designated place — the one tent site at the north entrance |
| Fire, grill or camping stove | Only at a designated place — the grill places at naturum and the tent site |
| Firewood | No breaking twigs, and no felling or damaging living or dead trees or bushes |
| Dog or other pet | Always on a leash |
| Cycling and horse riding | Banned everywhere in the park |
| Caravan or motorhome | No parking or setting up between 00:00 and 06:00 |
| Aircraft | No take-off or landing; the county board says this includes camera drones and toy aircraft |
| Fishing | Only with handheld tackle in the sea; none in or by the north branch of Rörums å |
| Plants and fungi | No picking or digging up plants, mosses, lichens or wood-living fungi without a permit |
| Berries and edible mushrooms | Allowed for your own use |
| Wildlife | No disturbing animals, climbing nest trees, or collecting insects, frogs or reptiles |
| Boats | Motorboats and jet skis at most 5 knots |
Three rules catch people out. First, the stove. Elsewhere in Sweden a gas or liquid camping stove stays legal even under an ordinary fire ban (see our campfire rules), but here the regulation bans fire “including using a grill or camping stove” outside the designated places. A beach lunch on the burner is a breach. Second, the bike: cycling is banned on every trail. Third, the motorhome must be off the car park between midnight and six; see motorhome overnight stops for the rules outside.
A county or municipal fire ban overrides the grill places too: the national-parks site says you may then make no fire anywhere in a national park. And there is no firewood. The county board says you may not burn dead branches, so bring your own charcoal.
Dogs need two rules in mind. The leash rule applies all year here, not just in the 1 March–20 August period that Swedish law sets elsewhere (our leash law guide explains the difference). In summer the beach is off-limits too: the county board says pets are not allowed on the park’s beach from 1 June to 31 August, and Simrishamn’s local regulations ban dogs from bathing places from 1 June to 31 August, 08:00–20:00.
Walks and what to see
The national-parks site lists five marked trails. Four start at naturum; the green one starts at the north entrance.
| Trail | Length · time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 1 km · about 30 min | Down to the sea past the orchid meadow to the old fishing hut Krivareboden; adapted for reduced mobility |
| Red | 2 km · about 1 h | The classic climb through hornbeam woods and the fort wall to the top and back |
| Purple | 3 km · about 1 h | The quieter Kortelshuvud viewpoint, beech woods and the valley of Rörums norra å |
| Yellow | 4 km · about 1.5 h | Round the whole hill via the alder swamp, the arboretum and the beach; very stony in places |
| Green | about 0.5 km · about 15 min | Loop through the arboretum, planted in the late 1800s; adapted for reduced mobility |
- The summit. Take the red trail for the three viewpoints. From the north entrance, follow Skåneleden’s orange markers up the hill and the signs back to Hällevik.
- The beach. Fine sand that squeaks underfoot, 500 m from the main entrance. Storms can strip it to stones in autumn and winter, and it comes back in calm weather. When the wind blows onshore, strong undercurrents form, so don’t wade far out.
- The lighthouse. Built in the early 1900s on the cliff shore, never manned and now unlit; reach it on the stony shore section of the yellow trail.
- The sandy heath. A rare habitat in the south of the park, with pasque flower and sand lily in spring and purple heather in autumn. The county board has felled trees here to bring the heath plants and sand lizards back.
- naturum Stenshuvud. The exhibition is one floor down, with a lift; children get a drawing table, stories and a quiz trail.
On Skåneleden. Sub-trail SL4 Österlen crosses the park on stage 5, Simrishamn–Kivik, marked with orange SL4 bands. Skåneleden gives the stage as 20 km, 5–6 hours, graded blue, and calls the climb through the park one of its tougher sections.
With a guide. Park staff lead theme walks, several of them free; upcoming walks are posted on the park’s Facebook page. Groups can book a nature guide for about an hour and a half.
Where to sleep and eat
Camping is allowed in exactly one place: a signed glade near the sea at the north entrance. You may pitch from 16:00 and must have packed up by 10:00 the next day; camping anywhere else in the park is forbidden. Outside the boundary, ordinary wild camping rules apply.
| Place | Tables | Grill place |
|---|---|---|
| naturum | Tables and benches; roofed benches on the meadow to the east | Yes, in the weather shelter on the meadow |
| Tent site, north entrance | — | Yes |
| Krivareboden on the beach | A few benches | No |
Water comes from a single tap at the toilet building by naturum, so fill up there. Flush toilets are at naturum; dry toilets stand at the beach, the north entrance and every car park. For food and places to stay nearby, the national-parks site points visitors to Simrishamn municipality’s tourist information.
Accessible visits
| Place | What works |
|---|---|
| Entrance areas | All accessible by wheelchair or rollator, with boards, leaflets and a map |
| Blue trail | Fine gravel and boardwalk from the main entrance to the sea; wheelchair or rollator |
| Green trail | Stone-dust surface through the arboretum; accessible dry toilet at the north entrance |
| naturum | Lift to the exhibition; accessible toilet and dry toilet outside |
| Mobility scooters | The regulation allows electric wheelchairs and permobil on designated trails |
The red and yellow trails climb and are stony in places, so they are not described as accessible.
Season by season
Cows, and sometimes sheep, graze large parts of the park from mid-May to mid-November to keep the meadows open. Walk calmly through pastures, never between a cow and her calf or between the herd and the bull, and close every gate. Grazing animals can react aggressively to dogs, so avoid cattle pastures with a dog; naturum can suggest paths that skip them.
| Season | What you’ll see |
|---|---|
| Spring | From mid-April white carpets of wood anemones and pasque flowers on the meadows; wild garlic in the arboretum in May; the nightingale sings and the orchid meadow turns purple from mid-May to midsummer |
| Summer | The busiest time, with full car parks; dry meadows in flower; sea bathing |
| Autumn | Woods in warm colours, purple heather on the heath, apples ripening in the old orchards |
| Winter | Old wide-crowned oaks and beeches stand out, the sea glints between the trees, tracks of hare, fox and badger in the snow |
naturum’s hours change through the year; check before you go.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Size and founding | About 400 ha, formed 1986; managed by Länsstyrelsen Skåne |
| Entry and parking | No fee mentioned on the county board or national-parks pages (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Bus | SkåneExpressen line 3 to Mellby skola, then about 3 km on foot |
| Tent site | North entrance only, 16:00–10:00; no fee mentioned (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Water | One tap, at the naturum toilet building |
| naturum, October 2026 | Tuesday–Thursday 11–15, Saturday–Sunday 11–16; closed 20–21 October; November hours not yet published (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Guided walks | Several free; some 50 kronor per adult and 20 kronor per child. Booked guide: 800 kronor per hour for up to ten people, 1,000 kronor per hour for more, incl. VAT; free for schools (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Dogs on the beach | Not allowed 1 June–31 August |
FAQ
Can you camp in Stenshuvud National Park?
Only at one place: the signed tent site in a forest glade near the sea at the north entrance, Hällevik. You may pitch from 16:00 and must have packed up by 10:00 the next day. Camping anywhere else in the park is forbidden, and caravans and motorhomes may not park between midnight and 06:00. Outside the park boundary, ordinary allemansrätten applies.
How do you get to Stenshuvud without a car?
Take Skånetrafiken’s SkåneExpressen line 3, which runs between Simrishamn and Kristianstad, to the stop Mellby skola. From there it is about a 3 km walk east through Svinaberga and the Svabesholm royal farm to the end of the road, where the park begins. Buy and activate your ticket in the Skånetrafiken app before boarding.
Can I bring my dog to Stenshuvud National Park?
Yes, but always on a leash, all year — the park’s regulations are stricter than the national rule. From 1 June to 31 August dogs are not allowed on the beach. Cows graze large parts of the park from mid-May to mid-November and can react aggressively to dogs, so avoid crossing cattle pastures with a dog and ask naturum for routes.
Can you grill or use a camping stove in Stenshuvud?
Only at the two designated grill places: by naturum and at the tent site at the north entrance. The regulations ban fires anywhere else, explicitly including grills and camping stoves. There is no firewood and you may not burn dead branches, so bring charcoal. If the county board or municipality issues a fire ban, no fire is allowed anywhere in the park.
How long is the walk to the top of Stenshuvud?
The red trail from the main entrance at naturum climbs through hornbeam woods and the old fort wall to the top and back: 2 km, about an hour. The northern peak, the highest of three viewpoints, is 97 m above the sea and looks over Hanöbukten. For a longer walk, return on the stony yellow trail round the hill.
Can you swim at Stenshuvud?
Yes. The park has a popular fine-sand beach, 500 m from the main entrance along the blue trail, and the county board recommends ending a visit with a dip. The beach changes with the sea and can be narrow and stony after storms. When the wind blows onshore, strong undercurrents form, so take extra care and do not go far out.
Related guides
- Österlen — the coast around the park: Kivik, Glimmingehus, Ales Stenar and the train to Simrishamn.
- Skåneleden — the trail network that crosses the park on SL4, with campsites beyond it.
- Söderåsen National Park — Skåne’s ravine park, with its own rules and a bus to both entrances.
- Kullaberg — the cliff reserve at Skåne’s other corner, also with a single tent site.
- Swedish national parks — how Stenshuvud fits among Sweden’s parks.
Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: Länsstyrelsen Skåne, Naturvårdsverket (park regulations NFS 2014:19 and 2014:27, Sveriges nationalparker, allemansrätten, dogs in nature), Simrishamns kommun, Region Skåne (Skåneleden), Skånetrafiken, Storstockholms brandförsvar — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.