Rickeby is a small village on the outskirts of Enköping. It was once a part of Boglösa Parish in the province of Uppland. Rickeby and the rest of the surrounding area are famous for the many rock carvings.
A Short History of Rickeby
The area around Rickby has been inhabited for a very long time. The rock carvings in this part of Sweden are believed to be around 3000 years old, dating back to the Swedish Bronze Age. Rickeby was earlier a part of Boglösa Parish, a parish established already in the Middle Ages. The whole parish was integrated into Enköping Municipality in 1971.
Things to Do and See
There are few areas in Sweden that can compete with the surroundings of Enköping when it comes to the number of rock carvings. Rickeby is one of the places to visit for anyone who considers runestones to be too modern.
Stora Rickebyhällen
Stora Rickebyhällen is a rock measuring 19 times 19 meters. What makes it special is that it is filled with rock carvings. The figures include 51 ships, 115 feet, and a lot more. One of the more famous is the “Stolen i Rickeby“, a large carving in the shape of a chair but most likely a bodice.
Övre Rickebyhällarna
There are more rock carvings in Rickeby than the large Stora Rickebyhällen. Not too far away, you can find Övre Rickebyhällarna. This is an area with at least three carved rocks and plenty of more figures. They are all in a forested area with a walking trail connecting them with the parking lot.
Upplandsleden: Gånsta – Boglösa
The hiking trail Upplandsleden has several routes through the province of Uppland. One section has a detour that will take you to Rickeby. This is section 25, the 10-kilometer long route from Gånsta to Boglösa. The detour, known as 25:2, is 4 kilometers one way. It starts at Hemsta Nature Reserve and takes you along plenty of Rock Carvings before ending at the carvings in Rickeby.
How to Get to Rickeby
- Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST), 33 kilometers away, which has mostly low-cost carriers. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 76 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Rickeby is along country roads outside of Enköping.
- Bus: Local and regional buses from UL connect Rickeby with the surrounding region.
- Train: SJ has trains to and from nearby Enköping and connects the area with Gothenburg, Hallsberg, Stockholm, and Västerås.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 77 kilometers (55 min)
- Gothenburg – 416 kilometers (5 h 6 min)
- Malmö – 622 kilometers (7 h 10 min)
- Linköping – 210 kilometers (2 h 39 min)
- Kiruna – 1214 kilometers (13 h 50 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
