A walking tour of the World Heritage Site
Tanumshede

This is a 6 km path that takes you to three different places with exciting rock carvings: Lövåsen with its shaman, Gerumhällen with the flying swing and Sotetorp with ships full of people doing backward somersault

Beside the carvings, which are both painted and unpainted, there are information boards that tell us about the locations and the interpretations of the rock carvings. The tour also takes you past other sights of cultural and historical interest such as livestock paths, a ruined windmill and remains of cottages. Along the way there are a couple of places for a rest and a location affording a magnificent view of the Tanum Plain and the World Heritage Area. From the car park red-topped posts show the way. The path is quite hilly in places.

Lövåsen  

This is the first panel that you reach if you follow the path. On the far side of the panel there are two deeply carved ships, very visible in the afternoon sun, Close beside the platform on the steps there are two other very interesting ships. In both cases the crew can be clearly seen with their paddles raised in the air. In the stern of the ship on the left stands a man who is a good deal bigger than the other men of the crew. Perhaps there is a value perspective and it is the ship's skipper that we see. From the man's head what look like rabbit's ears stick up. We are presumably looking at a helmet with horns. It was during the Bronze Age that horned helmets were fashionable and not during the Viking era.

Ten meters or so to the right of the steps there is another man with a horned helmet. This is the "sorcerer" or "shaman". Like the skipper the shaman has what appears to be a big nose. These elongated faces have been interpreted as indicating that the person depicted is wearing a mask, perhaps even a bird mask with a beak. The shaman is also interesting because he shows some of the most common attributes that can be seen on the men of the rock carvings.

The Gerum Panel

In the middle of the panel there is a frequently discussed carving, the flying swing or the maypole. The image has acquired this name because it brings to mind the maypoles and dancers that can be seen in, for example, Dalarna. 

Sotetorp

The best known carving on this rock is probably the representation off an acrobat, a "voltigeur", who is doing a backward somersault over a ship. Just to the left of the ship with the voltigeur there is a sunwheel. These symbols are normally taken to represent the sun. It could of course also be a depiction of a wagon wheel and spokes, a new invention during the Bronze Age.

Please do not walk on the rocks because it can damage the carvings.

Bring your dog on the trek but keep your dog on a leash.

It is not allowed to make a fire or to barbecue along the trail.

134 km north of Gothenburg. From E6, take of at exit 105 and follow the signs Vitlycke museum. About 3 km south of the museum turn left towards the sign Vandring I Världsarv. 1.2 km to the parking lot on the right side. Parking lot: N 58.680524,E11.358565