The island of Lyr, a garden and the family D’Arcy
We offer coffee in a beautiful archipelago environment, and a tour of the garden and walking paths around the island of Lyr.
And, of course, we want to meet you!
Our garden is nestled by the sea, windswept but warm, and surrounded by rocks. Since 2017 we have encouraged some interesting trees, shrubs and plants to grow here. Our family first came to the island shortly after the war and has left its mark on the surroundings. The house is a summer house built in the 60s, gradually expanded to make plenty of room for family and friends during the summers. The garden occupies a narrow valley and benefits from plenty of water, we have taken advantage of this by creating ponds and swamp zones for beautiful but thirsty plants. Nearby Bronze Age cairns, high on the clifftops offer open views of the sea and the rocky Bohuslän landscape; a mosaic of heather, juniper, lichens and moss. Our garden is a work in progress and has a somewhat English romantic theme. Three-fifths of the family have a lot of gardening expertise and this, combined with a certain amount of experimentation, gives us some very rewarding results. We hope to inspire others to work with the natural opportunities and materials of their garden to create their own little paradise.
We think that you can easily spend about 2-3 hours with us, but if you want to stay longer on Lyr we recommend eating at the fantastic Bryggvingen www.bryggvingen.se and if you want to stay overnight, Bryggvingen also has a few suggestions.
Welcome!
About Your Host, Jan Krister
Our family consists of Jan (sailor), Mai (gardener), Lo (gardener), Kim (arborist), Anton (sound engineer), Morgaine (willow weaver, 11 years), Luna (ikebana, 7 years), Ragna (1/2 year) and Pip Larsson, Petite, and Liquorice (Cats). All the adults have a lot of irons in the fire and are curious about a wide range of interests in music, arts, and crafts. We are interested in Meet the Locals because it sounds like an exciting and fun way to meet people and swap interests and stories along with a slice of typical summertime life in the Swedish archipelago.
Who this is for
Families or individuals from Abroad or Sweden, who want to share a moment with us. An interest in gardening is good but not absolutely necessary, since there are other things to experience on the island.
When?
Weekends May-August
Where?
80km north of Gothenburg lies the island of Lyr. To reach the island take a car to Lyresten and then a ferry to Lyr (free of charge), follow the main road across the island towards Äng for about 3 km and park in the large parking lot on the left. We can pick you up there or we can give you directions for a walk of about 1500 metres along a beautiful little road. It is also possible to get to Lyresten from Gothenburg by bus or train to Stenungsund, bus to Varekil, and a bus to Lyresten where the ferry goes to Lyr. We can pick you up at the ferry terminal on Lyr.
Price
Free
Languages Spoken
Everyone speaks fluent Swedish and English.
Tips from Locals
The D’Arcy family’s tips on experiences when visiting Lyr.
- Huseby leden in Ellös.
- Then there is Mollesund with its origins as a fishing community that goes back to at least the 16th century. Definitely worth seeing with a walk around the village.
Also read more about exciting tips in the area around Lyr, on Orust’s own website.
Reviews
Jan and Mai were excellent and cordial hosts. Jan with his sailor stories and Sweden history made the visit very interesting. Mai brought out amazing stories about gardening and a beautiful garden to go with her own family history in Lyr. The food was great. Look forward to seeing them again. Regards, Kamesh Kameshwaran
Trollhättan , SwedenRead more
I had a wonderful day visiting Jan and Mai. Jan took me for a walk to the beach and to the hill with an amazing 360 degree view. Mai showed me her garden which she called a “children’s garden”, a place for the grandkids to play, to pluck flowers and berries and to have fun. The garden is so beautiful and lovely and the berries delicious. I especially like the white currant. During the fika, I tried the Ljung Honung which has a different but very nice taste. After the tea break, I hitched a ride on Elaine’s rowboat back to my car at the restaurant. Thank you so much for a fantastic experience! Teck Woon
Singapore , SingaporeRead more
