The Right of Public Access

The Right of Public Access applies regardless of whether the land is owned by a private landowner, the municipality, the state, or a company/corporation.

Exercise and training in nature

In the beautiful nature of Borås, you can enjoy fresh air and physical activity in many different ways. Here you will find opportunities for hiking, jogging, horseback riding, and cycling, all under the condition that we show respect for each other and nature.

Hiking and jogging

You are allowed to walk and jog anywhere in nature, even if the land is owned by a private landowner. It is permitted to pass through gates, fences, and barriers, but remember to close them to prevent animals from escaping from the enclosures. However, according to the Right of Public Access, it is not allowed to walk or jog through someone’s yard or garden, on cultivated land, or in a forest plantation.

Vandringsleder och motionsspår (Svenska)

Riding and cycling

You can cycle and ride horses in forests and nature, as long as you do not disturb or cause damage. Be considerate of others and avoid cycling or riding when the ground is wet or soft, as this can harm the area. Also, avoid cycling or riding on cultivated land.

Riding or cycling in groups is not covered by the Right of Public Access. If you plan to cycle or ride in groups regularly, you should contact the landowner and ask for permission to use the area.

According to the general local regulations in Borås, it is not permitted to ride horses on municipal lit trails, tracks, or trails. It is also not allowed to visit the municipal beaches with horses between May 1 and August 30.

Cykla i Borås (Svenska)

Dogs in nature

During the spring and summer, between March 1 and August 20, your dog must always be on a leash when you are out in nature, according to the Right of Public Access. However, year-round, regardless of the season, your dog must always be kept on a leash in public places, such as parks, playgrounds, beaches, exercise tracks, and hiking trails in municipal outdoor and recreational areas, according to the general local regulations in Borås.

Hundbadplatser (Svenska)

Explore nature and the forest on your own

If you want to explore nature and the forest on your own, there are many apps you can download to find trails and smaller paths in the woods. Good maps, both for mobile and for printing, can be found on the website of The Land Survey. Keep in mind that there may be poor reception deep in the forest, so the app or map may not work temporarily. If you're willing to venture even further into the forest, it's a good idea to bring a compass.

Also, remember to park in a way that does not block the road. Even a forest trail can be used by landowners who need to access the forest with a tractor or other equipment to work.

Lantmäteriet (Svenska) External link, opens in new window.

Fishing

Fishing is not part of the Right of Public Access, but you can fish in over a hundred lakes in Borås if you purchase a fishing permit.

Fiska i Borås (Svenska)

Light a fire and grill

In Borås, there are over 100 grilling areas where you can enjoy cooking your own food. According to the Right of Public Access, it is allowed to make a fire in the forest, but it’s important to be cautious. Avoid making fires on surfaces where the fire can spread, and preferably grill on gravel or sand.

If you're using a disposable grill, it should also be placed on gravel or sand to prevent the fire from spreading easily. When you're finished, take the grill home with you or throw it in a special bin for disposable grills, as they should not be thrown in regular trash bins.

It is not allowed to light fires on rocks, as the heat can cause them to crack. Make sure to extinguish the fire or grill with water before leaving the site. During dry periods, there may be fire bans, and you can get information about this from SERF, Södra Älvsborgs Räddningstjänstförbund (a fire and rescue service). During extremely dry periods, it may also be forbidden to light fires or grill even in designated barbecue areas or with disposable grills.

Södra Älvsborgs Räddningsstjänstförbund (Svenska) External link, opens in new window.

Animals and plants

According to the Right of Public Access, you are allowed to pick berries, mushrooms, and flowers in the forest on someone else's land, but not nuts. Some plants are rare and protected, so you are not allowed to pick them. Be sure not to damage living trees, but it is okay to use branches that are already on the ground.

Respect wild animals and birds, and try not to disturb them. If you hear a bird that seems stressed, it may mean you are too close to its nest, so be careful and move away.

Mopeds and ATVs

According to the Off-Road Driving Law, it is not permitted to drive mopeds, enduro bikes, trial bikes, motocross bikes, or ATVs in nature. However, if you want to do this in Borås, you can join a club that has its own land specifically for this purpose.

Camping and motorhome parking

In Borås, there are two locations for camping and motorhome parking: Borås Camping Saltemad, located next to the river Viskan near Knalleland, and Övre Brodal, which is situated in the city center, close to the motorway.

According to the Right of Public Access, you are allowed to camp for one night in nature or the forest without asking the landowner, but avoid pitching your tent too close to other houses.

According to the general local regulations, it is not permitted to camp with tents, caravans, or motorhomes in public areas such as recreation areas, nature reserves, or bathing sites. Parking areas for these places may also not be used as parking spaces for motorhomes.

Construct something in nature

If you plan to build something in nature, such as a barbecue area, a bench, a cycling obstacle, or a fishing pier, you first need permission from the landowner. This applies to both private landowners and land owned by the municipality or the state. For land owned by the City of Borås, you can contact the Section for Development.

For certain projects, such as building a pier, you may also need a building permit from the Building Permit Unit, as well as approval from the Environmental Department in Borås for a shore protection exemption.

• Section for Development (Svenska)
• Building Permit Unit (Svenska)
• Environmental Department in Borås (Svenska)

Boats and piers, swimming, jet skis, and waterskiing

Recreational boats and waterskiing

You are allowed to paddle and operate boats on most lakes and waterways in Borås, but according to the Maritime Law, you must show consideration and take responsibility to ensure your boat is seaworthy and that you operate it safely.

Activities like waterskiing are not permitted if they disturb other people or wildlife, such as by causing noise or large waves that could harm birds or disturb nearby residents. Some areas may also be protected to preserve nature, and it is not allowed to drive fast there.

On certain lakes, like Öresjö, it is not permitted to use two-stroke engines, as the lake is an important source of drinking water for the municipality of Borås. This also applies to other lakes near Öresjö that are part of its protected zone.

Boat and piers

According to the Right of Public Access, you are allowed to temporarily moor at someone else’s pier, as long as you do not disturb the pier’s owner. If the owner arrives and needs to use the pier, you must vacate your spot.

Storing boats on someone else´s land

If you want to store a boat on someone else’s land, you must first ask the landowner, regardless of whether it is privately owned land, owned by the municipality or the state.

Jet skis

According to the Jet Ski Ordinance, it is not permitted to operate jet skis on any lake or river in Borås. Jet ski operation is only allowed at sea and on shipping lanes in larger lakes in Sweden.

Swimming under the Right of Public Access

Borås has over 1,000 lakes and ponds. According to the Right of Public Access, you are allowed to swim anywhere in nature. However, be mindful to park in a way that doesn’t obstruct others.

Water quality tests indicate that swimming in the river Viskan in central Borås and in lakes along the motorway—Ramnasjön, Hultasjön, and Glasögonsjöarna—is not recommended.

Badplatser i Borås (Svenska)

Bad från annans brygga

According to the Right of Public Access, you have the right to swim from someone else’s pier if it is outside the owner’s so-called “privacy zone,” meaning if the pier is not directly connected to the owner’s garden or property.

The following text is from the publication “The Right of Public Access – What Does the Law Say?”:

“A property, legally speaking, extends widely around residential houses but is much smaller around utility buildings, boathouses, and bathhouses. It hardly exists at all around, for example, meadow barns. A property only exists in principle around buildings. The landowner cannot normally expect protection for areas around swimming piers, diving boards, etc., even less so for a swimming area that lacks such installations but that the owner wishes to consider private. There is nothing to prevent someone from jumping into the water from someone else’s swimming pier if it is not currently being used by the owner or their family. However, if they are sunbathing there, they should be left alone.”