Lövsta (Lake Mälaren)
- Freeride, Wave
- Best for
- Beginner to Advanced
- Skill Level
- Flat, Chop
- Spot Type
- Moderate
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) is a small lake launch area near Stockholm on Lake Mälaren, with generally clean freshwater conditions over sand. The water can be flat to chopped, and the onshore environment is described as having a narrow launch and landing zone that is ringed by high trees and nearby infrastructure. Wind at the spot is described as frontal, and is also characterized as notably gusty, with turbulence and wind-shadow effects associated with the surrounding trees and the nearby Hässelby heating plant. Reported usable wind windows cluster around spring and autumn, with typical on-lake wind commonly described around the low-to-mid 10s up to the mid-20s knots, though reliability is cited as extremely low in one dataset and as medium in another—so conditions can vary significantly from day to day. For kitesurfing, the spot is commonly positioned as challenging due to gusts, turbulence, and the small launch/landing area. Local guidance emphasizes that swimmers are present in summer: riders should avoid the beach area, respect designated swimming zones, and not kite inside buoyed swimming areas during summer. A practical note is that wind may feel cleaner a few hundred meters out from shore. Thermal protection is a consistent theme: sources state wetsuits are always needed, with high summer shorty possibilities but otherwise 5 mm and a drysuit in colder periods. Water temperatures are reported as very cold through the year, reaching roughly the high teens °C only in July and August.
- Small lake spot very close to Stockholm
- Frontal lake wind with frequent gusts and turbulence near shore
- Year-round cold-water protection required
- Swimming-zone restrictions in summer
- Freshwater lake with generally clean water
- Frontal wind provides structured wind options in spring and autumn
- Beginner-to-advanced kitesurfing levels possible depending on wind and comfort with gusts
- Very gusty and turbulent near shore due to trees and the nearby heating plant/power infrastructure
- Extremely low wind reliability reported (~4.5%) makes sessions unpredictable
- Small narrow launch/landing area and summer swimmer awareness needed
- Cold water requires year-round thermal protection
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- SW, W, S, NW
- Offshore directions
- SW, W, S, NW
- Wind Range
- 12–25 kts
- Wind Type
- Frontal — Frontal lake wind; reported as frontal at Maelaren / Loevsta.
- Reliability
- medium
- Gust Factor
- Heavy gusts — Gusty conditions attributed to surrounding trees and the nearby Hässelby heating plant.
- Best Months
- April, May, September, October, November
- Shadow Zones
- Significant turbulence and wind shadow from the nearby Hässelby heating plant and surrounding high trees.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Flat, Chop
- Beach
- Sand — Sand beach composition at the launch/swimming area.
- Beach Size
- Small
- Waves
- Flat — Wave size described as flat; water can be flat to chop depending on conditions.
- Chop Level
- Heavy chop — Described as chop; one source specifies flat-to-chop conditions while another notes chop.
- Launch
- Small — Small/narrow launch and landing area at the public swimming area (Lövstabadet).
Through the year
Can be busy with swimmers in July/August; kiting crowds generally low to moderate
October and November see the most frontal storm activity
By sport
What to expect for each.
A technically challenging lake spot with gusty frontal wind. Often kept as a local go-to, with a narrow launch/landing area and cold water year-round.
- Kite Sizes
- 9–14 m²
Suitable for windsurfing if comfortable with gusty lake conditions and a narrow launch.
- Sail Sizes
- 5.5–7.5 m²
Possible when wind is strong enough, but the narrow beach and gusty shore wind can make launches tricky for foil riders.
- Foil Friendly
- Yes — Foil-friendly reported as yes.
- Min Depth
- 1.2m
- Wing Sizes
- 5–6 m²
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) in the full forecast view.
Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 5–18 ktsGusts 34 kts
- Direction
- SSW195°
- Strongest day
- Sun, Oct 2518 kts
- Windy days
- 4/712 kts or more
- Temperature
- 5–12 °C
Over the next 7 days, Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) is forecast for daytime winds of 5–18 kts, peaking around 18 kts on Sunday, October 25 with gusts to 34 kts. The prevailing direction is SSW. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- Gusty wind due to trees
- Wind shadow and turbulence from buildings/power infrastructure
- Rocks in the water
- Narrow launch and landing area
- Power station chimney turbulence
- Small public beach with swimmers in summer
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- None — No lifeguard presence reported.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- Limited — Regional context indicates rescue services are limited on Lake Mälaren, with Swedish Sea Rescue Society coverage supported by police/fire.
- Emergency Info
- Call 112 for emergency services in Sweden.
- Localism / Vibe
- None — Localism described as none.
Rules of the spot
Avoid kiting through designated swimming zones; in summer, be mindful of swimmers at the public beach. Do not kite inside buoyed swimming areas during the summer season.
- No kiting inside the buoyed swimming areas during the summer season
- The wind is often much cleaner a few hundred meters out from the shore.
- Avoid this spot on North or East winds as it can become completely offshore and dangerous.
- North winds are reported to provide the most reliable side-shore conditions for safer riding.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Stockholm
- Nearest Town
- Hässelby
- Parking
- Public parking at Lövstabadet beach
- Access
- From Stockholm westwards to Hässelby, then further to Loevsta. Accessible by car via Stockholm → Hässelby, follow signs for Lövstabadet. Public parking at Lövstabadet beach.
- Local Language
- Swedish
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Far — Various hotels and hostels available in the Stockholm/Hässelby area.
- Food & Drink
- Seasonal cafe at the beach (Lövstabadet); more options in Hässelby.
- Equipment Rental:
- No local rentals; bring your own gear (regional context notes rental is generally available via specialized shops/mobile schools, but the spot-level record here says no rentals at the launch).
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Lövsta (Lake Mälaren)?
The best overall months at Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) are April, May, September, October, November.
Which wind directions work at Lövsta (Lake Mälaren)?
Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) works with SW, W, S, NW winds. Offshore directions are SW, W, S, NW.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Lövsta (Lake Mälaren)?
Recommended equipment sizes at Lövsta (Lake Mälaren): Kitesurfing: 9–14 m² · Windsurfing: 5.5–7.5 m² · Wingfoiling: 5–6 m². The typical wind range is 12–25 kts.
What skill level is Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) suitable for?
Lövsta (Lake Mälaren) suits these riding levels: Kitesurfing: Beginner to Advanced · Windsurfing: Intermediate · Wingfoiling: Advanced.