The memorial etched for the son, carved by his parents in a Södermanland forest

Axala sits in the heart of Södermanland's farmland, but it is not the soil that leads the eye here. At this clearing, beech trees stand tall. The ground underfoot is dark and crumbly – perfect for beeches. But centuries ago, when beeches were thinning, someone came and hollowed out a chunk of limestone. They coated it with lime and filled it with sand, and there the stone stood, three times as long as a man and three meters high. On its eastern side, runes were carved into the rock. Curious letters, more than a thousand years old. They remember Igulbjörn, a man named by his parents, Slode and Ragnfrid. The day he was remembered also marks the day this stone was carved – around the year 1000 AD. To find it, take the path leading into the forest. On the way, you'll see a signpost near road 223 to help you along.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons