Nässjö Turistbyrå (Tourist information office) Rådhusgatan 20,
Nässjö Tel. +46 (0)380-51 80 60
[email protected], www.nassjo.se/turism
The höglandsleden Trail,The lövhulT –
vikskvarn secTion
Walking in N
ässjö
Do you want to experience Småland at close range? Then we
recommend good shoes, a good packed lunch and a detailed walking
map. Bring along pleasant com-pany or enjoy being by yourself in
silence, tranquillity and nature.
The Höglandsleden trail is 454 km long and shows the highlands
of Småland at their very best. The trail traverses meadows and
pastures, large forests and birch groves, passing traditional
Swedish round pole fences, cairns (stone formations) and glittering
lakes. At the same time, the walk is an instructive trip through
different epochs. There are geological formations from the Ice Age
and ancient monuments from both the Iron and Bronze Ages. Along the
way you will pass traces of peasant society and changes wrought by
forestry, but you will also get a picture of modern life in the
countryside.
For 62 kilometres, the Höglandsleden trail goes through Nässjö
Mu-nicipality, and in addition to many historical attractions, here
you will find the highest point in the southern Swedish highlands:
Tomtabacken, which rises 377 metres above sea level!
Parts of the Höglandsleden trail coincide with the E6 European
walking trail. The trail also connects with a number of Swedish
trails: Sevede-leden (east), Anebyleden and Östgötaleden
(northeast), Vildmarksleden (southeast), Sigfridsleden (southwest)
as well as Gislavedsleden and Järnbärarleden (west).
With a starting point at the Nässjö railway hub, there are all
kinds of opportunities to experience a piece of Sweden on foot.
Höglandsleden The enTire höglandsleden Trail
don’T disTurb - don’T desTroy
The main rule of the right of public access is “Don’t disturb –
don’t destroy”. Be considerate when you are out in the
countryside.
• Take trash home with you or throw it in a waste bin. Glass,
cans and bottle caps can injure both people and animals.
• You may not take twigs, branches, birch-bark or other bark
from growing trees. Nor may you take bushes or trees. On the other
hand, you may pick wild berries, flowers, mushrooms, fallen
branches and dry twigs on the ground.
• Do not disturb animals by scaring them, especially during the
March 1–August 20 period, when many animals have young.
• Build fires only on specially provided barbecue sites. If you
have built a fire, extinguish it thoroughly before you leave the
site.
don’T forgeT!Being properly equipped for an outdoor excursion
can make your experience a lot more fun. Wear good shoes or boots.
If you are going to walk in tall grass, long trousers are a good
idea. Bring along a camera, binoculars, plant and bird handbooks,
etc. Don’t be in a hurry. Enjoy and discover nature up close – and
do it in the company of others.
Lövhult_Vikskvarn_engelska.indd 1 2013-05-20 22:49:07
1. lövhulT – a gem all year roundJust a few kilometres from
Nässjö station you will find Lövhult, where nature lovers and
amateur and elite level athletes meet – on nature’s terms. The
nature reserve covers 220 hectares and encompasses spell-binding
forests, living pastures, meadows that are characteristic of
Småland Province, and rippling watercourses. The exercise trails,
mea-suring 3, 5 and 10 km are used extensively in both summer and
winter. In the unlikely event of a lack of snow at this high
altitude, the trails are prepared with artificial snow. Other
facilities here include a hill for sledging, a riding school, a
horse jumping field, bridle paths and an asphalt trail suitable for
wheelchairs, roller skis and inline skates. Both the campsite and
the youth hostel are open all year round. You can grill hot dogs at
the barbecue site provided, or have coffee, soft drinks, sweets and
ice cream in the Motionsgården recreation centre.
1
2
3
4
5
6
2. lövhulT wesT brånaThe large village and beautiful pastures
give you a glimpse of the cultivation landscape that once dominated
our area. The meadow is still mowed using a scythe, exactly like
100 years ago. This is one of the municipality’s few forest
meadows, with birch, mountain ash (or rowan), aspen, Swedish
whitebeam, small leaved lime, beech, hazel and goat willow – as
well as a wealth of beautiful flowers. Take the opportunity to
refresh your knowledge of Swedish flora!
3. lake spexhulTasjönTake a well-deserved break by going for a
swim in one of the municipality’s largest lakes. Lake Spexhultasjön
is part of the River Emån’s water system and is the source of water
supply for the town of Nässjö. The lake is more than three square
kilometres in size, but its deepest point is only four metres.
4. Torsa sTenarThe Torsa stones comprise an impressive Iron Age
monument that is shrouded in myths. The large burial site with
round stone formations, square graves, stone circles, dolmens and
bauta (memo-rial menhir) stones was established in 400–700 A.D.
Drakaröret, Sweden’s largest three-pointed stone formation marking
a grave, is also here. According to folklore, it was best not to
visit at night, because the dragon (draken) would be here, guarding
its gold.
5. hulubergeT hillFrom Huluberget, which is the second-highest
point in southern Götaland (the southern region of Sweden) and
stands 364 m above sea level, the view extends for miles. Bring
along your camera, climb up into the 10 m high viewing tower and
discover whether you can see even further. There are also large
expanses of bogs in this area.
6. vikskvarn millStep into a bygone mill epoch. Only ruins of
the old Vikskvarn mill remain. A river running through the ruins
has exposed the Almesåkra formation, sedimentary rock that is
700–800 million years old and of geological interest. This has made
the mill ruins a classic study location for bedrock geology. The
mill is located in a picturesque rift south of Lake Almesåkrasjön.
It is also possible to go swimming here!
7. lövhulT easT ÄskhulT sÄTeri farmÄskhult säteri gives you a
glimpse of the Middle Ages, when inha-bitants of Swedish manor
farms were exempt from land dues to the Crown. The earliest written
mention of Äskhult säteri dates from 1381. It was previously
divided up into three farms: Norra and Södra Äskhult and
Äskhultamålen. Äskhult is the last farm before the border to Eksjö
Municipality.
7
© L
antm
äter
iet
Walking trail
Walking trail, along a road
Lövhult_Vikskvarn_engelska.indd 2 2013-05-20 22:49:16