Holiday apartment in Gullspång – Nature, Salmon and Hova Riddarvecka

The Gullspångsälven River flows through Gullspång and connects Lakes Skagern and Vänern. The area also features nature reserves with marked trails, wild Gullspång salmon in their spawning grounds and cultural sites such as Hova Riddarvecka. Water landscapes, outdoor activities and history thus come together within a compact thematic area.

Nature and Water

In the Gullspångsälven Nature Reserve, the area around Åråsviken is home to a diverse bird population. The wild Gullspång salmon and trout depend on spawning grounds in the Stora and Lilla Åråsforsarna rapids. At the salmon ladder in Gullspång, there is an information board as well as tables and benches for a picnic. The site can be visited year-round; the best opportunities for observation are generally during the salmon and trout spawning season in October and November.

Marked hiking trails ranging from 1.2 to 10 kilometres run through Högsåsen Nature Reserve. Högsåseberg reaches 216 metres above sea level and offers views of Billingen and Kinnekulle in clear weather. Folkeberg Nature Reserve has a marked 1.6-kilometre walking loop through a forest with very old trees. It also contains a well-preserved Bronze Age burial mound or stone cairn grave. The distance between the car park at Gullmovallen in Gullspång and the car park at the marina in Amneholm is 4.5 kilometres.

Trails and Activities

Hälsans stig is an accessible three-kilometre walking loop in the village of Gullspång. It starts and ends at Dressinparken; Gullspång bus station is on the opposite side of the road. Kvarnfallet is a picnic area and starting point for hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels. The trails at Kvarnfallet pass remnants of the charcoal-burning tradition, including a charcoal-burning platform and a charcoal burner's hut.

Trelänsbanan is a 38-kilometre rail-bike route running from Gullspång via Konsterud in southern Kristinehamn to Degerfors. The rail-bike centre in Gullspång is about a 200-metre walk from Gullspång bus station. Getryggens aktivitetspark has a 12-hole disc golf course and an easier six-hole course. The park also offers a bike park with downhill and technical trails, pump tracks and MTB trails. Ribbingsfors Golf Course is set in an estate landscape by Lake Skagern and has nine holes.

Lake Vänern offers year-round fishing for several fish species using various sport-fishing methods. Vänern Outdoor offers kayak rental, courses and guided and self-guided tours in Gullspång Municipality.

Culture and History

Hova Riddarvecka has been an annual summer tradition since 1990. During Hova Riddarvecka, Hova hosts, among other things, jousting tournaments; the event also includes a knight's village with craft stalls. The historical Battle of Hova in 1275 is at the centre of the event. The food on offer includes cabbage soup and “galen galt” at Ladulås lada.

The reconstructed Södra Råda timber church represents one of Sweden's best-preserved medieval wooden churches and is known for its magnificent 14th- and 15th-century wall paintings. Guided tours are offered there on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. The old churchyard and the permanent open-air exhibitions can be visited independently year-round. The Frans G Bengtssons minnesbibliotek displays books from the author's private collection, his rustic desk, and original letters and work notes.

More Local Pages

More destinations and local pages on ferienwohnung-netz.de: Gullspång, Hova, Gårdsjö, Otterbäcken, Skagersvik and Södra Torp. Other destinations include Borås and Tidaholm.

The InfoPoints in Gullspång Municipality offer inspiration for exploring the area and provide visitors with local tips.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Västra Götaland.