Stage 1: Falköping – Ulricehamn

Falköping -  the good life

You can live the good life in Falköping, where there’s a wide range of shops, restaurants and accommodation to enjoy. Read more here: (link) Thanks to careful local animal husbandry and a plenteous natural larder, the area is well served with successful businesses producing culinary necessities and delicacies. Falbygdens Cheesery is located here, and it’s the place to go to get cheeses and other delicatessen goods, with a 25 metre long cheese counter. Head outside and you’ll find the Mösseberg plateau nearby, great for nature experiences and other outdoor activities.

A journey throught history

The stage from Falköping to Ulricehamn is 45km long, and car free for the most part. Your journey will take you through country villages set in beautiful natural landscapes steeped in culture and history. Don’t miss the Luttra passage tomb which is one of the most famous of Falbygden’s just over 200 prehistoric passage tombs. It was erected during the Stone Age, around 5,500 years ago, as a mass burial place. Archaeologists have found the remains of around 100 individuals inside the tomb. In Åsarp you’ll find Ekehagens Forntidsby, one of Sweden’s largest open air archaeological museums with reconstructions of stone, bronze and iron age settlements along a pretty nature trail, as well as a café serving hot and cold food and drinks. The Olsbrosten is a 1000 year old rune stone situated 1km from Åsarp. The stone is the best known and many would say the loveliest of the 20 odd rune stones to be found around Falbygden.

Beautiful natural landscapes

You can stay the night at Frömans Brygga, in Trädet. Not far away in Blidsberg is Basta Kvarn, a lovely mill café with outside seating by ponds filled with game fish. You’ll pass Baktrågens Nature Reserve with its varied landscapes, interesting ridge formations and rare flora. The 4km long trail has information boards stationed along it which tell you more about the area’s biology, geology and history. You’ll find food shops, a pizzeria and several sights worth seeing in Timmele. The country’s best preserved holloway is found here – a bridle path that has eroded down to the bedrock after centuries of use. You can also see what Timmele used to look like in former times in micro scale, in Timmele miniature village (scale 1:10).

To read more about accommodation and food options along this stage click here.