The Hallandsleden Trail (from Varberg)
€1360
per person
Southern Sweden is idyllic – and in many different ways. This part of the country encompasses everything from the stunning archipelago of the west coast and Gotland’s unique sea stack fields to the deep, enchanted forest of Småland, complete with a myriad of clean lakes. There are plenty of trails to choose from, lasting from a few hours to a week or longer. The province of Halland is known for its natural beauty and you’ll get to experience plenty of it along the Halland Trail (Hallandsleden). It is divided into 26 sections and three sub-trails, clocking up a total of 453 kilometres. This self-guided hiking package is for you who want to do a longer hike along the idyllic Hallandsleden. The walking trail starts by the sea in Varberg and takes you to the inland’s pleasantly rolling landscapes: Beech and coniferous forests, lush pastures, sparkling lakes, playful creeks, farms and land under cultivation follow after each other, revealing also the idyll way of life of the local people.
Level 3/4
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Destination
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Duration9 Days I Level: 3/4 (of 5)
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What is included8 nights accommodation in guesthouses and small hotels, incl. breakfasts, 7x dinners (of them, 3 dinners are catering, warmed by the client); 6 packed lunches; Luggage transfers between accommodations; Detailed route notes and maps (1 set per group); GPS tracks; Emergency support
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What is not includedDrinks, other meals and transfers, personal expenses, public bus transportation, insurance
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Best periodMay, June, July, August, September, October
FROM OUR GALLERY
Self-guided walking tours along the Halland Trail (Hallandsleden), Sweden
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Day 1. Arrival in Varberg
Varberg is easily reached by train (45min from Gothenburg, 2,20hrs from Malmo, 3hrs from Copenhagen). Time-permitting you can visit Varberg's fortress which is a short walk from your accommodation. Here you can either just walk around the fortress along the sea or maybe take a guided tour that gives you a lot of understanding of the history behind the fortress. Another tip is a visit to the fantastic Kallbadhuset, which with its pinnacles and towers, stands on pilons dug in the sea very close to Varberg's fortress.
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Day 2. Varberg - Åkulla (21km; 6hrs; +200m/-25m)
After breakfast, leave your luggage and head towards Åkulla along a connecting route to Hallandsleden. The trail takes you out of Varberg and goes past a peaceful residential areas before you reach the countryside. Once there, the landscape expands and the trail becomes surrounded by wide fields. The walking trail joins an old railway embankment which until the beginning of the 60s was still in operation, connecting Varberg, Ätran and Kinnared. The trail follows the old embankment most of the way to Åkulla. While hiking, you will see six large antenna towers. This is the world heritage Radio Station Grimeton which during the Second World War was the only possibility of contact between Europe and the United States. When the trail reaches the village of Grimeton, you have an area of ancient tombs next to the trail. Here is the six meter high tombstone Slumme. Just before the village of Linnarp you enter the forest and the landscape becomes undulating. The trail now takes you through villages and farms taken from Astrid Lindgren's Bullerby books. The trail takes you into the mystic Åkulla beech forests. Once checked in at your accommodation in Åkulla, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the view of Lake Yasjön or maybe take a cooling dip. For those who want, there is also the opportunity to rent a canoe or go on a raft across Lake Yasjön.
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Day 3. Åkulla - Ullared (15km; 4hrs; +200m/-225m)
After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, you hit the Hallandsleden again. In the beginning the embankment and the walking trail are surrounded by lovely mixed forest with beech, oak, spruce and birch, among others. The track takes you further to smaller farms nicely surrounded by pastures and stone yards. The bird life in the area is abundant during the spring and early summer and with a little luck you will see even moose, deer or forest mice rustling among the old leaves.
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Day 4. Ullared – Kärnebygd (17km; 5hrs; +200m/-120m)
Leave Ullared behind and follow the hiking trail to an old embankment - Pyttebanan. Here was the last train between Falkenberg and Limmared in 1959, so you do not have to worry about any oncoming trains. The Hallandsleden leaves a short distance from Pyttebanan and passes through farms at Århult before rejoining the railway embankment at Karlsberg. The trail and embankment follow Högvadsån (the largest tributary of River Ätran) and with a little luck you may see salmon in the clear water. At Lia's old railway station and sanatorium, the Hallandsleden leaves the embankment for good and continues south through a rolling agricultural landscape with fine, well-kept farms. The open pastures change with nice quiet forests. The trail takes you down to Kärnebygd and their old mill. Since this day's hike is short and easy, you will have plenty of time to pay a visit to the mill (one of the local attractions; just a few hundred meters from your accommodation). It is well preserved and even though it is unmanned, you have the opportunity to visit it and get a feeling of all the work that was once done here.
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Day 5. Kärnebygd – Drängsered (30km; 8,30-9hrs; +350m/-350m; options to cut the mileage to 19km by using a local transfer)
After breakfast, a long but easy hiking day awaits you. The first part to Ätran follows the Hallandsleden and alternates between pastures with farms and fine forests. When the trail reaches the edge of the community Ätran, it joins the stream of Ätran River and follows it. The trail takes you further through quiet and peaceful forests, following alternating paths, gravel roads and forest tracks. You also pass by well-kept farms surrounded by meadows and pastures. Smaller lakes and streams provide follow each other. Eventually, a forestry road descends down to Drängsered, where you stay overnight.
N.B.: If you wish to shorten the mileage with 11km, you can do so by ordering a transfer from Kärnebygd to Ätran. This should be done at the time of booking and the price is 40 Euros per car (1-4 pers.).
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Day 6. Drängsered - Lahult, Rydöbruk (25km; 6,30hrs; +250m/-280m)
Leave Drängsered and rejoin the Hallandsleden at Halsbo. The walking trail takes you in through forests and lakes, where you can stop for a short swim. The track largely follows forestry roads and paths. At the village of Maås, the trail takes you over open rolling pastures and fields. Shortly after passing by the well-preserved farm Brännö, the trail starts following the watercourse of River Kilan. Kilan has one of its tributaries from Kallebäcken which originates from King Karl's spring (which the trail passes a little further ahead after Snapparp). In Snapparp you can make a short detour down to the source which is said to have healing power. Follow the stream of Nissan River before you reach Lahult and your accommodation for the night.
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Day 7. Lahult, Rydöbruk - Knallhult (21km; 6hrs; +300m/-250m)
After breakfast you leave the farm Lahult and continue along the quiet country road, which eventually turns into a forest road, where peace and quiet will surround you. The walking trail takes you through mixed forest that is partly dominated by spruce, birch and beech. The farms you pass by are often surrounded by small fields and pastures that sometimes have curious but a little hesitant sheep. Small lakes and playful creeks appear now and then. There are good opportunities to stop for a break by one of them. The hike ends in Knallhult. Your accommodation is an old farm that has been carefully converted into a nice guest house in the middle of the Halland forest.
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Day 8. Knallhult - Simlångsdalen (29km; 8,30-9hrs; +300m/-350m; options to cut the mileage to 24km by using a local transfer)
It is important that you eat well this morning, as you have a long day of hiking ahead of you. Easy-to-walk forest roads will take you through dense and well-kept old spruce forest. The trail is lined with old stone farms, showing that the area was once inhabited. One of the interesting stops along the way is "Lurehus" - a small goose cottage with a turf roof from the 19th century. Pass more streams and smaller villages as you approach Bårared, where the landscape opens up and you cross meadows and pastures. Your walk then continues along the Bolmebanan's old embankment - a railway, used in the past for transport of forest products between Halmstad and Bolmen. Eventually you will arrive in Simlångsdalen which is nicely located by the shores of Brearedssjön Lake. The latter is surrounded by fine beech forest and houses several shorter hiking trails.
N.B.: If you wish to shorten the mileage with 5km, you can do so by ordering a transfer from Knallhult to Skarbohult. This should be done at the time of booking and the price is 40 Euros per car (1-4 pers.).
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Day 9. Departure day
After breakfast, take the bus on from Simlångsdalen down to Halmstad. From there it will be easy to proceed by train to your next destination.
TOUR LOCATION
Price
1360 Euro per person in twin/dbl room
* In case you wish to book one (or both) of the transfers, that would make the hike shorter on two occasions (please check the itinerary for days 5 and 8), please let us know at the time of booking!
Single room & Solo Traveler supplement
N/A (min. group size: 2 pax)
Tips
Daily departures between the beginning of May and the end of October. The hike is easy to medium. It is dominated by smaller village roads, forest roads and paths. Occasionally you also follow a country road with calm traffic. The Halland Trail (Hallandsleden) is for the most part well marked with signs and orange markings. Getting there: The closest airports to the start (Varberg) are: Halmstad Airport (75 km), Gothenburg Landvetter (92 km), Copenhagen Kastrup (238 km). If you fly to Halmstad Airport, there are local buses with Hallandstrafiken into the city center and the train station. From here you travel by train to Varberg. From Gothenburg Airport, take the airport bus to Gothenburg city center and on by train to Varberg. The alternative is a taxi transfer all the way to Varberg. From Copenhagen Kastrup you can travel by train all the way to Varberg. From the finish point of the tour in Simlångsdalen you take a local bus to Halmstad and then travel on by train.
Accommodation
You stay in hand-picked hotels and guest houses, incl. breakfast. All rooms have bed linen and towels. Varberg: centrally located hotel within easy reach of the train station (dinner is included, which usually involves a salad buffet, soup and a main course; you pick up the packed lunch from the dinner buffet, which is then stored in the hotel's refrigerator during the night). Åkulla: newly built hotel (2-course dinner is served in the main building; packed lunches are handed out by the staff). Ullared: hotel or guesthouse (subject to availability)(in the hotel you can buy an evening meal (buffet dinner); the guesthouse does not have a restaurant, but there are several options to dine outside; if you are accommodated at the guesthouse, you should pick up your key and luggage at the Din-X petrol station, which is a couple of hundred meters from the accommodation; lunchpacks you can prepare by yourself using local store). Kärnebygd: guesthouse, located in an old country store (shower and toilet are shared outside the rooms; dinner and packed lunches are included; the dinner consists of highland cattle burgers and drinks that you prepare by yourself; the breakfast and packed lunches supplies can be found in the kitchen fridge - you prepare them by yourself). Drängsered: guesthouse (shower and toilet are shared outside the room; dinner and packed lunch are included; dinner consists of catering that you heat on your own in the accommodation's kitchen). Lahult, Rydöbruk: farm (shared shower and toilet downstairs; dinner and packed lunch are included; the dinner is catering). Knallhult: guest house (en-suite rooms; dinner and packed lunch are included). Simlångsdalen: hotel (dinner is included and takes place in a restaurant close to the hotel).
Send an enquiry about this tour
The reservation confirmation you will get right after placing an order only confirms that your booking is received and an agent has started working on it. It doesn't mean your tour is guaranteed! Wait to hear from us with final confirmation before booking flights or making any other arrangements, related to your holiday. The dates as listed below do not correspond with real-time availability!
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