Holmsjö: Discover Bredasjön, the Railway and Local History

Holmsjö combines a lake, sporting experiences and a remarkable local history. Anyone planning a trip to Blekinge and wishing to combine nature, activity and cultural discoveries will find various starting points here for planning their own day. The location of the railway station and getting oriented in the village may also play a role when looking for suitable holiday accommodation.

Arriving and choosing the right starting point

Holmsjö railway station is located in the centre of Holmsjö. With the Krösatågen trains, you can travel south from Holmsjö to Karlskrona and north to Emmaboda. From Emmaboda, there are further train connections to Kalmar, Växjö, Alvesta and Gothenburg. If rail connections are important when planning your trip, you can take these routes into account as well as the location of your accommodation in the village.

Another point of orientation is located in the northern part of Holmsjö: this is where the sports field and the bathing area at Bredasjön are situated. Both can be reached via the road towards Eringsboda, Road 653. This makes it possible to distinguish easily when choosing holiday accommodation: if you want to make the lake and bathing area the focus of your stay, you can include the northern part of the village in your search. If you are mainly arriving by train or want to use further train connections, orient yourself towards the location of the railway station in the centre of Holmsjö.

Bredasjön and the Holmsjö Triathlon

Bredasjön is 4 metres deep and is drained by the Silletorpsån watercourse. The bathing area by the lake offers a tangible connection to the water without requiring you to limit your stay to a single activity. Together with the sports field, it forms an area you can consider when planning active days or a more varied trip.

The Holmsjö Triathlon is also a triathlon competition approved by the Swedish Triathlon Federation. It takes place in midsummer at Bredasjön in Holmsjö, in Karlskrona Municipality in Blekinge. The Holmsjö Triathlon section has existed within SAIK since 2014 and offers the opportunity to try triathlon, including swimming, cycling and running. Anyone looking for sporting experiences can take this event into account when planning the timing of their stay without losing sight of Holmsjö’s other aspects.

Church and history as a peaceful contrast

Holmsjö is an old village and is first mentioned in 1349 in a deed of donation from King Magnus Eriksson to the Bishop of Växjö. Through this donation, the bishop received eight villages in the parish of Fridlevstad as episcopal table estates. Holmsjö also lay on the highway from Växjö via Fuhr to the old town of Lyckeby. This historical connection also makes the village interesting for travellers who want to learn about regional history as well as the landscape during their stay.

One particularly striking historical testimony is Sillhövda Church. It was inaugurated on 9 December 1945 and contains a medieval altarpiece dating from around 1480, regarded as the oldest in Blekinge. The bell tower of the former Sillhövda Church was saved in a fire and moved to the cemetery. Thus, different historical periods stand side by side in Holmsjö: medieval art in the altarpiece, the church inaugurated in 1945 and the preserved bell tower of the former church.

The history of the tannery is also part of the village’s character. According to tradition, the tanner Carl Magnus Mårdh moved to Holmsjö in 1830 and gave his name to the tannery there. When searching for accommodation, you can therefore weigh up a stay focused on the lake and activity against a trip with a stronger interest in village history and culture. Other places to research include: Torhamn, Fågelmara, Karlskrona, Nävragöl, Jämjö, Lyckeby, Kristianopel, Sturkö.

To the higher-level travel overview: Karlskrona.