Holiday apartment in Ödeshög: Hiking, Water and Culture

Ödeshög lies along the Turistvägen, which connects Gränna, Ödeshög, Omberg, Rök and Tåkern via a road that follows Lake Vättern through natural areas and past historic remains. The combination of lake, hiking trails, nature reserves and sites of cultural and historical significance creates a diverse picture of the area.

Nature

At Stora Lund Nature Reserve, flower-rich steppes combine with the cliffs of Lake Vättern. The landscape encompasses habitats for birds and fish; the clear water also provides good conditions for diving. The Östgötaleden trail runs along the cliffs through the nature reserve. There are opportunities for swimming, fishing and picnicking.

At Naturum Tåkern, exhibitions, films and guided tours provide information about the nature and culture of the Tåkern area. In the Glänås visitor area, three trails lead through the landscape: the 500-metre Strandpromenaden trail, the four-kilometre Vassleden trail and the approximately 700-metre Prinsessan Estelles sagostig fairy-tale trail.

Ekopark Omberg offers numerous hiking and cycling trails as well as nature and outdoor activities for families; it also highlights the area’s interesting history. The hiking trails include routes through easy to more challenging terrain, including accessible trails, as well as several nature reserves. Cyclists can choose between two mountain-biking trails and other easier cycling routes. Near Stocklycke on Omberg, Omberg Zipline has two high-rope courses and several ziplines in beech forest and mysterious coniferous woodland. All tours are accompanied by guides and are suitable for anyone aged seven and over, with no prior experience required.

Trails and Water

The Östgötaleden section between Ödeshög, Omberg and Vadstena is designated as a Signature Trail, is suitable for beginners and experienced hikers, and can be reached by public transport. The municipality of Ödeshög also has several local walking and hiking trails, including Annastigen, Öningerundan, Brodderydsrundan and the route via Ålebäcken to Hästholmen.

The harbour at Hästholmen is a diving site. The clear waters of Lake Vättern and the great depth close to the shore attract many sports divers. The harbour also has a bathing area with a lawn, sand, a jetty and changing rooms; a café, restaurant and toilets are located about 100 metres away. Kayaks are usually launched there and paddled towards Omberg. The one-way trip generally takes around 45 to 60 minutes; towards Omberg, there is also a self-service VätternKajak station for day rentals.

The bathing area at Lake Trehörnasjön has jetties, a lawn, sand, picnic furniture, a playground, changing rooms and a toilet. The lake offers opportunities for crayfish fishing. At Lake Visjön, two motorless rowing boats are available for hire for half a day or a full day.

Culture

Heda Church is a medieval church that has been dated dendrochronologically to the middle of the 12th century. A piscina with reliefs of very high artistic quality is set into the southern wall of the chapel of Heda Church. Digital tours with further information and audio guides are being developed for the churches in the parish, including Heda Church.

Next to the Rökstenen is an open-air museum explaining the history of the stone. The four-tonne rune stone partly contains Lönn runes, which were not intended to be readable by everyone. Alvastra Abbey was founded in 1143 by French Cistercian monks. Ulf, the husband of Saint Birgitta, died in 1344 during a pilgrimage and was buried at Alvastra Abbey. The area around Alvastra was important to the emergence of the Swedish kingdom during the Middle Ages.

Ellen Keys Strand has been preserved as a museum with its original furniture, textiles and books and is open for guided tours from May to September.

Getting Around

Ödeshög is located directly by the E4; exit 106 takes you to the centre of Ödeshög within a few minutes. The nearest railway stations are in Mjölby or Tranås; from there, bus connections to Ödeshög are available. Klockargårdsängen has a free public disc-golf course with nine holes, suitable for beginners and experienced players.

Local Highlights

In the heart of Hästholmen, 31:ans Glass och Kök serves homemade Italian ice cream made from natural ingredients with a view of Lake Vättern. Cream-based ice cream and sorbets are available in several flavours. At Alvastra Kungsgård, eggs can be purchased year-round and locally produced raspberries in summer at Äggboden.

More destinations to discover: Sanktanna, Boxholm, Mjölby, Motala, Vikbolandet, Norrköping, Åtvidaberg.

Back to the main travel overview: Östergötland.