The Gotaleden trail is a beautiful hiking path which runs from Gothenburg to Alingsås. It makes for the perfect day trip from Gothenburg, or a great overnight hiking trip. However you plan to do it, there are some amazing things to discover along the way!
What I loved most about this hike was that it is such a mix of nature and civilisation. You can spend a whole morning through the forest and then appear at an amazing restaurant by the water for lunch and a coffee before heading down a track into the meadows. It is the perfect summer hike close to Gothenburg, with many swimming spots along the route and easy connections back to Gothenburg from all sections.
Make sure to read these posts if you want to know more about things to do in Gothenburg or Sweden!
So, let’s get to it! Here is the ultimate guide to hiking the Gotaleden from Gothenburg to Alingsås.
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How long is the Gotaleden?
The Gotaleden is 71 km long in total. The trail is split into 9 sections between Gothenburg and Alingsås, all between 5 km and 11 km.
How long does the Gotaleden take?
The Gotaleden takes around 20-22 hours to complete without stops. The 9 sections make for great day trips, and you can often hike more than one section in a day depending on where you are. If you want to hike the Gotaleden in one go, I suggest doing it in 3-4 days.
How to get to the Gotaleden?
The Gotaleden is one of the best hiking trails near Gothenburg when it comes to public transport. The trail runs between Gothenburg and Alingsås, passing by many small towns along the way where you will find a train station. This makes it easy to start and end at any point along the trail.
The best way to reach these small towns is by train. There are many direct trains to Alingsås leaving from Gothenburg central station around every 20 minutes.
The commuter train (or pendeltåg) between Gothenburg and Alingsås stops off at all other stations in between and this train comes every 30 minutes. Here you can start or end the walk at Partille, Jonsered, Aspen, Aspedalen, Lerum, Stenkullen, Floda, Norsesund or Västra Bodarna.
Camping along the Gotaleden
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of camping spots along the Gotaleden hiking path itself if you want to take this option. It requires a little bit more planning with deciding at which point you want to stop and start the walk.
There are several wind shelters set up between Gothenburg and Aspen. These are at Getryggen, Prästtjärn, and Madern. These wind shelters are free and all in beautiful locations.
Additionally, there is a paid campsite in Alingsås and in Jonsered with facilities included.
However, there are little few organised camping options between Jonsered and Alingsås. Although Alemansrättan allows you to camp anywhere in the forest (as long as you abide by the rules), some sections of the path can be tricky to find a camping spot. Here, it’s better to walk a little off track into the surrounding forest which can add 1-2 hours to your walk.
Sections of the Gotaleden Trail
1 Göteborg to Skatås
The Gotaleden hiking path begins in Gothenburg, right in the city centre at the tourist information centre by Kungsportsplatsen. This section is 6km and takes around 1.5hours to complete, as you leave the city and head towards Skatås.
2 Skatås to Kåsjön
Section 2 takes you through Skatås towards Härlanda Tjärn, ending in the beautiful nature surrounding Kåsjön. This section of the Gotaleden trail takes 2.5 – 3 hours and is 10km long. Here you can find wind shelters so makes a great place for the first stop if you are planning to hike overnight.
Highlights:
Härlanda Tjärn
This is a lovely lake perfect for a swim, with a small beach and a dock out into the water. The park area surrounding the lake has many perfect places for a barbecue.
Blacktjärn Badplats
This is a great swimming spot with a picnic bench. It is located on the Gotaleden so no need to leave the path for a swim.
3 Kåsjön to Jonsered
The third section of the Gotaleden trail runs from Kåsjön to Jonsered, a total of 8km. It takes around 2 and a half hours to hike, and the path is one of the more difficult sections of the walk between Gothenburg and Alingsås.
This section is beautiful, mostly taking you through the deep forest until you cross the E20 and enter Jonsered. As another of the more wild sections, you will not find anywhere to stop and buy food or drinks along the way so it’s best to come prepared.
Highlights:
Kåsjön Badplats
The first section of this walk takes you past two beautiful bathing spots on the edge of Kåsjön.
Maderna
Here you will find a beautiful lake with a wind shelter. It is the perfect place to spend the night or simply stop for a short swim.
Bröd Fabriken and Poppels Bryggeri
At the end of this section, you end up in Jonsered, where you will find Bröd Fabriken, a lovely bakery where you can get a coffee and a fika, as well as Poppels Bryggeri, a brewery with a bar and restaurant. This is the perfect spot for lunch and a post-walk drink, or a snack to keep you going on the way to Lerum.
4 Jonsered to Lerum
The section of the Gotaleden trail from Jonsered to Lerum crosses the river and heads up and around lake Aspen. The walk is 10km and takes around 3 hours in total. This section offers some beautiful views over lake Aspen as it winds through forest and road paths.
Highlights:
Jonsereds Trädgårdar
This is a lovely place for a little stop. To get there you can just follow the track from Jonsered station up William Gibsons väg to the end of the road. On the way, you will pass a lovely little craft shop where you can buy art and crafts from local creators. The gardens have a beautiful English garden on one side with a lovely cafe where you can sit outside among the trees.
If you want a little bit of a walk in the local area then head down the road opposite Jonsereds Trädgårdar and you will find a short track that takes you in a loop through the woods.
Aspenäs Herrgård
Aspenäs Herrgård is the perfect place for an overnight stop, a beautiful old manor house turned hotel and restaurant. You can relax after a long day of walking in the sauna, eating in the restaurant, or walking around the garden that leads down to lake aspen.
5 Lerum to Floda
Section 5 of the Gotaleden hiking path from Lerum to Floda is one of the most beautiful parts of the walk. This section is 9.3km and takes 2-3 hours to walk.
Starting at Lerum, this section follows the Säveån river through meadows and forest land to Floda. The environment here is amazing, especially the latter section which cuts through Säveån Nature Reserve, a popular spot for walkers and fishermen with its unique nature. Make sure to look out for fish, birds and beavers that roam this area! The walk ends in meadows where you might be lucky enough to see some animals wandering around the paths.
Highlights:
Gavariet i Floda
Gavariet i Floda is one of my favourite restaurants in this area of Sweden. The restaurant is located in Floda, just at the end of this section of the hike. They focus on creating dishes out of ecological, locally produced foods and you will often find some really unique Swedish tastes here! On our last trip, we ate ramslök mayonnaise, älgört vinegar and cabbage salad with fresh pine needles!
If you don’t feel like a big meal they also have great coffee and fika and a lovely outside area to sit in the summer months.
Säveåns Nature Reserve
If you want to extend this section of the walk and explore the local area, Säveåns Nature Reserve is a great place to do it! Here there are several other trails that circle the nature reserve giving a better overview of the amazing plants and animals that live here.
Hillefors Grynkvarn
Hillefors Grynkvarn is an old grain mill open on weekends between 11 am and 3 pm. Here, you can take a tour around the historic mill, exploring the site which has been running since the 19th century.
6 Floda to Tollered
Floda to Tollered is an easy section of the path, at 7.8km it takes around 2 hours to complete. Here, the track starts by winding around the water before heading into the beautiful meadows and oak forest of Nääs Ekhaga which surrounds Nääs Slott. The path then heads down through a fairytale-like river path and back through the forest to Nääs Fabriker and the town of Tollered.
Highlights:
Nääs Slott
Nääs Slott is a big house located on the other side of the river. It is known for its cultural importance, protecting and using knowledge of traditional techniques for farming and building. At Nääs Slott there is a great museum where you can learn about all of this.
Alternatively, you can stop at Nääs Art and Kraft for a fika and a look at their small gallery for local artists. Here there is a great view and it’s the perfect place for a coffee stop along the walk.
This is a great place to spend the night along the walk. You can find out more and book it here.
Sjölyckan
If you are visiting in the summertime, a stop-off at Sjölyckan can be a great little added adventure. Here you can hire canoes to explore the lake, either for half a day, a full day, or several days! If you rent a canoe for several days, you can take a tent and spend a night out on one of the hidden corners of the lake. Otherwise, half a day is enough for a quick adventure, paddling up to Nääs Slott for a coffee and back again before continuing the walk.
Nääs Fabriker
Nääs Fabriker is a great place to stay if you are planning on doing the Gotaleden trail over several days. This old factory-turned hotel spa is really beautiful, with a dock leading into the water and several saunas to relax in.
There is also a cafe and boutique with local produce and designer bits and bobs to enjoy! This is a great lunch spot or coffee stop along the walk.
You can find out more and book a room at the hotel or spa here!
7 Tollered to Norsesund
This section of the hiking path begins in Tollered, winding through the old industrial buildings of Nääs Fabriker. This section is difficult to get to with public transport so I recommend hiking it in combination with section 6 if you are only going for a day trip. This way you can catch the train back to Floda or Norsesund depending on the direction you are hiking in.
The beginning of this trail is beautiful, through a long forest track before rejoining the road just before Ingared. This is one of the longer sections and takes 3 – 4 hours to hike. It is 11km in total.
Highlights:
Ingared Badplats
On a warm day make sure to stop at Ingared Badplats for a swim in the lake! This is a really fresh dock that leads out into the water with a sandy beach.
8 Norsesund to Västra Bodarna
Section 8 of the Gotaleden is 5km and takes around 1 hour to walk. The track is very easy and stays mostly on the road from Norsesund to Västra Bodarna.
Highlights:
Bergsjödals Badplats
Here you will find a small public beach and swimming spot perfect for a mid-hike dip. A great jetty leads out into the water, with a diving platform and barbecue places on the sand.
9 Västra Bodarna to Alingsås
The final section of the Gotaleden trail is from Västra Bodarna to Alingsås. This section is 10.5km and takes 2 to 3 hours to hike. The hike begins with walking along a long stretch of road, before leading into the forest of Bryngeskog. Here you will walk through some winding trails before reaching Lövekulle’s camping on the outskirts of Alingsås.
The walk from Lövekulle to Alingsås is beautiful as you walk along the edge of the Mjörn lake to the beautiful little beach of Playa Mjörn. From here, you walk into the “Kongo”, a stretch of unusual forest with a boardwalk. In the end, you reach Nolhaga, a beautiful house and gardens with a forest surrounding it. From here you head down the road and into the Center of Alingsås. The trains back to Gothenburg leave regularly from Alingsås station.
Highlights:
Nygren’s Cafe
If you want to stop for lunch in Alingsås then definitely head to Nygrens Cafe. Here, you will find a healthy menu of salads and noodle dishes. Nestled in a cosy courtyard just off the main street, the surrounding shops are also worth a visit.
Nolhagavikens Nature Reserve and Utkiksplats
A short detour from the path you will find Nolhagavikens Nature Reserve. This is a beautiful big park with a circular walking trail that runs around the outside. You can head to the water for a beautiful view of the lake and some bird watching from the tower, or into the forest for a game of frisbee golf.
Nolhaga Slott
Nolhaga Slott is the big house in the Center of the park. Inside there is a museum that often holds interesting and unusual exhibitions. Opposite the house is Nolhaga Lekplays, where you will a playground and a miniature zoo with goats, sheep and pigs.
The Gotaleden – Hiking from Gothenburg to Alingsås Overview
The Gotaleden trail is one of the best hiking paths near Gothenburg for day trips and overnight hiking. If you want to camp, I recommend hiking the first sections and staying in one of the beautiful wind shelters along the way. Alternatively, enjoy a few nights in hotels along the way, starting with a good breakfast and ending with an evening in the sauna.
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- Åstol – The Most Picturesque Island in West Sweden
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