Kinnekulle is one of my favourite places in Sweden – a real hidden gem nestled by the edge of Lake Vänern. This is another one of those places in Sweden that is never really publicised and most people have never heard of. This always surprises me as I think Kinnekulle is truly magical – especially in the late spring when the wild garlic is blossoming and the stenbrott is surrounded by flowers. Whether you are looking for a good hiking spot, or simply want to enjoy the flowering landscape, this is the place to go! We visit Kinnekulle every spring to enjoy and each time I love it more and more. In this guide I will take you through all of the best things to see and do in the area, including hikes, camping spots, and cafes!
See more: The Best Places to Visit in Sweden in the Spring
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How to Get to Kinnekulle
For the purpose of this guide, I will guess you are coming to Kinnekulle from Gothenburg. To make this trip, you can either drive or take public transport both options being quite quick and easy! Driving to Kinnekulle from Gothenburg takes just under 2 hours in total. The benefit with driving is that you have the car when you are in the nature reserve so can easily go between locations.
However, if you don’t have access to a car you can just as easily take the train. There are a few different stations in Kinnekulle that you can alight at. I recommend taking the train to Råbäck Station. This is the closest stop to Munkängarna, Kinnekulle Stenbrott, and it lies on the Kinnekulle leden. To get here you will likely have to transfer somewhere like Herrljunga station, but overall the trip only takes around 2 hours. The best way to find and plan your trip is by searching through Västtraffik.
Alternatively you can take the train to either Hällekis station in the north, or Blomberg Station in the south. These are good for visiting a few of the other locations in this guide, and can be good if you want to hike a longer route. For example, if you want to hike the Kinnekulleleden but don’t want to be stressed for time, you could take the train to Råbäck and home from Blomberg.
Where to Stay in Kinnekulle
If you are visiting Kinnekulle for the first time, I recommend staying at least one night in the area! This way you have enough time to explore all the different nature areas without a rush. Whether this means camping, parking up your camper van, or staying in a beautiful cottage, I have outlined the best options below!
The Little Cottage in Kinnekulle
A super cosy little cottage right in the heart of Kinnekulle, this stay has room for four people. If you want to stay in a cottage, nothing beats the beautiful landscape here.
Where to Camp in Kinnekulle, Sweden
There are a few different options when it comes to camping in Kinnekulle depending whether you want to stay in a free camping and make use of the Right of Public Access, or whether you want to stay on a camp site with more facilities available. The best thing about camping in Kinnekulle is that it is set up for people hiking the Kinnekulle leden so there are toilets and drinking water skattered around the nature. There are a few different nature reserves where it is forbidden to camp so just make sure you check each space before you go. You can find a list here.
I have outlined a few of my favourite camping spots below, but you can also find a map of wind shelters on this page and a list of nearby camper van places on this page.
Visit Kinnekulle Stenbrott
My absolute favourite place to camp in Kinnekulle is by the shore of Kinnekulle Stenbrott. Below you will find more information on visiting this spot, but in short it is a beautiful old stone quarry with a short hiking trail around the edge. In the carpark behind the stenbrott you will likely see quite a few camper vans lined up against the rock wall. If you don’t have a camper van, you can set up a tent on either end of the shoreline of the stenbrott. Make sure to bring fire wood as there are fire pits surrounding the lake, as well as benches and toilets!
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Kinnekulle Camping
If you are visiting for a longer period or don’t want to pack up the tent every morning you can also choose to camp at Kinnekulle camping. This is a paid campsite that you should book in advance if you can to ensure there is space! Here there is a small cafe, access to water and activities for children! It is located right on the beach by Hällekis Lighthouse so it is a fun place for a swim in the evenings!
Råbäcks Hamn och Stenhuggeri
We spent the second night camping by the water at Råbäcks Hamn och Stenhuggeri. Here, you have to be a little more careful with the right of public access. There are a few houses around and although there is a big grass patch, it’s best you ask the nearby houses for permission to camp first! If you want, you can also camp by the water in the forest at the end of the carpark. The carpark itself is a great place for camper vans to park for the evening and can be very popular at times! There is one fire pit here, a few benches and toilets! The site itself is an old stone masonry work yard. It is located right in the centre of Kinnekulle and a great place to visit even if you are not staying the night!
Kinnekulle Stenbrott
Kinnekulle Stenbrott is one of the most amazing things to see when you visit Kinnekulle. This old quarry is a 40m deep pit with limestone that has been forming for over 400 million years. When you drive up to it, it almost feels like a mini grand canyon with the towering orange and red rocks. Here is a great place to stay in a camper van as I mentioned above. This means the carpark is usually full of campers ready to enjoy the sunset by the lake or people fishing!
What to do at Kinnekulle Stenbrott
There are a few things to do at Kinnekulle Stenbrott, one of the most popular being the walk around the quarry. If you walk to the edge of the lake on the left hand side you will find a trail that goes up to the top. From here you can walk around the quarry. The view gets even more magical as you walk around. The best time to visit is in either the morning or the evening when the winds are less strong. This is when the water is stillest and you can see the reflections of the orangy limestone of the water. It is beautiful!
Another great thing to do here is fishing! I think you need a permit to fish in the stenbrott but you can always double check that before visiting! If you spend the evening here, you can set up a bbq in the fire pit and grill your freshly caught fish for dinner!
Hiking The Kinnekulleleden
The Kinnekulle leden is one of the most popular hiking tracks in the area. The track itself is 45km long and can be done in 3 – 4 days depending how fast you take it. The Kinnekulle leden passes through some of the most beautiful spots in the nature reserve and is one of the best ways to visit the area. This includes Lasses Grotta, Högkullen, Kinnekulle stenbrott and Munkängarna nature reserve. You can find more information and tips here!
The Best Places to Visit in Kinnekulle
Munkängarna
Munkängarna is one of the most well-known areas in Kinnekulle nature reserve. This is for good reason. In early May the wild garlic begin to appear and the whole forest is filled with the scent. A few weeks later, the garlic begins to blossom and the forest is transformed into a field of white. It is truly a magical thing to see! Unfortunately we visited in the start of the spring so did not see the flowers blossoming. The wild garlic itself, covering the ground in a deep green, is just as beautiful though!
The best way to get to Munkängarna is to park in the carpark just up from Råbäck Station. If the carpark is busy you can also park by the station, or use the car park at Kinnekulle Stenbrott and then walk up the hill to the meadows.
When to visit Munkängarna
To see the wild garlic: May
To see the wild garlic in bloom: Early June
Visit Kinnekulle Utsiktstorn
Kinnekulle Utsiktstorn, otherwise known as högkullen, is the highest point in the Kinnekulle nature reserve area. This is the point where most tourism brochures recommend you visit first as it gives you an overview of the entire reserve. From here you can see Kinnekulle Stenbrott, Råbäcks Hamn och Stenhuggeri, and views across the Vanern to Läckö Slott and even Karlstad on a clear day.
The Kinnekulle utsiktstorn itself costs 30kr per person to climb but if you are visiting on a sunny day I think it is worth it. There are about 3 levels of stairs that lead up to the balcony. At the top of the viewing platform are signs pointing out different cities and islands you can see, as well as historical points and places in the nature reserve. You will probably only spend about 20 minutes up here looking at the view.
Martorpsfallet
Martorpsfallet is one of the most well-known waterfalls within Kinnekulle nature reserve. Although it is not the biggest waterfall, it is stunning as it runs down a limestone cleft. The rock walls here look like naturally formed brick walls and after a rainy week the falls can run quite wildly. In the early spring months when the snow and ice are beginning to melt is when this waterfall is at it’s best. If you visit in late May/ early June you will see the early purple blooming here, coving the forest in a beautiful shade of purple.
The waterfall is best reached by driving to the parking just south of Västerplana. From here you can walk the 1.1km return track. The hiking trail is well signed and begins walking through the meadows to the waterfall. The track then turns back along the same route. If you want to make it a bit longer you can hike the track in one direction and then continue along the Västerplana leden for another 3km. This trail ends at the same parking. The parking here is free and there is a fire pit and toilet.
Hike the Västerplanaleden
The Västerplana leden was my favourite of the walks we did in Kinnekulle. It was a lot quieter than the other spots, but in my eyes it was the most beautiful. The walks begins at the same carpark as the Martorpsfallet walks, just south of Västerplana. The first 1km of the trail follows the hike to Martorpsfallet but when you reach the falls continues on for another 3km. The additional part of the hike is the most beautiful. The trail runs through the forest, past regal, old mansions and through blossoming forests. In the spring when the plants have just started to grow, everything is lit up with a bright shade of green and it feels like you are in a film. The trail is relatively easy and flat and is marked really well. It takes around 1 – 1.5 hours to complete.
Västerplana Storang
Västerplana Storang is one of the most beautiful forest walks in Kinnekulle. The walk is a part of the Kinnekulle leden and thus is only one way. If you walk through the meadows along the path, you can then return through the forest path which is not marked on the map. This path is on the left of the hiking trail and can easily be accessed at all points along the walk!
The hike through Västerplana Storang begins in the car park in Blomberg and heads through the meadows. The hike is 7km long and takes 1 – 2 hours to complete depending how fast you are walking. Here you will pass fields of orchids, vitsippor and wild garlic depending what time of year you are visiting!
Husaby Church Ruins
Husaby Church (Husaby Kyrka) is an amazing place to visit to discover the history of Kinnekulle. Here you can find a short trail that passes historical sites relating back to the original church that was build on this site in the late 10th century. There are still remains of that church that stand. You can walk around what is left, see the area where the old village stood, and visit the new church.
Visit Kinnekulle’s Falkängen
Falkängen was one of my favourite places to visit in Kinnekulle and as a little village I think it really emphasised the vibe of this little area. The cultural village of Falkängen is made up of old houses which are now used to house small boutique shops selling products made by local designers. There are over 80 local artists work being shown here and it is all really beautiful things! This is a great place to buy souvenirs from your trip to Kinnekulle, or more authentic souvenirs from your trip to Sweden! I bought some beautiful handmade clay earrings and a tea towel with a specially designed Dalarna horse print on it that now hangs on our kitchen wall!
Lasses Grotta
Lasses Grotta is one of the most interesting stops in Kinnekulle. It is the old home of a man who lived in Kinnekulle for over 20 years. What makes it special is that the house is carved into the rock wall, almost like a cave. Today, much of the inside has deteriorated but you can still visit the small house and walk inside. This area is beautiful too. The forest surrounding Lasses Grotta is one of the best places in Kinnekulle to visit to see vitsippor (white anemones) in the early spring. This area is one of the stops on the Kinnekulle leden so all of the walking tracks in the area are one way. It is definitely worth walking a few hundred meters through the forest though.
Lasses Grotta is located in the south of Kinnekulle and can be reached with direct access from the carpark. Parking here is free and there are toilets, access to water, a fire pit and a wind shelter. This is another great place for free camping in Kinnekulle!
Lunch at Hellekis Säteri
Hellekis Säteri is one of the best places to eat in Kinnekulle! It is a small farmshop/ café where they make all of their food using locally produced goods. This includes ecological meat from local farmers, wild garlic from the fields, and vegetables they grow on the farm. The area itself is beautiful to walk around and in the summer they have an amazing outdoor garden area to eat in. The lunch options consist of a soup, salad and bread buffet with the soup of the day, along with 2 or 3 other meat and fish dishes! We ate the lamb and salmon with seasonal vegetables, potatoes and ramslök cream! It was so good!
On the same property is a beautiful second hand/ antique store located in one of the green houses. Here you can find some pretty cool and unique things! Just walking around is an experience as you can find teapots, telescopes and all sorts of things from the early 20th century!
An Overview: Kinnekulle, Sweden
Kinnekulle is one of the most beautiful natural areas in West Sweden. Known for it’s geological wonders, it is the perfect spot for a spring and summer mini getaway with possibilities for camping, hiking, swimming, and wondering through flower covered fields. I recommend taking around 2 to 3 days to explore Kinnekulle. If you’re travelling for longer, you can combine this trip with a visit to nearby Mariestad or Läckö Slott.
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Sweden is so beautiful. I visited only a small part of it in the South, but Kinnekulle sounds great also.
The south of Sweden is definitely one of the most beautiful parts though!
Wow! Kinnekulle looks so beautiful. What a lovely gem! I’m definitely keeping this place in mind for when I eventually visit Sweden. 🙂
Its definitely one of my favourite places and somewhere not so many people know about! I love that!
I always fall in love with your posts + photos, Katie! So beautiful and inspiring for a future trip to Sweden!
Aw thanks Bri you are amazing! I hope you can visit me soon!