Hiking Trails

Valle Camping is located

Vingängen. Axevalla Hed

Hiking at Lake Hornborga

Broddetorp
Hike through shore meadows and cultural landscapes
At Lake Hornborga, there are several shorter trails. Many of the trails around the Hornborga Nature Center start along the shore meadows and pass through the cultural landscape. From April to September, guided walks for the public are also available.

Here you can download the map for the area.

Bolumsleden
The Bolumsleden trail (3.5 km) runs through the historic cultural landscape on the eastern side of the lake. The trail starts at the parking lot by the Hornborga Nature Center. Along the trail, you’ll find many ancient remains and traces of early agriculture. You’ll walk through a hilly landscape with occasionally magnificent views of the lake. The trail loops back to the parking lot.

Please note that the trail passes through grazing pastures where animals are often present.

You can also take a detour from the Bolumsleden trail to Heljesgården, an old museum farm managed by the Västergötland Museum.

Hångerleden
The Hångerleden trail (3 km) takes you to Hånger’s Point in the southern part of Lake Hornborga. The trail offers diverse environments, including ancient oaks, wetlands, shore meadows, and dense willow thickets.

From the birdwatching tower at Hånger’s Point, you’ll have excellent opportunities to see some of the lake’s characteristic birds. The tower is one of the best spots for birdwatching in the southern part of the lake. Hånger’s Point often offers spectacular crane sightings during spring and autumn. The trail remains open even during the most active crane season, but we kindly ask you to move carefully in the area to avoid disturbance.

Along the trail lies Hånger’s deserted cemetery, an intriguing site where it is said that King Inge the Elder was buried in the early 1100s.

Ytterbergsleden
The Ytterbergsleden trail (5 km one way) follows the shoreline southward from the Hornborga Nature Center to Ytterberg’s Point.

Here you can see many of the lake’s birds. The dry meadows at Vässtorp offer a rich flora, and the view of the lake is beautiful. The meadow barn, located about one kilometer from the nature center, is built like an old-fashioned hay barn and is a perfect spot to enjoy your packed snacks.

At the far end of Ytterberg’s Point, there is a wind shelter, which is an excellent spot for birdwatching. From the shelter, you can reach the parking area at Ytterberg and then walk the same path back.

Photographer: Ann-Marie Engh
Almeö
It’s a long hike to the tower at Almeö. However, the open walk across Hornborga Meadow often provides many wonderful birdwatching experiences. From the tower at Almeö, you can see a large portion of the lake. From the tower at Almeö you can see a large part of the lake.

The Almeö Trail takes you from the parking area at Skattegården across Hornborga Meadow and out to Almeö. Du omges av ett nästan helt öppet landskap.
Du tar dig tillbaka samma väg som du kom. Leden kräver ofta stövlar eller kängor.
Vid högt vattenstånd står leden under vatten!

Utloppsleden
From the parking area—between Trestena and Stenum on the western side of Lake Hornborga—you follow the embankment northward. At the lake’s outlet into the Flian River, there is a birdwatching tower.

Lake Hornborga’s Outlet
The birdwatching tower at the Outlet on the western side of the lake is especially recommended during winter and early spring. The flowing water provides ducks and swans with a refuge when the rest of the lake is frozen. There is a good chance to see and hear courting great crested grebes in the spring.

Orebacksleden
The Orebacksleden trail (3.5 km) is located on the western side of the lake, just north of Dagsnäs Castle. It follows a gravel ridge, providing excellent views of the lake. In spring, the area features beautiful deciduous forests and rich flora. Many spring birds sing here. This part of the lake is overgrown, with reeds and shrubs offering a habitat for many birds. In the afternoon and evening, you avoid backlighting and get a clear view of the birds.

Ore Nabb
The small birdwatching tower at Ore Nabb offers diverse environments, especially during the walk—about 1.5 kilometers—to the tower. You walk along a ridge, through deciduous forests and pastures, with nutrient-poor mosslands on your left and the rich lake on your right.

Hiking in the Valle Area

Valle Camping is located in the beautiful Valle area, a rolling landscape filled with numerous lakes formed as the glacial ice retreated along Mount Billingen. The area offers many natural experiences across six different nature reserves, making it ideal for hiking. We’ve created a dedicated page about the hiking trails in the Valle area – click here to read more about hiking in Valle.

You can read more about hiking in Valle here.

Hiking Trails in Skara

Hiking Trails in the Skara Area
Skara – A Hiker’s Paradise
In Skara, we love hiking. You’ll notice this from the wide selection of trails in the area. There is a string of hiking paths set in picturesque natural surroundings. In the Valle area and around Lake Hornborga, you’ll find marked trails through beautiful nature reserves. For those who wish to experience the magic of pilgrimage hiking, there are 50 magnificent miles of trails. Below, we’ve also listed some hidden hiking gems in and around Skara that are less well-known.

Tempelbacka Trail
Take a walk along the newly renovated Tempelbacka Trail between Götala and Stenum, where you’ll pass through fascinating and beautiful locations. The loop is just over 1.8 km long.
This area is rich in cultural heritage. At Tempelbacka, you’ll find ancient archaeological remains, and according to legend, “Alla Götars Ting” (the Assembly of All Goths) was held here. Perhaps there was a sacred site here long before Skara became a town and the cathedral was built. The Götala Stream, which is now just a dug ditch, was once a waterway that formed a small lake next to Tempelbacka. The abundance of water in the past is reflected in the name “Vadet” (The Ford) of the farm east of Götala.

Götala has a very interesting history. In the 13th century, the estate was owned by the bishop of Skara; earlier, it was likely a royal estate. Today, the farm is owned by the Skaraborg Agricultural Society. The manor house, built in the late 19th century, has been subdivided and now houses a restaurant.

The oak is the dominant tree species, and along the trail, you can see Skara’s oldest oak, approximately 350 years old. Tables and benches along the path provide opportunities to sit down and take a break. In the spring, the area is filled with wood anemones.

A suitable starting point is near the pet cemetery, located a bit along the road toward Stenum, or alternatively at Götala Manor.

The Rose Trail in Varnhem
The Rose Trail is a beautiful hiking path of about 2 km that winds in a wide arc around the Abbey Church with its monastery ruins and its predecessor, Kata Farm with its farm church.

In the area, you can trace the burial practices of the Iron Age, Bronze Age cairns with their groves in the fields, the monastic surroundings from the 1100s to the 1500s, and the placement of 17th and 18th-century farms such as today’s Sörgården. You can also see remnants of older times, including properties of the Skara Hospital with gardens in the church park, mills at Bille, and Gustafsberg’s mill from the 19th century with its beautiful arch bridge. Following the old Pilgrimage Trail to the monastery over the mountain along the Ulunda stream, you reach Ulunda mill, built in the 1880s. Here, remnants of a water trough with its rib-like iron rings are still visible in the ground. The trail leads to Ulunda’s oldest limestone quarry, heading into Hammaren – Hammarsbacken – on the former lands of Hammars mill, past the site of Kloster’s mill, up to Kata Farm, and finally back through the monastery ruins.
Flian Trail
The trail starts at Petersburg’s illuminated track and is a total of 15 km long. Shorter sections can be chosen.

Walking Trail – Healthy Skara
A marked walking loop within the town. You can bike, walk, or run—your choice. Especially suitable for those who may find walking more difficult. Paved and with benches available at several points.

Varied Landscape
The picturesque Valle area is heavily shaped by the ice age, which left behind a diverse landscape. Here you’ll find 60 km of marked trails through beautiful nature reserves. The terrain and scenery are varied, offering everything from dense forests and gravel ridges to meadows and grazing pastures, kettle holes, and small lakes perfect for a swim.

Through Shore Meadows and Cultural Landscapes At Lake Hornborga, there are several shorter trails. Around the Hornborga Nature Center, many of the trails start, leading along shore meadows and through the cultural landscape. From April to September, guided walks for the public are also available.

The Pilgrimage Trail Crosses Skara
The Pilgrimage Trail crosses Skara, offering those who wish to experience the charm of pilgrimage hiking 500 km to explore. Along the trails, you’ll find beautiful cultural and historical churches, such as Varnhem Abbey Church and Skara Cathedral. Starting in Skara, you can hike the trail toward Varnhem and onward to Gudhem, or head toward Husaby on Kinnekulle.

Respect the Right of Public Access

It cannot be repeated too often: respect the Right of Public Access! With this right comes responsibility and obligations. For example, it is not permitted to break branches, light fires when there is a risk of forest fire, or trespass on someone else’s property. It is also legally forbidden to walk on a field with growing crops, drive motor vehicles off-road, or take bird nests or eggs.

For nature reserves, additional rules apply. For example, you are not allowed to pick flowers, and fires may only be lit in designated fire pits. Signs indicate the specific rules for each reserve.

The following rules apply to Ökull-Borregården:

It is NOT permitted to:

Pick or dig up plants, fungi, mosses, and lichens. However, picking berries and edible mushrooms is allowed.
Collect, destroy, or damage dead trees, large branches, and windfalls.
Bring unleashed dogs.
Operate motorized vehicles. However, owners of summer cottages within the nature reserve are allowed to drive motorized vehicles on the gravel road along the east side of Lake Ökulla within the reserve.
Park, camp, or set up caravans or motorhomes.
Cycle, except on the gravel road along the east side of Lake Ökulla.
Light fires.
Organize military exercises.
Put up signs, posters, or other disruptive items.

Without permission from the County Administrative Board, it is forbidden to:

Collect invertebrate animals (except for crayfish and bees). Arrange large sports competitions, camps, similar activities, or large gatherings.

Valle Camping is located on private land outside the nature reserves, and our camping rules apply here.

Problems along the trail?

Please note that even though one of the “Hiking in Valle” trails starts from the campsite, it is not maintained by the campsite. If you encounter issues or have suggestions for improvements, contact Skara Municipality via their contact center at +46 511-320 00 or report issues on their website at skara.se/felanmalan.

Accommodation in the Valle area (Valleområdet)

Book your accommodation for hiking in Valle here.

Great resources A highly useful page with planning tools and detailed information about several trails.

https://westswedentrails.se/