The South Coast
For this tour you need a car or bicycle and it takes you along the beautiful coastal road and via the villages closest to Falkenberg. You will see and experience places of cultural and historical interest and beautiful destinations!
Distance: 68+12 km
Tip: Remember that several of the destinations along this tour have varying opening times, so check beforehand that the places you would like to visit are open.
FROM FALKENBERG TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE drive past Stortorget and follow Holgersgatan straight on to the bus station that until 2008 used to be the railway station in Falkenberg.
The station house was inaugurated with pomp and circumstance in 1886 by King Oscar II
Turn left by Falkenberg church, built in the neo-Gothic style from granite, sourced in Halland.
It was drafted by Adrian C Peterson, one of the most acclaimed church architects at the time and was consecrated in 1892.
Turn right (into Nygatan) and at the roundabout turn left.
In the roundabout is the outdoor art work “Farled” (Waterway), made by Åsa Herrgård in 2004. It is part of the hull of a ship, but also a portal to the town.
Cross the bridge Söderbro. Follow the road and in the first roundabout drive straight on and in the next take the second exit to the right to follow Strandvägen. Part of this tour follows a brown/white sign with a flower.
Parallel to Strandvägen is Skrea beach, a lovely, 2 km long sandy beach with several restaurants.
Drive straight through the following two roundabouts. Then turn right towards Grimsholmen and Boberg. Now you are on the beautiful coastal road that will deliver a lovely scenic experience. After appr. 4 km you arrive at the Grimsholmen nature reserve.
The cycle path “Kattegattleden” follows the coastal road south towards Halmstad.
1. Grimsholmen Nature Reserve
The beach meadows, heathered moorland, cliffs and pine forest. Grimsholmen has been set aside as a nature reserve to keep the open coastline and moorland with its grazed beach meadows. In the area there are also several remains from the Bronze Age, for instance mounds and stone circles. The sea bird life is also rich. By the parking lot there is a picnic table and toilet.
After about a kilometre there is another nature reserve, Smörkullen, to your left.
2. Nature Reserve Smörkullen
Pine woods, ordinary deciduous forest and fields. The reserve is dominated by a steep hillock, Smörkullen, which is 52 m above sea level in its highest place. From the top you have a magnificent view over the Hallandian coast in one direction and the town of Falkenberg in the other.
This has probably been a precipice and a place of offering. In the year 1859 a unique find was made at the top of the hillock Smörkullen, when a gold bowl from the Bronze Age was recovered. There are three paths up to the top: A signposted little path to the left, one path setting off to the right and an adventurous path leading straight on – for those who want to do a little bit of climbing.
Continue the road 2.5 km on until you reach a fork in the road and keep right. At the next crossroads turn right towards Eftra. Drive across the little bridge and soon after, on your left, is Hallarna’s Heritage Farmhouse.
3. Hallarnas Hembygdsgård/Bobergs Kraftstation
The farm is listed as a cultural heritage and illustrates the old rural farming tradition in Halland. It got its name from the flat rocks (hallarna) on the east side of the river bank. There has been a farm with a watermill here since the end of the 16th century. Boberg powerstation and the heritage farmhouse is privately owned.
Drive on for a little more than 1 km. By the signs “Vesslunda 2” and “Naturreservat 4”, turn right. Follow the sign “Långaveka 2” towards the nature reserve.
4. Vesslunda Nature Reserve
The reserve at the mouth of the Suseå river consists mainly of drift sand, covered by pine woods. It has got a rich bird life and is a nest for the bird watchers. The varied and beautiful beach encloses sandy coves, suitable for beach life. Very pretty! By the parking area there is a toilet. A fishing permit is required for fishing in the Suseå river, and can be purchased through ifiske.se
Drive the same way back. Take a right at the T-junction and continue south.
5. Eftra Church
The church was built 1822r-24. In the church is a rare baptismal font from the 13th century with a cushion capital cup. The paintings on the wall behind the altar was made in 1962 by Waldemar Lorentzon, who was a member of the Halmstadgruppen, a group of avant garde artists from the region.
At the T-junction turn right towards Halmstad and Ugglarp. After appr. 4 km you pass Ullarp nature reserve on your left hand side. It was established to preserve a beautiful deciduous forest habitat. By the parking lot there is a picnic area. Back on the road you soon pass Ullarps Gård with a farm shop, open around-the-clock. Continue 1 km. In Ugglarp, on the left side of the road is Svedino’s vintage car and plane museum.
6. Svedinos Bil- och Flygmuseum
Svedino’s vintage car and plane museum has one of the largest collections of vintage cars and aeroplanes. The collection consists of appr. 130 cars, 40 aeroplanes, motorcycles, everyday objects and lots of other things. Read more at www.svedinos.se
DETOUR TO UGGLARP BEACH – APPR. 4 KM RETURN
300 m after the museum, turn right (signposted “Bad, boende och restaurang”) on Sallebergsvägen. Continue Sallebergsvägenn for 2 km towards the sea. Drive past Ugglarp Campsite. Continue a little way along and park on the parking lot on your left, where you also find a toilet.
Enjoy the sea and the variety of rocks and sandy beach, swimming and crab baiting for a moment. On the road you also pass Ugglarps Grönt (a greengrocer’s) farm shop. Stop to buy fresh vegetables and other tasty things.
Drive back to the coastal road. Turn right and continue south. Turn left at the sign “Naturreservat Skipås 1”. This is a beautiful little road, lined with deciduous trees, that takes you to “God’s Green Pastures”.
7. Skipås Nature Reserve– ”Guds gröna ängar”
This is a nice area to wander, with grazed pastures, beech woods and hepaticas in spring. From the hill Klippe kulle you have a view over the sea and large parts of the inland of Falkenberg municipality. By the parking lot there is a picnic area and a toilet.
Drive back to the coastal road and continue south. Turn right by the sign ”Naturreservat Steningekusten”.
8. Steningekusten Nature Reserve
The nature reserve consists of a stretch of the coast, shared by Falkenberg and Halmstad. The environment here is both barren and grand. The open coastal moor is broken up by stony beaches, sandy ground, rubble, rock and small areas of deciduous trees. The beach meadows are kept open by grazing sheep and horses. By the parking lot is a toilet.
Drive the coastal road back north for a little more than 5 km, turn right at the signs “Slöinge 4” and “Berte Museum 3”. Follow this road and after the sign “Berte Qvarn”, “Ridhus”, “P samåkning” turn right. Follow the parking signs for the Museum.
9. Ecomuseum – Berte Museum – Livet på landet
The nostalgia museum holds an amazing number of items. Here you find most rural things like farming machinery, items from the old fashioned village shops, decorative paper wall hangings and exhibited workshop environments.
From the parking lot you can see Berte Qvarn where flour has been milled since 1569. Here flour is produced for bakeries and factories as well as for home use. The mill is one of the oldest family run companies in Sweden and one of the largest providers of organic flour in the country. Guided tours for groups can be arranged. Tel: 0346-71 52 00.
Drive back and turn right on the road that took you here and drive towards Slöinge. After the bridge across the E6, turn right at the sign “SIA Glass”. Follow the SIA-signs.
10. SIA Glass
Here the best ice cream in the world is made, according to the residents of Falkenberg. Take the opportunity to visit the factory outlet shop where you can acquaint yourself with the assortment and buy seconds for a discounted price. There is also a café and an ice cream bar as well as a range of products from local businesses to buy. Read more at: www.siaglass.se
From SIA-Glass, turn right out of the parking lot and then left onto Järnvägsgatan. Follow it until it ends and to the right on Ågatan you will see Solhaga’s parking.
11. Ecomuseum – Solhaga Stenugnsbageri
N: 56.85153798095102 E: 12.69035232567934
At this artisan bakery you can buy sourdough bread and sweet pastris made from local produce. Here everything is made from scratch and without additives and Solhaga has won several awards. In the summer you can enjoy open sandwiches in the garden café, made with the best ingredients from the local food providers close-by. Popular baking courses are arranged and themed evenings on request. Read more at: www.solhagastenugnsbageri.se
Drive back and follow Skansgatan to a four-legged intersection in the centre of Slöinge. Go straight across, and follow the signs towards Asige. A little more than a kilometre from Slöinge village you reach the ecomuseum Gudmundsgården.
12. Ecomuseum – Gudmundsgården
Here you can taste the craft! Pigs reared on the farm, a farm butcher’s shop and catering business. Many delicacies like air-dried ham, Italian and Hungarian style salami, barbeque specialties, ready-made meals and gift boxes are made on the premises. There is also a farm café. Read more at: www.gudmundsgarden.se
From Gudmundsgården, turn right and drive 2.5 km towards Asige. In Asige you will come to a T-junction. Here take a left towards Årstad and Abild. After this, turn immediately right at the sign “Gräsås 11”. Drive on for another 300 m and the Ecomuseum Sandbolet will be on your left hand side.
13. Ekomuseum – Sandbolet
On the farm is a herb garden with labelled plants and an exciting orangery. In the converted barn and wash-house is an exhibition on “Nature, culture and environment”. Courses and talks are also arranged here. Pre-arranged visits. Read more at: www.sandbolet.com
Drive back onto the tarmac road. Turn left. Continue 1 km and turn left towards Knobesholm. Turn left by the little white sign towards “Severin Nilssons ateljéstuga”.
14. Ecomuseum – Severin Nilsons Ateljéstuga
The artist Severin Nilson spent most of his life capturing the valley of the river Ätran on canvas and with the help of his camera. His studio has been preserved as it was and there are photos, paintings and drawings. Open on demand. Read more at: www.asige.se
Drive back to Asige and at the T-junction turn right towards Årstad and Abild. After 800 m you will see Hagbard’s Gallows on your right. There is a parking slot by the road.
15. Ecomuseum – Hagbards galge
This is one of the best known ancient relics of the Halland region. The two obelisks closest to the road, Hagbard’s Gallows, are coupled to the Old Norse legend about Hagbard and Signe. The two other obelisks are known for their rock carvings. Each of the four stones weigh four tonnes. Read more at: www.asige.se
By the crossroads further on, turn left by the sign “Årstad 5”, “Ekomuseum Gravfält 2” After a little more than 2 km you reach the Särestad grave-field.
16. Ecomuseum – Särestads gravfält
On both sides of the road is a very large grave-field with about 40 raised stones, some ten mounds, stone circles and a trident. Here lies many generations of inhabitants of Särestad from the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Tallest of the mounds is Hagbard’s Mound that is 5 metres tall with a diameter of 35 metres. Read more at: www.ekomuseum.com
Follow the road for another 3 km to Årstad. At the T-junction you see Årstad church on your right hand side.
The impressive Årstad church in neo-Gothic style was built 1888-1890 from plans drafted by Claes Grundström. The altar painting by Per Hörberg from the 1710s is one of the most beautiful church decorations in Halland and depicts Jesus’ lessons in the temple.
At the T-junction by the church, turn left towards Heberg. After 500 m, on your right, you see the Ecomuseum Domarring och Bålastugan.
17. Ekomuseum – Domarring och Bålastugan i Årstad
The stone circle is an ancient relic from appr. 400 AD – 550 AD. It consists of 29 obelisks and is shaped as a rounded rectangle. Most of the stone circles in the country have only five, seven or nine stones. The stone circle could have been a part of a now destroyed grave-field.
Bålastugan is the only remaining croft of those built on the grounds of Sannarps Manor in the 17th century. The croft was moved from the village of Årstad to where it now stands in about 1880. The croft inhabited until 1952. It is now owned by the Årstad local heritage society. There is a picnic area. Read more at: www.ekomuseum.com
Continue 5 km to Heberg. Turn right towards Falkenberg and Skrea Backe. Follow the signs towards Skrea Backe. After a little less than 4 km, turn left by the sign “Skrea K:a 2” and then left by the yellow sign “Skrea K:a”. By the church, turn right. Then turn left and straight on at the roundabout. On your left is Skrea Ost
18. Skrea Ost
At this farm dairy you can buy artisan cheese and milk by the litre. Also yoghurt. KRAV certified. Read more at: www.skreaost.se
From Skrea Ost take a left onto the road you came from. Follow this road and drive straight on through three roundabouts. Follow the road back over the bridge Tullbron and find yourself back in the centre of town.
Have a continued lovely stay in Falkenberg!
A number of destinations along this self-guided tour are signposted with white signs saying “Ekomuseum”. Ekomuseum Nedre Ätradalen (Ecomuseums in the nether Ätra-valley) consists of a large number of destinations that aspire to provide a holistic experience of life and landscape in the valley of the river Ätran. For more information, see the Ecomuseum brochure that you can get at the Falkenberg Tourist Information. Also, see www.ekomuseum.com