The Sjönevad Garnet Mine

In the woods just outside Sjönevad the roses are flowering all year around. That is, the never-wilting garnet roses. Here is a garnet mine that is a little bit difficult to find, but well worth a visit and a challenge for those with a sense of adventure.

During the cold winter of 1936-1937 a crew of about 30 men mined garnet out of the granite rock. A steep hillside filled with scrap stone and an open-cast mine still remains today.

Visit

To get up to the open-cast mine on the Hästås hill, you should climb it sideways. The slope of scrap stone is steep and the stones lie loose, so preferably take the path up on the right hand side. Once you get up there, you have a marvellous view and this is a good place for a bit of a rest.

An historical place

If you are visiting the garnet mine, don’t miss the Spräckaretorpet (Blister Croft) that is close by. The croft got its name from its first occupant, the granite mason Johannes Jönsson. In the year 1813 he started the arduous work of transforming a stony, heathered and unused piece of land into fields and meadows. Johannes wasn’t just a crofter, but his skills were also sought after elsewhere and he built several stone arch bridges in the area of Sjönevad and Krogsered.

Generations of crofters have used the land after Johannes, but it is still his work that characterises the area. His old root cellar is still here and there are also the remains from an old water mill. The surroundings are incredibly beautiful and this is also a good place to stop for a picnic. Perhaps you can find Johannes Jönsson’s mark on the stone wall?

Suitable for the whole family?

The croft Spräckaretorpet is easily accessible with small children. You pass it just before the garnet mine and the road is pram friendly. If you would like to climb up to the open-cast mine the children should be older.

Finding the mine

The garnet mine in Sjönevad is an exciting place to visit, but can be slightly difficult to find. At the crossroads in Sjönevad you turn off towards Drängsered. After exactly 2.6 km there is a gravel road to the right. This is a good place to park your car and then follow the little road through the woods on foot.

Coordinates:

Good place to park: 56.98263, 12.77679

The croft Spräckaretorpet: 56.97825, 12.77781

The Garnet mine: 56.97705, 12.77474