Hiking in Söderåsen

Europe's largest natural forest, Söderåsen, is located only 30 kilometers from Helsingborg. Last weekend I went for a hike with a group of friends to explore the park. We spent approximately two full days in late March.

Hiking

The park offers a range of marked hiking trails. The shortest trail being 800 meters and the longest 14 kilometers. Since nature is allowed to grow wildly, some of the trail markings can be hard to spot, so pay attention when walking. The hiking terrain is fairly flat and welcomes even the most unexperienced hikers.

The 1000 kilometer long Skåneleden hike goes straight through the park from Klåveröd in the north-western corner to Röstånga in the south-eastern corner. We found this hike to be very rewarding and the path took is past the main sights: the wonderful Odensjön lake, the Hjortsprånget viewpoint and the Kopparhatten cliffs. Going for the hike is a perfect excuse to grab a lunch at Röstånga Gästgivaregård, which serves traditional Swedish meals at a fair price. We had the lunch buffet for 150 SEK.

Lodging

Söderåsen offers different possibilities for lodging. There are two cabins located centrally in the park - Liagården and Dahlbergs. We decided to sleep in Liagården and were able to park the car nearby. The cabin has four simple rooms that provides shelter from wind and weather - there is no running water or electricity. Outside the cabin one may use a water pump to get fresh water. Additionally there are toilets as well as a shed providing free firewood. You are also able to bring your own tent and camp on the cabin grounds.

Thoughts

Going to Söderåsen is a great plan for a weekend getaway. Using the park and its facilities is free. For hikers the park does not offer enough variation, but does on the other hand work perfectly for trying out camping gear and enjoying zen-like moments in the wild.