A truly fantastic day was when a friend and I paddled a canoe out to an unnamed island in Kilsviken, where we set up a small camp with our hammocks. We cooked hash (Swedish “Pytt i panna”) in a Muurikka and sat in front of the fire, talking all evening without worrying about phones or anything else – a real camping experience. Imagine waking up to the sound of the waves and get to enjoy the delicious morning coffee in nature.
— Kimmie Åhlen
Kimmie Åhlén works as an Operations Manager in the Kristinehamn Municipality. In his free time, he naturally enjoys being out in nature the most.
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Kimmie’s Top 5
Outdoor experiences in Kristinehamn
- The shelter at Långmarktjärn
A relatively unknown spot where, around two o’clock in the summer, you can have a wonderful time when the sun is at its best. The place is fantastic for enjoying a Swedish fika. - View point from the cliffs at the far end of Dyrön
Bring a picnic, a bath towel, and hike about three kilometers along the trail in the nature reserve of Dyrön. At the end, there is a picnic table and cliffs with a view over Lake Vänern. Perfect for a day of sunbathing, snacking, and popping open a bottle of something bubbly. - Jacquelines Nature path
Hike in both forest and among the wooden houses in the Kristinehamn archipelago. Several stops along the way with beautiful views of Lake Vänern.
- Kummelön
Take the opportunity to experience the sunset and enjoy a nice outdoor dinner for two. Stay overnight in the cabin maintained by the county administration. It offers firewood, an outhouse, a fireplace, and an unbeatable view. - Combine the Järnsjöleden and Järnleden trails for a long hike
Hiking from Bjurbäcken Locks to Kristinehamn Guest Harbor with an overnight stay at Ljustjärn, covering a total of 3+3 kilometers. If you’re planning big, this is the way to go. Start by taking bus 400 and book bus 406 to get to the locks. Begin with a coffee at the café, then embark on a long hike starting on the Järnsjöleden trail towards Kristinehamn. You’ll experience incredibly beautiful and diverse nature with magical spots to stop along the way. Enjoy a break at Hållsjön with views over Lundsberg, and why not take a dip in the water! Once you reach Kristinehamn after approximately 30 kilometers, continue a few more kilometers to Ljustjärn rest area where you can overnight either in the shelter or in a hammock. Waking up here in the summer is wonderful, and after a hearty breakfast, continue on the Järnleden trail all the way to the Guest Harbor.
Ljustjärnen along The Iron Trail
Jacquelines Nature path
We’re really good at traveling around the world to experience places like these. It’s a bit hard to believe that all of this is just a fifteen-minute drive from Kristinehamn’s center
— Jessica Lindqvist
Look out for the sea eagle.
If you’re interested in birds, there are eagles to see around Ölme. Eagles can also be spotted at Kungens rastplats, Inre Kilsviken, Sibberön, and Hult.
Jessica Lindqvist är ständigt på jakt efter nya naturupplevelser. Hon paddlar kajak, seglar, arrangerar långfärdsskridskoturer på Vänern med Friluftsfrämjandet eller ger sig ut på vandringstur med övernattning i vindskydd. Här får du hennes bästa friluftstips i Kristinehamn.
- Alvöns’ southern tip
Jessica’s absolute number one for nature experience in Kristinehamn is the southern tip of Alvön. It’s hard to believe it’s lake water and not the sea you’re looking out over. Here lies the perfect viewpoint over the Vänern horizon. There’s a barbecue area on the other side of Alvön by the docks, easily accessible with the Boat Bus in the summer. You can also kayak or go long-distance ice skating to Alvön. - Island-hopping by kayak
You can kayak almost year-round if you’re a bit experienced. On calm days, my best tip is to paddle around Vålön – Kalvön – Sibberön. It’s a challenging route, but doable. Start at Kapurja (Vålösundsvägen) and paddle south from the strait along the eastern side of Vålön, past Kalvön and Sibberön. Circle these islands and continue north along their western side, staying close to shore. From there, head west around Alvön and Långön, then back towards Kapurja. If you plan to stay overnight, there’s a simpler cabin on Sibberön with a barbecue area and an outhouse. If it’s too windy on the lake or if you prefer an easier paddle, exploring within Varnumsviken and Vålösundet is wonderfully scenic.. - Hike the Iron Trail
The Iron Trail is a quality-assured trail in Värmland. It spans thirty kilometers, starting from Kristinehamn’s guest harbor, passing through Marieberg and Östervik, Niklasdam, Bergsjön, and up to Nässundet. If you don’t want to hike the entire trail, a particularly beautiful section is from Niklasdam and upwards, where you walk through stunning scenery. At Ljustjärnen, you can stay overnight in shelters. If you’re interested in birdwatching, I recommend stopping at Varnumsviken, known for its rich birdlife.
- Hike between islands
Between Vålön, Kalvön, and Sibberön runs a four-kilometer hiking trail. You can easily move between the islands connected by footbridges. Here, you’ll find both sandy beaches and rocky shores, and in the nature reserve on Sibberön, you can hike through untouched landscapes and forests. The rocky southern tip of Sibberön is absolutely fantastic. Take the ferry Stöten to Vålön, departing from Vålösundsbryggan. At Sandvikarna on Vålön, there are shelters and space for tents to stay overnight, as well as a barbecue area, drinking water, and an outhouse. - Sail in the archipelago
Outdoor enthusiast Jessica Lindqvist recommends that Kristinehamn’s archipelago is a true gem for sailing. The fairways are marked, and in the relatively untouched archipelago, there are incredibly beautiful islands. If you’re lucky, you might find a place where you’re completely alone. If you don’t have your own boat, you can rent a sailboat from Elvina Marin.
Watch the sunset over Lake Vänern
Magical paddling on Lake Vänern
Stefan Johansson has been Kristinehamn’s municipality nature specialist for 31 years, but has now retired. He has had the privilege of working outdoors and making the beautiful and rich nature in the municipality more accessible through trails, archipelago development, and improved maintenance and care in several other natural areas of the municipality.
- Järnleden is my absolute favorite. In addition to being a trail that leads to wonderful nature experiences, it’s also a cultural path that aims to convey the history of how Kristinehamn originated and the significance of iron in Värmland’s mining district. It’s about the toil and labor with a natural resource, which has contributed to today’s economy and prosperity in society.
- The most important thing is to keep an eye on the weather, and to have and wear clothing that allows you to stay dry and warm. During the summer hiking season, heavier shoes, hiking boots, or sneakers are usually sufficient, but after rain, there may be puddles and damp parts of the trail where hiking boots or waterproof boots are preferable. The same applies during the winter season when it often rains more than in summer and doesn’t dry up as quickly.
- You can get a long way with a good mood, reading the brochure and online, maybe walking with someone more experienced and keeping an eye on the orange markings, arrows and signposts to stay on track.
- The view towards Bergsjön from Hytte, Ljustjärn, the boardwalk over Bromossen, Niklasdamm and the ruins of the ironworks at Älvbron. Then there’s Gustafsvik, Östervik, Marieberg and the harbor. You might not miss Lake Vänern and Varnumsviken, but the experience of reaching the lake is nice, says Stefan.
- The trail mainly follows the principles of freedom to roam, so you can pitch a tent where it works best according to this order. Otherwise, I believe more in hotels, hostels, and camping.
Hike along the Iron Trail
Arskagen is part of the Visnums-Kil trails
Lovely Arskagen
Hike between three islands