Gränsöleden

The trail runs through the nature reserve on the Gränsö peninsula. The bare cliffs combined with the grazed oak pastures of the manor landscape offer a varied and beautiful recreational environment. Gränsö nature reserve is within walking distance of Västervik town center.

The Gränsö Trail runs around the entire nature reserve and is 12 km long. Parts of it run along smaller roads and those who think the distance is too long have several opportunities to walk shorter variants. A natural starting point is the Gränsö Canal, which separates Gränsö from the mainland. The trail offers nature experiences, swimming and overnight stays.

The northern parts of Gränsö consist of grazed oak pastures and open fields. Horses and sheep are important elements in the environment. They keep away undergrowth and prevent overgrowth, and grazing also benefits many flowers and other plants.

The trail passes Gränsö Castle and its English park. The current building was erected in 1994 after the old one was destroyed in a major fire. It probably dates from the early 19th century and was rebuilt in the late 1840s by Erik Sparre, who created the English park. It contains around 60 different species of trees - several exotic ones such as Chinese pagoda trees and Central European firs. . Today, Gränsö Castle is privately owned and has a café, restaurant, hotel and conference facilities as well as a bathing area, guest harbor and pier for archipelago traffic. In summer, many cultural events and concerts are organized.

At Gränsö Castle there is a bridge out to Ekholmen, where in the spring you can experience the sea of anemones and lilies of the valley. The old oaks provide a unique habitat for over a thousand species of insects, fungi and lichens. The endangered leatherback beetle and the rare oak ox are found here, for example.

South of the castle, the pasture landscape changes into a pine forest on a hilly ridge and further south towards increasingly barren rocky forest. From Lillön and southwards, the trail follows the eastern shore of Gränsö. Along the beaches at Skanvik there are many species of seabirds, but birds of prey such as buzzards and white-tailed eagles can sometimes be seen here. The rocks on the beaches are round and soft in shape and consist of the well-known red Västervik quartzite. In the far south, you can make a short detour to the bare rocks on Gränsö cape.

If you want to swim, there are sandy beaches at the castle, Bondbacken and Sandviken. All are good for swimming with children. At Bondbacken the sun is out in the morning while it is shadier in the afternoon, at the castle and Sandviken the morning is shady but the afternoon is sunnier. At both Bondbacken and Sandviken there are toilets and barbecue areas. If you prefer to swim from the rocks, there are nice places especially on Lillön and at Skanvik, however, it is less suitable to swim with small children. It is also possible to swim on Gränsö cape and on Ekholmen.

There are four shelters along the trail for those who want to spend the night: on Lillön, at Gölmossevägen after Skanvik, at Gränsö glo at the far end and on the headland north of Sandvik's bathing area. In addition to the shelters themselves, there are outhouses, rubbish bins and fireplaces with wood.