Cycling in southern Sweden: South Sweden Trails II, Sydkustleden

In this series of three articles, we look at cycling opportunities in southern Sweden. You'll find the South Sweden Trails there. Roughly 900 kilometres between Goteborg, via Helsingborg and the south coast to Växjö. in the first article, we discussed the route of the Kattegattleden, already a stunning stretch on the south-west coast and now we will look at the Syd coast members, which is entirely in the province Skåne lies. Cycling in southern Sweden is beautiful.

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260 kilometres of cycling pleasure

The route that lies between Simrishamn and Helsingborg actually follows the entire southern coast of the Skåner country. So in total, this route covers 260 kilometres. For the sake of clarity, the route has been chopped into six sections, of up to 57 kilometres each. For the experienced road cyclist, it will pay to combine several sections in 1 day. Should you just want to enjoy cycling in southern Sweden and make the occasional fun/interesting stop, you can also complete the route in six days.

Starting point Helsingborg

Because we have the first route already started from Goteborg to Helsingborg, we will now also continue in Helsingborg. According to the booklets, you should start this route from Simrishamn. We do it slightly differently. We would combine the first stage from Helsingborg to Landskrona and the second stage from Landskrona to Malmö. In total you would then be 78 kilometres on the road with just over 500 altimeters. If you drive the route in this direction, you'll soon encounter Glumslöv's slopes, reminiscent of Tuscany with a little imagination. Only just a little greener. In terms of hills, it will be reminiscent of Amerong Mountain. About 3% with 80 altimeters is fine for most cyclists.

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Extra stop -> the island of Ven

You'll have to take a while to cross, but the island of Ven is not only bike-friendly, it's also worth a little detour. There is beautiful nature to be found and some idyllic harbours. It looks a lot like the Wadden Islands and they also invite for a nice trip. Mind you, it is only 4.5 kilometres long and a few kilometres wide, so don't expect a complete route that will keep you busy.

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Highlight: Långa bryggan 

Further along this route, between Landskrona and Malmö you will find an absolute highlight. The Långa Bryggan is exactly what you think it is. It is a long pier into the sea, reaching almost 600 metres into the sea. This is Sweden's longest pier and there is even an indoor swimming pool, playground and sauna (one especially for women, too!).

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Before heading to Malmö via Landskrona, you'll pass some idyllic fishing villages where you can stop for coffee or something to eat. Nice places are Lomma Hamn or Borstahusen. The latter in particular is a real eye-catcher with terraced houses that have been nicely renovated and a nice atmosphere. The well-knownPumphuset (pump building, now an art gallery, museum and restaurant) is a cool spot and loved by locals and visitors alike.

What is really cool though: Borstahusen still has a real fishing culture and you could buy your own fish to prepare in the evening. Go to the harbour and buy the catch fresh from the fishermen themselves.

Malmö and the Västra Hamnen

Once in Malmö, it is fun to go to the Västra Hamnen. As part of the 2001 Bo01 European Housing Fair (EHF), this district was built with innovative ecological solutions and exceptional architecture. Among others, famous architect Santiago Calatrava was flown in and he is responsible for the design of the Turning Torso building. 190 metres high and its striking design makes it a crowd-pleaser. As are the Sundpromenaden and Djuphavsbadet. From here you can nicely see the Oresunds spring and, of course, Copenhagen in the distance. Malmö's old quarter is also worth a visit.

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After Malmö, you continue towards Trelleborg, another highlight along this route. Here, a quarter of the old Castle has been rebuilt. The beach on this side is also gorgeous, with the cottages at Skanör catching the imagination. In terms of cycling, it is wonderfully flat and you can make plenty of speed!

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Kåseberga och Ales stenar 

The small village of Kåseberga, with a population of just 150 people, can also be called more of a hamlet. Still, it offers enough to stop for a drink and buy freshly smoked fish at the smokehouse by the harbour. The harbour is located at the bottom of a steep cliff. Further on, just outside the village you will find the 'Ales' stones. These are 59 large stone blocks lying in the shape of a ship. The 67-metre-long and 20-metre-wide structure dates from the late Iron Age (about 1000 BC). A place with an interesting history and beautiful to see!

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Save the best for last: Sandhammaren

Sandhammeren beach, on the last stretch between Ystad and Simrishamn is perhaps the most beautiful beach in Sweden. The sand there is gorgeous and, according to the locals, you won't find it anywhere else. The long coast with beautiful dunes (almost Dutch) and forest makes it a wonderful place to stop for photos. Löderup is a logical stop as you can then see both Sandhammaren beach and Kåseberga. At Sandhammeren you will also find a nature park with birds and also moose!

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Want to know more?

Want to go cycling in southern Sweden? You can find more info on this part of the South Sweden Trails via the Sydkust members' site. You can find all info on the province of Skåne at here. Check out the Komoot route below! With some little side trips