In our series about cycling in Southern Sweden we have arrived at the South Sweden Trails: Part III Simrishamn – Växjö via the South-Easters. Part 1 was about the Kattegattleden From Gothenburg to Helsingborg, part II took you to the South Coast residents, Between Helsingborg and Simrishamn. Part III, the Sydostleden, takes you from Simrishamn to the final destination of Växjö. Like the other two routes, this route is also divided into stages. This time there are 7 stages, covering a total of 274 kilometers. In total, the route has almost 1700 meters of elevation gain. Not necessarily flat, but certainly not mountainous. It is therefore a wonderful route for your next cycling holiday. As with the other routes, we choose to combine stages. Especially for the race cyclist, but also for the gravel rider, 30-kilometer stages for a whole day are quite short.
From Simrishamn via Brösarp to Kristianstad
On this stretch of the route in the province of Skåne you drive through what is known as Sweden’s ‘cereal store’. Well, not exactly cereal, more rye. The stretch between Kristianstad and Ahus is where rye is grown for the famous Swedish snack called Knäckebrod. Oh, and not just for the bread, but also for another well-known export product, namely Absolut Vodka. You also drive the first part of this route through the Stenshuvud National Park, which is Sweden’s southernmost national park. This offers magnificent views over the coast and you almost feel as if you are in the Netherlands, with the dunes and sandy beaches. Further on you will also find a must-see stop at the Hallamölla waterfall. You drive over beautiful paths here and everywhere it is wonderfully peaceful. Cycling in Sweden is a pleasure.
Here on the route there is quite a lot of greenery and along the way you will also encounter many of the characteristic colored houses. You also come towards Kristianstad in another nature reserve where you could stop for a while. The views are certainly beautiful enough. The town of Brösarp is known for many nice attractions, but the hills in particular are popular with hikers and we recommend that you maybe take a ride on a bike around them. On the gravel bike you could also ride a section of the Skaneleden hiking trail. There is plenty of space anyway. That is the beauty of this South Sweden Trails, a variety of trails to choose from.
Kristianstad – Fridafors
In the next stage, we attach three routed sections to each other. From the starting point in Kristianstad, we first drive to Solvesborg and then end up in Fridafors. On this route, you will travel from the province of Skåne to the province of Blekinge. You will find something really cool on this route, namely the possibility to drive over an old railway between Olofstrom and Sölvesborg. We always find that super cool, so a must-see. In Sölvesborg, the old castle ruins are also a nice place to stop for a while. The second part of this ride is the time to take your swimsuit out of the bag.
Between Solvesborg and Karlshamn you mostly drive through the open countryside along the beach and after Karlshamn you end up in the Käringehejan Nature Reserve. Very beautiful to see and given the abundance of greenery, it gets quite wet there in winter and autumn, something to keep in mind. So put on some good clothes Packing list.
Don’t forget to make a stop here along the route at Hovmansbygd. This area has several interesting sites, from old railway tracks to beautiful buildings and factories. Especially the Ebbemåla Bruk stands out. This piece of industrial heritage houses a beautiful museum and everything has been very well preserved. Therefore, it is definitely worth stopping by and taking a look around.
Almost Home: Fridafors – Växjö
After almost 900 kilometers of cycling, the final destination is in sight: Växjö. To get there, we drive from Fridafors via Tingsryd the last 75 kilometers of this route. Here you finally ride through the beautiful Asnen National Park, by the lake, and this is truly worth a photo stop. Cycling in southern Sweden: Part III comes to an end.
Also earlier in this route you will find a gem: the stone bridge in Småland near Blidingsholm, perhaps the most beautiful one there is. The Sydostleden route passes here along the Mörrum river.
In terms of highlights, this part of the route is the least densely populated, but because the final stretch is more challenging in terms of elevation gain and because you have a bit more variety here (and also, for example, the trips to the hills and the archipelago around Valje), it is definitely worth it. Cycling in southern Sweden is also a nice alternative for the hot summers!
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.