Otterbäcken – Mariestad, Vänerleden
After leaving Otterbäcken, a 10 km cycling journey on the old country road awaits, interspersed with sections of a gravel cycle path (scheduled for asphalt paving in 2022) running parallel to road 26. After 3 km on this path, you’ll arrive at Kvarntorpet, home to the Sjöhagens Fotogalleri photo gallery. Along the way, you’ll encounter various appealing accommodation options including Villa Ekenäs, private rental cottages, cabins, and Askeviks camping. This site offers camping and cabin rentals, a wonderful sandy beach for swimming, as well as a café and restaurant.
Exploring Sjötorp and its Canal Locks, with Freshly Smoked Fish
Reaching Slussvägen Road means you’re just 1 km away from the Sjötorp locks. Spend a day here watching leisure boats navigate the eight locks, enjoy ice cream at a local café, or try freshly smoked fish. Sjötorp boasts numerous restaurants where you can relax and dine. For overnight stays, options include Sjötorps Vandrarhem youth hostel, Pensionat Kajutan guest house, cabins at the Kanalkrogen restaurant, and Jugesh Vandrarhem och Rum youth hostel.
A Stretch Along the Göta Canal
From Sjötorp, the route follows the Göta Canal for about 10 km. This canal is one of Sweden’s top attractions, drawing around 3 million visitors annually. Lyrestad, 7 km from Sjötorp, features the Hamnmagasinet local heritage museum with three floors showcasing diverse collections, including telephones and farming tools. The area also offers minigolf, a café, a pizzeria, a well-stocked ICA supermarket, motorhome parking, a guest house, and a bed & breakfast.
Continuing 3 km along the canal, you’ll reach Norrkvarn’s lock area. Here, the Norrqvarn Hotell & Konferens offers quality dining on a jetty and unique accommodations in cabins shaped like giant tree stumps and mushrooms. The site also includes a mini canal for children, complete with boats.
Continue another 4 km to a country road. For a detour, cross the road and stay along the Göta Canal, passing several locks until reaching Hajstorp, where you’ll find a café, youth hostel, quality handicrafts, and a museum depicting a farming family’s life 100 years ago. To stay on the Vänerleden cycle route, turn right and follow the country road for about 2 km to Fredsberg. Then, wind through farming and forest landscapes, passing Färeds Kyrka, a 12th-century medieval church.
Crossing the E20 road at Hasslerör leads you to a cycle path that runs directly along Vänern to Mariestad. Entering the town center, you’ll pass Emils Restaurang, ice cream kiosks, the guest marina, padel courts, a lively harbor community, harbor kiosks, motorhome parking, adventure golf courses, and the White Guide-recommended restaurants Sill & Dynamit and Bojjen.
Mariestad’s Historic Charm
In Mariestad, a variety of accommodations await. While here, you can wander through the charming old town area, Gamla Stan, visit museums and art exhibitions, rent a kayak, or join a tour boat to the Vänern archipelago. Close by are excellent spots for bathing and fishing. Gamla Stan, with its 1700s and 1800s buildings, is one of Sweden’s best-preserved town centers. The cathedral, dating back to the 1500s, stands amid wooden buildings and cobblestone streets. Mariestad’s tourism website offers an informative brochure for self-guided exploration. In summer, guided town walks are available.
