Following this trail, you pass by Junker Jägares sten, one of Tivedens biggest boulders, as well as Vitsand, the beautiful sandy beach of the national park. The tour starts with a demanding and steep forest path. The way back is clearly easier on mostly plain gravel roads.
Parts of the trail are shared with horseback riders, please mind of each other.
Tivedstorp
You start at Tivedstorp, one of Tivedens old Finnish villages. In the 17th century Finns came here with the intention to populate this uninhabited wilderness, attracted by offers of free land and 6 years of tax exemption. They cleared land in the forest and started cultivating their crop “Svedjeråg”. The village of Tivedstorp grew and by the end of the 19th century it had around 140 inhabitants. After people migrated to the cities in the early 20th century the empty village was bought up by a voluntary organization which received refugees and later it became the hostel and café and remains so until today.
From the parking at Tivedstorp you start to bike on the walking trail Bergslagsleden and then turn into a beautiful grassy forest road. Here the trail is shared with horseback riders, so please keep it easy and stop in case you see horses coming. Where the trail turns from the road into the forest path, you leave the riding trail. After the path you continue on gravel road which leads you to the lake Mellre Fisklösen.
The fishing lakes
At Mellre and Nödre Fisklösen there is the possibility to fish for rainbow trout. The lakes are administrated by Hökensås sportfiske and you need a license (fiskekort) which you can buy online at: www.hokensas.se/tiveden/fiskekort-i-tiveden
After you pass the wind shelter at Mellre Fisklösen the trail leads back to the forest path, now going up a long slope until you reach a beautiful plateau with views over the tree tops.
Then you ride down through the forest and come out by the road which leads through the national park. The trail crosses the road and after a part on gravel road you turn back into forest path.
Junker Jägares sten
The path leads you right into the national park, getting hilly and steep. Here bikers share the trail with horseback riders, and be ready to jump off to walk your bike at a few rocky and steep sections. In the national park it is not permitted to cycle on the hiking trails so please do not leave the marked mountain bike trails. The tour now passes by the big erratic boulder of Junker Jägare, one of the biggest boulders in Tiveden. Imagine the power of the melting ice which left this gigantic rock, balancing upright.
Vitsand
Just after the boulder you arrive at Vitsand, the beautiful beach on the shores of Stora Trehörningen. The inland ice rivers left fine-grained sand behind whilst the ice melt. Stay for a little swim or walk one of the hiking circuits, visit the Vitsand caves on the orange trail or just enjoy the view over the lake for a moment. As Vitsand is one of the entrances to the national park, it provides with information about the park and all the trails.
From Vitsand the trail leads you on gravel roads the whole way back towards Tivedstorp.
If you want to extend the tour a little bit, you can jump onto the Lynx trail. You can find the sign for that trail after about 3km down the road, turning to the left into the forest.
