10%

Tour du Sud Öland

Fast roads, world heritage landmarks and the moors of South Öland - Sweden

By TheBikepack

January 2^nd, 2021

Tour du Sud Öland

Are you wanting to ride through a Swedish royal natural reserve, experience historical world heritage sites and cycle the moors of Öland - then keep reading! This is the perfect cycling adventure for the family holiday as well as for the speed chasing race bike riders!

Tag along for a loop around the southern tip of Öland, a Swedish summer paradise island located in the Nordic sea. A perfect adventure destination with its open magical landscapes, proximity to the open ocean at all times and rural convivial villages scattered around the island.

Let yourself be guided to the lighthouse, Long Jan and let yourself be swept away and marvel at the ancient castle Eketorp from the Iron Ages. For the culinary interested, there are many picturesque stops along the way, including the cozy port Gräsgårds Fiskehamn where they bring in and cook fresh fish in the summer.

Degerhamn - West Öland

The adventure begins in Degerhamn on the west side of Öland, a town built around the big shipping dock that was a hub for cement, limestone and iron.

Heads Up: the house right next to the church is sporting two open, heated bathrooms - perfect changing rooms for us riding the loop in the chilly December but equally awesome on a hot summer day when in need of refilling some water bottles.

Saddle up and let's get started! Our ride starts off with the aim set for the long Jan lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the island. Öland is a true cycle-island with lots of smooth, wide cycle roads for the scenic riders, but don't despair there is of course regular express roads if you want to share with the cars.

The Clog Factory

Riding south, and after a nice flat first 10k accompanied by long alleys and open fields comes the town of Grönhögen, here is a small detour for those who feel they have the time. Just after Grönhög's green golf course, you pass a sign that takes you down to the family company IBA's wooden clog factory, the factory has been making elm soled clogs since the 1980s. Adjacent to the factory is also the small unmanned clog shop where you can buy ready-made clogs in all colors and motifs - crazy picturesque and as local as it gets!

Karl X Gustav’s Wall

Back to the road, we pass Grönhögen's fishing dock and ride out of the city to again be surrounded by fields accompanied by the open ocean on our right side, making it self remembered by the humming from the waves.

Three kilometers later is when we meet the Karl X Gustav's Wall also known as the "Great Wall of Ölandl", this is a 4.5 km long wall stretching across the entire island. Built way back in 1653 (super old wall!) to keep fallow deer on the royal hunting grounds and guarantee a successful hunt, as well as setting an example in showing the power of the crown.

Looks like the wall at least managed to keep the cyclists out as it has been classified as a world heritage site and hence can not be moved to build a cycle path. Therefore, we get on the road cross the cattle guards with the rest of the traffic and thank old king Karl for a nice ass wall - as close as you will come to the great wall of China in the nordics no doubt.

But we just got started with the old stuff, you can see Ottenby burial ground from your bike right after passing the wall, about 275 ancient remains in the form of stone settings, mounds, raised stones. We said that this was a historic looå and these tombs date from the Viking Age (900s - super duper old stuff)!

Ottenby Nature Reserve

Before you have time to stop fantasising about Vikings raising stones, we arrive at Ottenby royal estate which towers on our right side, founded in the 16th century by none other than Gustav Vasa (Preferences - Gothenburg was founded in 1621 - so pretty old stuff).

The road takes us on a turn right down towards Långe Jan and this is where one of the highlights of the loop begins, Ottenby Nature Reserve! This nature reserve offers a rich wildlife with lots of stately fallow deer, sheep and a plethora of birds. The park is beautifully situated with water on both sides, covered with deciduous forest, beautiful meadows and small lakes that house both birds and all four-legged friends!

Long Jan

There is 5 km’s beautiful country road to the lighthouse, keep your eyes open and on the lookout for the royal fallow deer and make sure to take in and enjoy the landscape.

You will have made it about 20km once at Long Jan lighthouse, this is a perfect opportunity for a short break finding a coffee or something tasty to eat at the small Restaurant Blå which is located right next to Långe Jan’s lighthouse - crazy scenic! Long Jan towers 41.6 m above the ocean, there is the possibility to hit the stairs and climb to the top for some scenic views and a birds eye view of southern Öland!

Swirly roads & and Icecreams stores

Done with the “fika”, coffy and after a real “tourist break” by the lighthouse and we are ready to get going! Best part, we get to enjoy the royal natural reserve once again on our way back north. We take a right turn and find ourselves once again back on the “main road” where our bikes take us further along the sea now heading towards Eketorps castle!

The road swirl through cozy villages and every street corner would have for sure had an ice cream store if it wasn't for the chilli date of our visit - 4th of december. It is the off season but the place is still inviting and we can feel the great summer vibes through the cold air when we swish between the houses. With the sea that looms beyond the wide open landscape giving that grounded and peaceful feeling.

Eketorps Castle - 400 AD

Our next goal - Eketorps Castle, originates from the Iron Age and is Sweden's only restored and rebuilt ancient castle. The place is not as lively in December but the summer season offers guided tours, iron age bread baking, crafts and a chance at trying medieval bow and arrow aaand they have an ice cream store. This is an attraction where both young and old can unite in the wonders of history while the imagination takes us back to the Iron Age. If nothing else, it is definitely worth a stop to enjoy an ice cream in a castle environment.

Gräsgårds Hamn & Annie's

Enough with the historical sights for a while now and lets get back to our fast, flat and fun loop around the South of Öland - which is now on its final stage but still for sure has a lot left to offer.

The next detour coming up is Gräsgårds Hamn, a small charming fishing harbor filled with cute red boathouses from the 1930s! This is a hidden bird watching gem in december and a paradise in the summer where you can buy both fresh newly caught fish for a nice dinner at home or pick up some fried herring sandwiches at Annie's Fish - a perfect lunch stop if your stomach growls and the weather allows. Gräsgård's harbor is beautifully framed by wide open meadows with grazing geese and the sea stretching out to the horizon!

With the speed of light

We have now covered 45 km of cycling, 41,6m light house and thousands of years worth of historical sights - it's time to cross the island from east to west to tie together our sightseeing ride! This takes us through the Great Moores of Öland - this is a unique landscape with moorlands on bedrock where you can walk for hours without seeing anything but grass, rocks and low-growing shrubs. You will like us, with a little luck, have the wind in your back when crossing and the seriousness will offer everything but grim faces! We whizzed across the island like a rocket and fully enjoyed the flat roads at what felt like light speed.

This is the entirety of the scenic Tour du Sud Öland - take a left on the road back to Degerhamn and you are at the finish line. We hope you have a great day on Öland's roads!

If you visit Öland in the summer, we think you should treat yourself to a dip in the sea or go down to the limestone quarry in Grönhögen for a dip in their crystal clear water!