Low Carbon Grand Tour of West Sweden by EV

Arrive at Gothenburg train station or airport. Pick up an electric rental car and drive to Erikson Cottage (119/97km).

After your journey, relax in the forest surrounding Ljungsarp. Allow nature to envelop you with its beauty and peace in this lakeside location. Erikson Cottage is run by two sisters and offers wonderful accommodation in the Glasshouses Sjön, Sjöblicken, or Skogen Glass, which front either the forest or the lake and are furnished with exquisite linen sheets, designer pillows, and ceramics. The glass dwellings do not have power, but the warm duvets and soft beds keep you snug and warm. There is a kerosene lamp for lighting throughout the evenings and nights.

You’ll be welcomed by Swedish “fika” in the afternoon when you arrive. Dinner is included on all nights and is prepared with self-grown, foraged, and locally gathered ingredients from farmers and vendors in the area.

Overnight at Erikson Cottage, or similar.

Enjoy your breakfast, which can either be eaten at the Farm Bakery or brought to you as a breakfast basket. It includes sourdough bread from the bakery and other organic items sourced from the local grocer. This is a day to wind down and relax, discover the forest, immerse yourselves in the scent of the pine trees and the birdsong, and switch off from the everyday stresses. Lunch can either be eaten at the Farm Bakery or the Glass Cabin or you can get it as a picnic if you head out to explore.

Here at Erikson Cottage, you are not short of activities. You can go for a swim or fish or use the two kayaks and two SUPs for use on the lake. Winding forest trails and gravel roads are perfect for an easy walk, a run, or a longer hike. A wood-burning hot tub can be booked for an additional fee, all bookings for Glashus Sjön include access to a private wood-burning sauna.

Dinner and overnight at Erikson Cottage, or similar.

After breakfast, drive to Glasets Hus in the glass region of Limmared (24km).

See exhibitions, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the café, visit the glass museum and try your hand at glassblowing. In the shop at Glasets Hus, you will find many beautiful glass creations blown in the glassworks on site. It is the oldest glassworks still running in Sweden, going as far back as the 1740s. These days it is most famous for producing bottles for Absolut Vodka. Limmared is also a Mecca for vintage and retro hunters, with several antique and second-hand shops, a place to appreciate the simplicity of rural life, explore natural beauty, and enjoy the charm of a small Swedish village.

Later visit beautiful Hofsnäs Herrgård a manor house and farm beautifully situated in Torpanäset Nature Reserve with fishing-friendly water on both sides near Lake Åsunden. The manor house is framed by Hofsnäs’ beautiful nature trails along the water’s edge, make sure to visit the fam shop. Check opening hours with the reception at the cottage.

Lunch at your own expense. Dinner and overnight at Erikson Cottage, or similar.

After breakfast drive to Hjo (112km) a lovely tiny town idyll on Lake Vättern, with a well-preserved timbered centre that has become an important element of Sweden’s timbered-town legacy. Visit the exhibition about Svenskt Tenn, founded in 1924 by Estrid Ericson and developed from a small pewter company to one of the most fashionable interior design stores in Stockholm of the time.

There are also several ice cream cafés in Hjo that make their own ice cream. Stop to buy groceries and drive to In Forest a family-run accommodation of four tiny Houses that are completely self-sufficient, and everything is built using sustainable materials, situated in a very tranquil setting. This is a self-catering property with cooking facilities inside and outside over an open fire.
Overnight at InForest, or similar.

After a good night’s sleep, enjoy breakfast before exploring the area’s various activities. Hiking, woodland bathing, lake fishing, and mushroom picking are all available during the season. Bicycles can be rented, and there are fantastic cycling trails in the nearby forest. You prepare your own lunch and dinner today.
Overnight at InForest, or similar.

After breakfast drive from Hjo to Lugnåsberget (72km) where you’ll stay at STF Lugnåsberget Ekohotell.
Lugnåsberget is Västergötland’s smallest plateau mountain and lies both in the Biosphere Reserve Vänerskärgården med Kinnekulle (Lake Vänern archipelago with Kinnekulle Mountain) and Platåbergens (Plateau Mountain’s) Geopark.
Outside the accommodation is a large garden with trees and shrubs full of fruits and berries that everyone can eat. Sheep and chickens roam freely here, as do cows on the other side of the road. Bicycles, canoes, and a wood-fired sauna can be rented. For lunch and dinner, you will be given a basket containing lamb or a vegetarian alternative to eat whenever and wherever you like. Overnight at STF Lugnåsberget Ekohotell, or similar.

After breakfast drive from Lugnåsberget to Köpmannebro (200km).
You will pass magnificent Kinnekulle, the great quarry (Stora Stenbrottet) dubbed locally as the ‘mini great Canyon’ on your route to Swedish Country Living. In addition to the spectacular vistas and atmosphere, there is a little fishing lake in the quarry. In Lidköping stop and visit the magnificent wooden city hall, before continuing on to the picturesque Läckö Castle. Lunch at restaurant Hvita Hjorten.

Arrive at Swedish Country Living, or similar.
Cosy hermit cottages with no electricity or water were created to show that it´s possible to build and live sustainably with a feeling of luxury. Built with wood from the local forest, recycled doors, windows, and pure natural materials, environmentally conscious bathrooms where the shower water originates from the lake and the grey water is purified in the plant beds before being returned to nature. To avoid chemical sealing layers that are not biodegradable in nature, the walls and floors are made of clay and saturated with linseed oil, ensuring that the environmental impact of the hermit cottages is minimal. Solar panels on the stables’ roof provide electricity, which may also be used to charge an electric vehicle.

The farm, which is Krav-certified, produces and serves meat from their own ducks, and sheep, grows their own vegetables, forage for wild herbs, and create meal experiences directly from nature. Surrounded by large, beautiful oaks and natural meadows, animal movement over forested grazing grounds enhances ecological diversity and aids in carbon storage.

Dinner and overnight at Swedish Country Living.

After breakfast, immerse yourself in your surroundings. There are plenty of hiking trails to explore, with numerous excellent pilgrimage pathways nearby. The use of a canoe or kayak is included at your stay. The lake is enticingly close to the cabins and irresistible for a refreshing morning or evening dip. This is a wonderful place for just being in the moment. Or how about testing your cooking skills in the outdoor kitchen in the evening sun, with a view of the lake and nature?
Dinner and overnight at Swedish Country Living, or similar.

After breakfast drive from Swedish Country Living to the Glass Cabins (49km). Enjoy a welcome Swedish “fika” upon arrival.
One of the most relaxing places you could ever imagine! The glass cottages are situated on their own peninsula in Lake Iväg and provide stunning views of the lake and adjacent forests. Enjoy the solitude and quiet while knowing that reception is only a 10-minute walk away. After settling in, why not start your stay here by taking a rowing boat out on a fishing trip, ending your day by renting a wood-fired sauna or a hot tub right on the water’s edge?

Apart from enjoying the serene tranquil nature and amazing views of both the lake and the forest, guests can book a variety of activities while staying here. You can kayak, hire a SUP, go gold panning in the Steneby River, go horseback riding, or visit the elk park and meet the king of the forest. You can also take a guided woodland trip and learn to follow animal trails, make fire without matches, and test your skills at archery.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Glass Cabins at Dalslands Activities, or similar.

A new day begins at the Glass Cabins. After breakfast, spend the day relaxing or participating in one of the various activities provided. Hiking on surrounding trails, canoeing, fishing, or rowing around the lake in a rowing boat.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Glass Cabins at Dalslands Activities, or similar.

Last day at the Glass Cabins. After breakfast, spend the day relaxing or participating in one of the various activities provided. Hiking on surrounding trails, canoeing, fishing, or rowing around the lake in a rowing boat. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Glass Cabins at Dalslands Activities, or similar.

After breakfast drive from the Glass Cabins to Gothenburg (156km). In Gothenburg, there are plenty of activities to do. Visit the Art Museum, and Volvo Museum or enjoy delicious fish and seafood in Feskekôrka, or rent an electric boat and explore Gothenburg canals. Visit Liseberg; Scandinavia´s largest amusement park. Gothenburg offers great dining and a nice “fika”.
Overnight at Hotel Eggers, or similar.

Wake up to buzzing Gothenburg. After enjoying your ecological breakfast at Hotel Eggers, use public transport to get to one of the Gothenburg archipelago’s islands, such as Öckerö, Hälsö, Hönö, or Fotö. Overnight at Hotel Eggers, or similar.

Have breakfast in your hotel before departing.