Tavelsjö is full of trails to run, hike or cycle on. But finding them, knowing where to park, and having a gauge on whether it’s the right route for you can bit a bit more difficult – so, here is a guide to our top 6 favourite running routes around the village:-
The Classic
The most popular hike in the village starts from Tavelsjöberget car park and goes up and over Tavelsjöberget. This loop takes in (arguably) the best view of the lake, a place to stop and enjoy a fire and back down through the forest. It’s splendid and accessible pretty much all year round.
So, starting from the left hand corner of there car park, head along the track until you see a blue sign pointing left towards ‘väg I’. From here follow the trail all the way up to the cabins at the top. It’s easy to follow. If you feel like you’re lost, look for orange paint around the trees or orange square signs.
From the cabins at the top, head away from the lake towards signs that say väg II. This is the route you will follow all the way back. After around 15 mins, there is a sign pointing to the right (for väg II) alongside a sign for the car park. Take this route all the way back to the car park.
The Root Favourite
10km | Trail | 260m elevation
This route starts either from Root or Tavelsjöberget car park. From the car park, follow the signs for vägs 2,3 & 4. After around 2km there is a sign for väg 3 – it takes you up onto a small trail through the forest. At the top of the hill you will intersect with väg 4, take a right here and then after another 200m there is a left hand turn towards ‘Vitberget’. This trail takes you all the way down and around the western side of Stortavelsjön.
When you get to the southern end of the lake, follow the Tavelsjöleden signs (there are orange signs on posts and orange markers on trees). You head first up to the top of Vallberget and then follow the Tavelsjöleden along the ridge all the way to the rest-place on Tavelsjöberget – this is our favourite section of trail running in the area. When you arrive at the rest-place, follow the signs for väg 1 down the side of the hill and back down to the car park / Root.
Click here for the Strava route.
Tavelsjön Runt
23km | Various surfaces | 161m elevation
You can start this excellent 23km loop around the lake anywhere along the route. There is a car park here at Root, by the church / Wardshuset in the village, by ICA Matboa and various others around the lake.
The route follows the Tavelsjö half marathon loop and has sections of gravel, trail, road and field running. On a sunny day, this is a beautiful few hours in the Tavelsjö countryside.
The only real tricky section is between Kvarnfors / Haddingen and Långviken. Here the signage is poor but you essentially run along the side of the road all the way until there is a left hand turn down into Långviken.
For those feeling adventurous, take väg 3 from Tavelsjöberget car park and follow the Tavelsjölden via Stortavelsjön down to Haddingen before joining the runt again.
Click here for the Strava route
Tavelsjöberget Loop
5km | Trail | 186m
This is a great short route for all to try. Starting our from Root or Tavelsjöberget car park, follow the signs to väg 2,3,4. After 2km there is a sign for väg 2 off to the left. Follow this sign up through the forest to where it meets väg 3. From there you take a left and follow the Tavelsjöleden signs all the way up to the rest place. There is an excellent view over the lake fro there.
Returning, follow väg 1 down the hill. Take it easy when going down here, it gets steep but is safe if you go steady.
For those new or interested in trail running, this is a great and short taster of the awesome opportunities for running around Tavelsjö.
This route can be extending by taking väg 3 out and v2 back, or even longer by taking v4 out and v3 or 2 back.
Click here for the Strava route
Tavelsjöleden
The Tavelsjöleden is a simply awesome place to run. It’s possible to run it most months of the year and only really between Jan and April is it not possible because of the snow.
The possibilities are endless here. The whole route from the ‘original’ starting point at the Garrison in town is just over 30km and runs past Tavelsjö, ending in a small village called Selet by the river.
If you can persuade someone to pick you up, there are some great sections to run, from Selet down to Haddingen is around 10kms going over Tavelsjöberget, Vallberget, Dragtjärnsberget and Hemberget in the process – this is an excellent track.
The section from Haddingen down to Hissjö is relatively remote and you feel like you’re in the wild for the most part, running over hills and through the forest – it’s awesome.
There are orange signs all the way along the route and pretty much anywhere where you cannot see an orange sign, you’ll be able to see an orange marker on a tree – it’s very well signposted.
Click here for a Strava route.
Kludden Loop
10km | Trail | 271m elevation
Starting again from Tavelsjöberget car park, head north along the trail away from vägs 1-4. Keep going along the trail, and bear right after around 2km. The trail then continues through the forest until you reach a dirt road, take a right here and then after around 300m there is a small Tio Toppar sign – this is the start of the Kludden climb.
After reaching the top, come back down the same way you came but carry on along the dirt road – there are signs towards Torrbergstugan. You will eventually intersect again with the Tavelsjöledden and you can follow this all the way back, along väg 4 directly back to the car park or up and over Tavelsjöberget on v 2 or 3.
This is one for the more adventurous and it’s likely you’ll get lost at some point, but that’s part of the fun, right?
Click here for a Strava route.
Hill Top Route – Submitted by ’Stigar i Tavelsjö’
17km | Trail | 500m elevation gain
Start at Root and follow the forest road towards Kludden. But instead of following the trail up, you can climb the mountain straight from the north.
You do this by running straight ahead on the path along the power line where the forest road divides in two directions. Follow the path for a while and then unfold untracked on Kludden and then take the trail down.
Then follow the forest road back a bit and continue along the power line street. There you go north over the clear-cut up on Finkhörneberget and the trail down on the other side.
Here, the forest road goes back to Kraftledningagatan and up the hill towards Torrberget. From here, the trail goes back to Sundlinska via Tavelsjöberget.
A bit messy. But with a digital map it is easy to find.