Alsterån och Ädlaste Småland

We suggest that this tour is primarily cycled over two days with an overnight stay in Alsterbro. Then it will be about 4 miles per day. Of course, the tour works fine to cycle over a day for those who do not go back for a trip of about 8 miles.

Målerås - Alstermo - Fröseke - Alsterbro

Length: about 40 km

This tour takes you to Alsterbro. The route goes through the communities of Alsterfors, Alstermo, Rydefors, Bockaskruv and Fröseke. All except Alstermo have been glassworks villages.

For generations, the Alsterån river has been a lifeline for the development of the village. Today it is sport fishing, which is a major activity and so hydroelectric power plants in some places. You will encounter the Alsterån many times during today's cycling. Load up with some extra energy for the uphills after Rydefors to Fröseke chapel. Then enjoy a nice downhill through Fröseke.

You can choose an alternative route on a railroad embankment after Alstermo (turn right towards Nature Reserve Bockaskruv 4) to Fröseke. Varied gravel road.

On the way to Alsterbro, after Fröseke, you can also choose an alternative route north of Stora Hindsjön. Turn off towards Uvafors. Partly hilly! Up and down. Gravel road.

**Alsterbro

Alsterbro was once the main town in Alsterbro municipality, but is now part of Nybro municipality. The village is beautifully situated by Lake Stora Hindsjön. It is home to Sweden's only preserved glassworks built in wood from 1872. The well-preserved factory environments from the glassworks era are worth seeing. The company DuoBad manufactures exclusive bathroom fittings.

The bathing area at Stora Hindsjön attracts with fine bathing. There are also camping and caravan sites and facilities for outdoor activities. Barefoot skiing competitions are held here. The community has a shop, school, hotel, restaurant and petrol station.

Alsterbro - Orrefors - Målerås

_ Length: about 40 km_

This tour takes you to Målerås via Orrefors and Gullaskruv. After Alsterbro, you first cycle a couple of km on a railway bank to Sandslätt. Former furniture village. Then it carries off through a typical Småland forest landscape with an occasional farm. You pass the nature reserve Stensjön and the former glassworks town Gadderås before you arrive in Orrefors.

**Orrefors

Here you will find glass blowing in Orrefors Park, a glass museum, a shop, an antique shop, lunch facilities and a fine ironworks environment, including the old hammer forge. The ironworks was established in 1726.

When you leave Orrefors, we suggest you take the old railway line (Nybro - Nässjö) to Hälleberga/Gullaskruv. There are bathing places at Orranäsasjön.

See alternative routes and other tips on the detailed route description available for purchase. Purchase locations can be found via the link below.

**Hälleberga/Gullaskriv

When you arrive in Hälleberga, you can visit a typical country church with church stables from the 1920s. Soon you are in the glassworks town of Gullaskruv and can visit Carlos Design.

From Gullaskruv you can choose to cycle on the old part of road 31 or to cycle on the embankment or both. Along the embankment just north of Gullaskruv there are worth seeing "stone strings" from the railway construction. There is also a windbreak here.

Finally, you can choose the forest road or the railway embankment to Målerås.

**Målerås

Målerås emerged as a community in 1876 when the railroad was built in the forests between Nybro - Sävsjöström (later to Nässjö) and the area's sawmill needed a loading place.

When you come to Målerås, you can experience all the stages of glassmaking and blow your own bowl. In Barnens Glasrike there is a playhouse, playground and the children can try to blow glass digitally with the characters Ebba and Ture.

At the glassworks you will find Kristallshopen and Hantverkshuset with sales of local products. If you follow the railway embankment past the station house, you will see the impressive loading dock and soon you will come to the excavation site of the original ironworks from 1890. After a few more steps, you can step into the leather factory shop.

If you feel like a hike or want to take a swim, the resort's swimming area Långegöl is 2 km away. Here is also the start of a seven km long hiking trail - In the footsteps of the ice age - or - Trollstigen - 3 km for children. Nearby there is also a mountain bike area with several trails.

Detailed directions

To get access to detailed directions with information about the culture and history that surrounds the trail, you need to buy a full route description. The route description will also give you tips on nice detours. Places to buy detailed directions can be found via the link below.

Or you can cycle the trail just as it is and enjoy the environment and the attractions along the trail.