In Ockelbo, expansive views and extensive hiking trails meet gardens and traces of industrial history. Rönnåsen, the Gästriketriangeln trails and the former Wij valsverk show different sides of the area. Lakes, a vibrant garden park and historic farmsteads are also among the discoveries you can include in your travel plans.

Rönnåsen and trails through Ockelbo

Rönnåsen is designated as a popular outdoor recreation area and excursion destination. Its summit is about 270 metres above sea level and offers views across much of North Gästrikland. The mountain is also home to Mullestigen: this child-friendly nature trail draws attention to animals and nature with small figures and puzzles.

For hiking, Gästrikeleden and Gästriketriangeln offer different points of reference. Gästrikeleden passes through Ockelbo and has several beautiful trail sections. You can hike the Gästriketriangeln in Ockelbo; it connects Rönnåsen, Åmot and Jädraås. Its individual sections are each 1.5 to 2 Swedish miles long, while the route as a whole is about 5.3 Swedish miles. This makes it possible to distinguish the length of an individual section from the total distance when considering which is the right fit for your plans.

There is also a dedicated regional connection for mountain biking: Biking Gästrikland has developed a mountain bike trail network in the Ockelbo area. The hiking trails and mountain bike network therefore offer two different options for active days, without assuming you want to take the same kind of trip.

Lakes, gardens and a beach in the park

Ockelbo has 226 lakes and ponds covering an area of more than one hectare. Anyone wishing to fish needs a fishing permit for all waters in Ockelbo. A centrally located swimming spot is near the train and bus services, as well as services and shops, offering another way to plan your time in the area.

Roses, summer flowers and lush vegetable plantings bring Wij Trädgårdar’s vibrant park to life. There is also a restaurant and a summer café. The park grounds include a comfortable, child-friendly beach. The children’s section, Barnens Trädgård, adds Pettson’s kitchen and workshop for play, as well as Findus’ fishing pond. The garden, beach and play activities offer different focal points within the same named excursion destination.

Industrial history and local culture

Wij valsverk is now a unique industrial museum. Historically, the works were part of Ockelboverken, the most successful ironworks company in Gästrikland in the 18th century. The site thus connects a specific industrial history with the story of a company whose significance extended across the Gästrikland region.

Ockelbo’s present-day church also tells a story of change: it was originally built in 1791–1793. Following a fire, it was rebuilt in 1906–1908 using the surviving walls. The choir contains a mosaic made of 300,000 mosaic tiles, covering an area of 35 square metres. The building’s history and the mosaic’s dimensions offer two very different ways to explore the church—through its changes and through a single work inside.

Oklagård combines a newly built early medieval stave church with an open-air museum in a setting shaped by historic Swedish and medieval surroundings. The open-air museum includes a small museum of woodworking tools and an exhibition about wood joints. Oklagård offers guided tours and study visits, with coffee and pastries available by prior arrangement, as well as folk music. The programme also includes medieval events, storytelling and forest music in an authentic historic setting. Pålsgården, meanwhile, is a local heritage farmstead on Lustigbacken, overlooking Lake Bysjön.

The Ockelbo Hembygdsförening offers guided tours on request and has a collection of 58 textile printing blocks, as well as tools from the calico-printing workshop of dyer Hallberg in Ockelbo in the 1850s. The Älgparken in Ockelbo offers guided visits; free parking is available at the entrance.

Discover more destinations: Ockelbo, Kolforsen, Jädraås, Åmotsbruk, Hudiksvall, Nordanstig, Trönödal, Gävle.

For the broader travel overview: Gävleborg.