Some trails in the Sänkesjön outdoor recreation area run across wide, accessibility-adapted wooden boardwalks through the moor. There are several walking and running trails at Sänkesjön; the landscape is characterized by moorland. This type of trail makes the area a distinctive nature attraction for a stay in Forsheda. The church, a runestone and traces of industrial history offer additional points of interest.
Getting there and finding your way
Forsheda is located on National Road 27. The central station is served by the Krösatågen trains on routes between Halmstad and Jönköping/Nässjö. This gives you different points of reference for getting there: if you are planning to travel by train, you can take the station in the center into account; if you are traveling by car, you can use National Road 27 as a guide. If you are traveling by train, it is worth checking the timetable for your specific travel date.
Trails around Sänkesjön
The trails at Sänkesjön combine walking and running routes with a landscape characterized by moorland. On some sections, wide, accessibility-adapted wooden boardwalks run through the moor. So it is not just the lake, but also the distinctive trail layout that characterizes the area.
The two loops of the Forsheda illuminated trail provide a useful point of reference: the longer one is 1.8 kilometers long, and the shorter one is 1.7 kilometers. The difference between the stated lengths is 100 meters.
Parking for the Sänkesjön outdoor recreation area is available at Forsheda School and Forshedabadet. Both parking areas are a few hundred meters from the lake. To get your bearings, you can use the lake, trails and the named parking areas as reference points.
Sports and exercise
The multi-arena in Forsheda brings together a variety of sports facilities: these include a beach volleyball court, a pétanque court, a streetball court and a floorball court, as well as pickleball and an outdoor gym. This differs from the trails at Sänkesjön: there, the focus is on walking and running routes through the landscape, while the multi-arena brings together several clearly defined sports. Which of these options interests you depends on whether you are looking for an outdoor route or a specific sports court.
The church and local history
The current building of Forsheda Church dates from 1867 and was inaugurated in 1869. Much of the original interior has been preserved, and the character of the church interior is also considered to be well preserved. Historic furnishings include a baptismal font from the 12th century, a crucifix from the 17th century and an altarpiece from the early 18th century. The different dates make the furnishings a distinct way to explore the church’s history: the pieces do not all come from the same period.
The Forsheda Runestone was erected in the 11th century. It stands south of National Road 27 between Bredaryd and Forsheda. Paddlers on the Storån canoe trail can stop at a runestone in Forsheda. This gives the canoe route a different context for a stop than the lakeside trails or the historic sites in the town.
Mill history and industry
At Forsheda Kvarnagård, information boards tell the history of the mill. Forsheda Industrial Museum houses older machines and objects used and made by Forshedaverken. The two places have different focuses: Forsheda Kvarnagård centers on the history of the mill, while the machines and objects at the industrial museum make the connection to Forshedaverken. Together with the church and the runestone, they offer a cultural complement to the nature trails, while keeping the different topics distinct.
When planning your stay, you can group Forsheda’s attractions by theme: trails and boardwalks at Sänkesjön, sports facilities at the multi-arena, or the history of the church, runestone and industry. The details give you a concrete basis for deciding which of these sides of Forsheda you would like to explore further.
Discover more destinations: Horda, Värnamo, Rydaholm, Gällaryd, Långshult, Bredaryd, Nydala, Bor.
Back to the main travel guide: Värnamo.
