From the high cliffs in Blankaviken Nature Reserve, you can look out over Gåsfjärden. The area also features flower-rich pastures, lush deciduous forests and a rare orchid that blooms seasonally. Blankaholm can be explored through its nature, walks, swimming plans and industrial history. You can decide which of these aspects will shape your stay based on your travel interests.

Blankaviken Nature Reserve

Blankaviken Nature Reserve was established as early as 1973 to ensure public access to a valuable area for swimming and walking. The landscape is characterised by flower-rich, tree-lined pastures and lush deciduous forests; from the high cliffs, you can look out over Gåsfjärden. Pastures, forests and cliff-top views offer different points of reference when assessing Blankaholm’s landscape. Public access to an area for swimming and walking was explicitly part of the reserve’s original purpose.

The rare orchid Adam and Eve also grows in the nature reserve. It blooms in May and June, though the timing can vary from year to year. If you’re planning your trip around this flowering period, bear in mind that it can vary annually: these months indicate a timeframe, not a fixed day for spotting the orchid.

Walks and elevation gain

For the Blankaholmsslingan loop trail, the section that passes over the Majkaseberget viewpoint hill has a specified total ascent of 54 metres. This is a concrete point of reference if you take elevation gain into account when planning. The nature-related highlights also differ in their timing and practical considerations: the orchid is tied to a flowering period that varies from year to year, while the ascent refers to a clearly identified section of the loop trail.

Blankaholm’s sawmill history

Blankaholm developed around a sawmill founded around 1890, which grew over time to become one of the largest sawmills in southern Sweden. This development gives the town’s history an industrial focus. In 1946, a major fire damaged parts of the former sawmill. The most advanced technology of the time was used in its reconstruction. The founding and reconstruction therefore mark two distinct phases in the development of the sawmill around which Blankaholm grew; these are historical details about the facility at the time.

Swimming and guest harbour

For the 2026 swimming season, the bathing water in Blankaholm was rated as being of excellent quality. The rating applies specifically to that season.

The operator lists fresh water, electricity hookups, waste sorting, a latrine emptying facility, showers and toilets at Blankaholm guest harbour. If specific facilities are important to your plans, check their current availability before travelling. At the guest harbour, it is also possible to rent a sauna raft, kayaks, motorboats and bicycles. The availability of these rental options may vary by season; check in advance for the option you want.

Blankaholm can be explored from a range of perspectives: its landscape and walking opportunities, the flowering season of a rare plant, swimming plans or the history of its sawmill. When choosing where to stay, you can consider which of these topics matters most for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Totebo, Västervik, Överum, Loftahammar, Ankarsrum, Blackstad, Hjorted, Gamleby.

Back to the main travel guide: Västervik.