In Tranemo, a journey of discovery leads from glassmaking to quiet marshland and trails bearing traces of earlier times. This connection is especially vivid in Limmared: Limmareds Glasbruk was founded in 1740 and is Sweden’s oldest glassworks still in operation.
Glass History and Craftsmanship
At Limmareds Glasbruk is Glasets Hus, a cultural centre with a glassworks, glass museum, exhibition hall, event spaces, activity park and restaurant. You can watch glassblowers at work there. If you would like to try the craft yourself, you can book an appointment. In this way, the history of glass and its practical production come together under one roof.
As a certified InfoPoint, Glasets Hus also offers advice on nearby places to visit, as well as brochures and maps. It’s a good starting point for further discoveries, combining an introduction to a particular craft with guidance on a range of destinations.
Hiking Trails with Different Highlights
The Jälmåleden is 35 kilometres long and runs through Tranemo Municipality. You can combine hiking along the trail with paddling on the Jälmån. Along the way, you’ll also find attractions from different periods: Viking-age burial grounds and ruins from the 19th-century industrial era. Nature and history are not separate here; they meet along the same route.
A shorter option is the seven-kilometre Marjeboleden by Marjebosjön. The trail is easy to walk and can also be used with a pushchair. Information along the route brings historical sites to life, including iron production and Marie’s monastery. The route also passes a bathing area and a lakeside barbecue spot with views across Marjebosjön. The trail length and its points of interest provide a clear comparison with the much longer Jälmåleden.
The Hofsnäs nature trails offer three circular routes ranging from one to 4.8 kilometres; the shortest is accessible. They start at a car park in Tranemo Municipality. The nearest bus stop is in Länghem, about five kilometres from the trails. The area lies in the Torpanäset Nature Reserve, characterised by old oaks, pastureland and a rich variety of ground flora. It is also home to the endangered hermit beetle, which is listed on the Red List.
Marshes, Forests and Lakes
The landscape of Tranemo Municipality ranges from open farmland and barren marshes to deep mixed forests and numerous lakes. Komosse södra, on the border between Västergötland and Småland, is a striking example of the area’s marshland character. The Natura 2000 site comprises the marshes Bohestramossen, Johansjömossen and Fiskerydsmossen and is jointly managed by the municipalities of Tranemo and Ulricehamn. The areas are mostly treeless; larger pools are concentrated in the southern part of Johansjömossen.
The waters also reveal different sides of the region. Kroksjöns fiskecamp offers put-and-take rainbow trout fishing. The Malensjöarnas FVO fishing area includes Lille Malen, Stormalen and Mörkemalen. The lakes are surrounded by spruce and broadleaf forest; fish found there include pike, perch, zander, bream and eel.
The bathing area at Tranemosjön in Tranemo has a jetty, bathing platform, lawns, a toilet, a boat dock, tables and benches, as well as a beach volleyball court. Its facilities show how a lake can offer a variety of ways to spend time there, without requiring you to take part in any particular activity.
Cycling, Culture and Seasonal Highlights
For cyclists, the Ätradalsleden connects Falköping and Falkenberg over 199 kilometres. A 95-kilometre section runs along former railway embankments that are entirely free of cars. You can ride a railbike between Ambjörnarp and Sjötofta on the former Landeryd–Falköping railway line. Both activities draw on the railway’s history, but bring it to life in different ways.
At Torpa Stenhus, you can take a guided castle tour, see castle theatre performances and visit craftspeople. The castle café and restaurant use seasonal ingredients and draw on the castle’s centuries-old hunting tradition; the menu often focuses on game dishes. At Mossebo Church, completed by Joseph Hansson in 1773, paintings depict biblical stories. The church also houses an original portrait of Hansson and one of the few surviving chandeliers made at Limmareds Glasbruk, produced in 1855. There is a ramp on the south side of the church and an accessible toilet in the car park.
A seasonal highlight is Fagerås, where more than one million blooming daffodils can be seen during the season. Paths run through the grounds, and the rhododendrons also start to bloom towards the end of May. As flowering times vary, it’s a good idea to check the timing before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Ambjörnarp, Dalstorp, Grimsås, Ljungsarp, Länghem, Nittorp, Sjötofta, Tranemo, Uddebo, Limmared, Mörkhult.
For the regional travel overview: Västra Götaland.
