Hovdala Castle

Hovdala sits at the edge of the Goinge forests and its gatehouse is the oldest part, medieval, with the main ranges rebuilt after the border wars of the seventeenth century - this was frontier country when the boundary between Denmark and Sweden ran nearby, and the house was burned more than once. The military connection continued: the state took the estate in 1944 and its land became a military training field. It now belongs to the municipality, with a museum, a gallery, gardens and a cafe, and a network of marked walking trails running from it into the woods and lakes to the south, including a stretch of the Skaneleden long-distance path.

Highlights

• A medieval gatehouse - the oldest surviving part.
• Ranges rebuilt after the border wars - the house was burned repeatedly.
• Gardens, gallery and cafe - the municipal use now.
• Trailheads into the Goinge woods - including the Skaneleden.

When to go

April to October. Two hours, longer if you walk.

Things to know

Castle interiors open on limited days and often by tour. Exhibits are modest. Trails are unsurfaced and can be wet. It is quiet outside events.

Nearby

Hassleholm is north; Finjasjon lake is between.

Key facts