For this Swedish Bikepacking Route (more here and here), we share our micro-adventure bikepacking Söderåsen and Hallandsåsen. Should you travel to Sweden especially to ride this route? Probably not. But if you’re looking for a bikepacking route near Malmö and Copenhagen, definitely keep on reading.

The western part along the coast of Skåne isn’t exactly off the beaten track. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great ride. The two bedrock ridges Söderåsen and Hallandsåsen give the route some vertical dimension, in this otherwise flat region. And the easy accessibility with the starting point in Helsingborg leaves no excuse not to try it.

Bikepacking bike on train and ferry to Sweden

Take the train to Helsingborg from Malmö or Copenhagen, or the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg. The Öresund-strait is only 4 kilometers wide here, so the ferry ride only takes 20 minutes. We took the train from Malmö, which took 45 minutes. Bikes come along for free on the train in Sweden, but from Denmark you have to pay a fee.

Ride hard, fika harder

The first stop in Helsingborg is Backhaus Bageri & Café. Ride hard, fika harder is our motto. We each stuffed a generously filled baguette in our jersey pocket and hit the road setting off in eastern direction. We’re not gonna lie, the first stretch is a bit dull. But after 20 kilometers the business parks and industrial companies make room for undulating hills that start to rise on the horizon and the roads turn from tarmac to gravel. 

Resupply along the route

We built the route with easy resupply in mind. Along the way you’ll pass small villages, but be aware that you can only find resupply in Höör, Perstorp, Örkeljunga, Båstad and Klippan. Restaurang Jernkällaren in Höör is the place to be for a schnitzel or a steak. Plan your ride carefully so you know where to stock up on food and water.

Söderåsen

The first climbing starts when you reach Söderåsen – this ridge is a tectonic landform shaped during the last glacial ice age. Here you’ll also find the literal highlight of the route: Kopparhatten, Skånes highest point at 212 meters. The route makes a small detour to the view point. We’d recommend the extra few kilometers to enjoy stunning views into the deep ravine.

At the 100-kilometer mark there’s a long tarmac section. But even seasoned gravel cyclists will love this road. The narrow and twisty road meanders through the typical Swedish countryside. There are barely any cars, and you’re back on dirt roads before you know it.

Hallandsåsen

The moment you see the gradient go up on your cycling computer, you know it’s time for the second ridge: Hallandsåsen. The highest point here reaches 224 meters above sea level. The area even offers a bike park: Vallåsen Bike Park is Sweden’s southernmost chairlift-assisted bike park with 10 downhill single trails and a pump track. The route takes a hard-right at the shoreline of Rössjön lake and the gradient goes up even harder. Firstly on a paved road, but then gravel. We even put in a little surprise at the end, in the form of a short hike-a-bike.

2-day pace

It’s up to you to decide in how many days you’d like to tackle the 300 kilometer-long route. The fast randonneurs among us, might like to finish it in a weekend covering 150 kilometers per day. There’s a wind shelter on the route after 156 kilometers – nearly exactly halfway. We shared this shelter during an earlier trip with three snoring Swedes. Hope you’re luckier than us.

3-day pace

In case you’d like to take it a little easier, you can divide the distance over three days. Riding roughly 100 kilometers per day means you will sleep at the wind shelter next to Dagstorpssjön (km 98) on day one. This shelter is beautifully located on the edge of a small lake. There’s a fireplace as well to grill some sausages. After day two you can camp at wind shelter Koarp (km 178) Here you’ll find a water tap and two curious (and hungry) cats. Alternatively you can sleep at wind shelter Korröd (km 206).

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.