about bolmen

Lake Bolmen

…is certainly completely different from a toilet brush. It may not be for sale, but we welcome visitors from all over the world to come here and experience this beautiful, clean and fantastic lake. It is the twelfth largest lake in Sweden and is known for its clean water, which can even be drunk, although it is purified before it comes out of our taps as drinking water. Importantly, the lake remains unspoilt, despite its location in southern Sweden. There has never been any industry, large-scale farming or big communities here, instead much of the beach is edged by majestic forest. In fact, the lake supplies much of our southernmost province, Skåne, with drinking water that is transported through an 87 km tunnel – the fifth longest in the world.

Naturally, the lake is suited to boating, swimming and fishing, and it is one of Småland’s blue-green lungs. It’s said there are as many islands as there are days of the year – 365 – and an endless shoreline with swimming bays and meadows. The biggest island is the mythical Bolmsö, which has a bridge connection to one shore and a ferry to the other. Set off in a kayak, canoe or boat to discover the islands. Why not pack a fishing rod in your luggage – the lake has as many as 20 species of fish, and even professional fishermen operate here. The lake is big enough to be popular with sailing boats, and there are several harbours – including in the idyllic community of Bolmen.

Experience the essence of the area around Lake Bolmen on a cycle – glittering water, deep forests, open meadows and relics such as prehistoric graves, rune stones and even remains of a 14th century castle. The path around the lake can be varied in length, between 50 and 130 km. It is just one of the many paths in the Bolmen area. Why not enjoy them over a few days, and spend the nights at small Bu0026Bs. Maybe the best way to get really close to nature is along the endless footpaths and trails that stretch out into the landscape.

In Småland, we care about our history, and there’s plenty of it by Lake Bolmen, with traces of settlements from the Stone Age. There are countless rune stones and other relics from times gone by, as well as intangible stories passed down by word of mouth. It is said, for example, that in ancient times Bolmsö was populated solely by giants, and to this day there are traces in the form of a boulder that they hurled towards the church. But they missed, and today the boulder is one of the district’s legendary places – a place associated with a legend or story from ancient times. It is part of the oral storytelling that characterises the district and is designated an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.