Route description. Cycling on the old railway embankments in the Kingdom of Crystal. Nybro Orrefors Gullaskruv Målerås Sävsjöström Åseda and Lenhovda

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1 1 Route description EN Version 6, 2018 Cycling on the old railway embankments in the Kingdom of Crystal Nybro Orrefors Gullaskruv Målerås Sävsjöström Åseda and Lenhovda Total distance Nybro Åseda approx. 65 km (40 miles) Please note that the route between Sävsjöström and Åseda is difficult to cycle due to loose gravel. Please choose the main road. Nybro Orrefors Målerås, distance approx. 30 km (19 miles) Målerås Sävsjöström Åseda, distance approx. 35 km (22 miles) Sävsjöström Lenhovda, distance approx. 8 km (5 miles) It is advised to check opening hours along your cycle route. See separate list for calculated price details. Day 1: Nybro, 83 metres above sea level nybro.se/turism glasriket.se Difference in altitude Nybro Målerås is about +140 metres. You may start your tour anywhere along the route, but we begin the description in Nybro. The town of Nybro lies along the railway route Alvesta Växjö Kalmar. It has about 10,000 inhabitants and offers the usual facilities and service for a town of its size. The cycle tour on the railway embankment starts just outside Nybro along road 31 towards Vetlanda. On the Nybro map you will see alternative roads to Rismåla in the North West. From here, you cycle a few hundred metres on road 31, pass the exit to Flerohopp and then you will soon see the yellow cycle route sign at the embankment. Traffic on road 31 may from time to time be quite intensive. The municipality of Nybro has gravelled the old railway embankment to make it suitable for cycling, after work on the water and sewage system was completed. Orrefors, 167 metres above sea level

2 2 valkommentillorrefors.se orrefors.se orreforshotell.se glasriketsskatter.se hammarsmedjaniorrefors.wordpress.com glasriket.se orrefors-camping.se, phone: +46 (0) Just before you reach Orrefors you will pass the road to Flygsfors. If you would like to vary your route, you can cycle a few kilometres to the former glassworks community of Flygsfors. From Flygsfors, there is a new cycle path to Orrefors. If you instead arrive via the embankment, you need to leave this road just before you reach the old railway station where the tracks are still visible. In Orrefors, you can enjoy lunch at Orrefors Hotell. The town also has a supermarket in case you need to stock up. Orrefors no longer has a glassworks but the old buildings are still there, as well as a glass museum and the Per Ekström museum. Glassblowing in summer. The old water-powered trip hammer mill has been renovated and you can enjoy a guided tour during the summer season. When you follow the exit road towards road 31, you will find the embankment again. After two kilometres on the embankment you will reach Orranäsa gärde at lake Orranäsasjö. Here is sight number 11 in the brochure Naturguiden from Nybro municipality. There are windshielded resting places along the route. Alternative route With warm summer weather you can enjoy a swim from the fine bathing spot on the western side of lake Orranäsasjön. To get there, pass the exit to the embankment and turn right after about 50 m into the old road 31. After about 1 km, you will reach Orrefors Camping s bathing and camping site. A café is open during the summer season. To get back to the embankment, you can either - cycle north on road 31 and turn in towards Pålavik. Continue all the way until you pass an old barn. When you turn left here you will see the old embankment again. - cycle another kilometre on road 31 and then turn right at the sign for Hälleberga. Gullaskruv, 180 metres above sea level gullaskruv.se carlosartglass.com gullaskruvsdeli.se, phone: +46 (0) Before you reach Gullaskruv you will pass Hälleberga s church with its church stables. During the summer season, the church runs a small road-side café in the community building.

3 3 Parallel to the embankment on your right, you can choose the old road 31 as an alternative route. You will pass it when you are at the church. Gullaskruv once was a glassworks community and the main town in the municipality of Hälleberga. Today you will find Carlos Design at the site of the old glassworks. You can see Carlos blowing his glass designs at the Målerås glassworks. Another local business is Gullaskruvs Delikatesser, with its local specialty isterband (a coarsely-ground smoked sausage) and other Småland delicacies. The shop is open Monday Friday from till Next sight (number 9 in the brochure Naturguiden from Nybro municipality) is Gullaskruvs stensträngar, which lies 1.5 km north of Gullaskruv along the embankment. There is a windshielded resting place. Målerås, 223 metres above sea level When in Målerås, you may find the following websites useful: maleras.nu The local community association and project group for Målerås, village of glass. maleras.se Målerås Glassworks, Crystal shop, phone: +46 (0) , customer service: +46 (0) maleraslader.com Målerås Leather, phone: +46 (0) zabra.se Manufacturer of conservatories and swimming pool covers, phone: +46 (0) malerasvandrarhem.se/en Hostel and B&B, phone: +46 (0) hyttsillmaleras.se Restaurant Wärdshuset Hyttan, phone: +46 (0) When you arrive in Målerås you will pass Målerås Leather s outlet shop, but perhaps you would first like to check in at Målerås Hostel and B&B or in one of their apartments. If so, continue straight ahead and across the thoroughfare through the old railway quarter. Opposite the bus stop you will find the former railway hotel from 1890, which has been renovated and is now Målerås Hostel and B&B. As an alternative to a dinner basket, perhaps you would like to experience an authentic Småland evening and enjoy the traditional hot shop herring, complete with entertainment and a glass blowing try-out session. Check hyttsillmaleras.se for dates or phone +46 (0) Just outside Målerås along road 31 in a northerly direction, you will find a bathing spot. Here starts a 7-km hiking trail through Gråstensmon called Walking along the traces of the Ice Age. Alternatively, a shorter trail will take you around the lake in 2 km. A cycling trail to

4 4 Kosta also starts on an old embankment near road 31, see maleras.nu/turism. Detailed maps and route descriptions can be bought at Målerås Hostel and B&B, the Crystal shop or the Tourist Office in Nybro. Målerås offers both a crystal shop and a leather shop where you will find real bargains. You can stock up on supplies in the local supermarket. In the Restaurant Wärdshuset Hyttan you can have lunch and coffee. At Målerås Glasbruk, you can usually watch glass-blowing all days of the week. Check maleras.se for more information. If you would like to watch glassblowing before you start your cycle journey in the morning when the Crystal shop is still closed (it opens 10:00), please contact their customer service. They will help you into the glassworks. Day 2: Målerås Sävsjöström, approx. 15 km (9 miles) Difference in altitude Målerås Sävsjöström is about -3 metres. cyklabanvalliuppvidinge.wordpress.com Time for the next stage! Take the opportunity to read the information about this trail before you set off. You will find it on the above website, in a brochure at Målerås Hostel and B&B and on the information board at the Tourist Station near the old locomotive. At the time, the route from Målerås to Sävsjöström was the longest straight railway track in Sweden. You will start by passing the glassworks at Mackamålavägen. There are two alternative routes. You can either turn left after about 100 m, where you can see that cars have used the embankment (approx. 2 km of the embankment consists of a partially rough and bumpy track, but it is cyclable). Or you can continue about 1 km to Mackamåla, where you keep left and follow the old road until you arrive at the embankment after another kilometre or so. You have now arrived at the Uppvidinge plateau, which 1.8 billion years ago was part of a mountain range with volcanic summits of over 4,000 m high. During a number of Ice Ages, the mountain has been ground down to what it is today. As part of an EU Leader Project, the municipality of Uppvidinge has cleared and constructed this stage of the old railway embankment which consists of a compact and hard gravel surface. You will pass large areas of bogland on your way to Sävsjöström. Along the way, you can see and hear Black Grouse in the tree tops and on the embankment in early mornings. Perhaps you will be able to spot a Wood Grouse as well. There are plenty of displays (SE) with information about interesting places along the trail. There are wind-shielded resting places along the route. Alternative route

5 5 You can turn left at the sign for Höneström and cycle along the parallel forest path for about 3 km. If you keep right when you arrive at a T-crossing, you will return to the embankment again. Sävsjöström, 220 metres above sea level mickesviltrokeri.com Air-dried and cold-smoked game & inn, phone: +46 (0) Sävsjöström once was a significant industrial town with an iron works, which transported its bar iron on the railway to Kalmar via Nybro for further shipment across the world. The river Alsterån was the engine for the trip hammers. For those who would like to stretch their legs and take a walk there is the 1.7 km signposted trail Bruksleden. Fancy some smoked meat? Micke s shop with air-dried and cold-smoked game lies 100 m from the former manufacturing shed Bruksboden. He also runs an inn where you can taste the delicacies from the shop. Open Wednesday Sunday from 15:00 during May August and weekends during the rest of the year. Sävsjöström was also a railway junction where the narrow-gauge railway from Oskarshamn passed towards Lenhovda and Brittatorp/Växjö. All that is left now are the memories, but you can visit the former railway quarter, which is maintained by the association Friends of the Railway in Sävsjöström. Information material can be found at the information board. If you want to take a coffee break and a swim you may want to go to lake Alstern, which lies next to the railway area. There is also a cottage providing warm shelter. Alternative route Lenhovda, 265 metres above sea level, approx. 8 km (5 miles) Difference in altitude is about +45 metres wikipedia.org You can choose to cycle the trail for 8 km to the old settlement of Lenhovda, which today is a town with about 2,000 inhabitants. Lenhovda lies along road 31 and offers some lunch restaurants. You can also take a swim in lake Lenhovdasjön. There is a supermarket in case you need to stock up. More information (in Swedish) about Lenhovda can be found on Wikipedia. There is also a small section in other languages. Lenhovda - Målerås After your stop in Lenhovda, one alternative is to cycle south through the town, keep left and continue on the old road 31 (follow the signs for Merhult) towards Bohult. You will eventually arrive on the new road 31, a few kilometres before you reach Målerås. The route

6 6 from Lenhovda to Målerås is about 20 km (12 miles). From Målerås, you can cycle downhill on the embankment but there are some smaller roads back to Nybro as alternatives. Lenhovda - Kosta Just before Bohult, you can turn towards Johanstorp via Johanstorpsvägen which continues through the forest and crosses road 31 before it reaches road 28 just north of Kosta. This route is also about 20 km long. From Kosta you may also choose alternative routes to Målerås or Orrefors and onwards to Nybro. Alternative route Åseda, 237 metres above sea level, approx. 20 km (12 miles) Difference in altitude is about +17 metres. Åseda lies in a small valley, so you should take into account more altitude difference. Please note that the route between Sävsjöström and Åseda is difficult to cycle due to loose gravel. Please choose the main road. uppvidinge.se Tourist information, phone: +46 (0) wikipedia.org hotellolof.se, phone: +46 (0) The trail to Åseda is about 20 km long and runs along an old railway embankment that was built in It leads through an area with many small lakes and streams. During spring, you will be able to see and hear Black Grouse and Wood Grouse along this part of the cycling route. The northern part of this route offers beautiful flower meadows. Åseda has about 2,500 inhabitants and is the main town in the municipality of Uppvidinge. The town has also developed around the railway as an important junction. You will be able to get tourist information in the town hall. More information (in Swedish) about Åseda can be found on Wikipedia. There is also a small section in other languages. From the embankment you will eventually arrive at road 23. To the left you will see the eastern road into Åseda. Cycle into the town centre and turn right into Olofsgatan. Pass the church and the town hall and you will soon see Hotell Olof. Hotell Olof is a recently renovated hotel in central Åseda. The hotel s website has information in English. Go to the Leisure tab for information about the Thai restaurant, the Health Centre with swimming pool and gym, and some interesting shops. There is also a supermarket in case you need to shop for supplies. The return journey to Nybro

7 7 You can, of course, cycle back to Nybro along the embankment via Målerås or via the alternative route to Lenhovda. Another alternative is to cycle along the country road to Älghult. Take the centre exit road from Åseda. Cross road 28 and you will see the sign for Älghult. Once in Älghult, you can either choose the road towards Målerås or Fröseke. You may want to stay overnight in one of the former detention cells at Alsterbro Minihotell. See alsterbrominihotell.se for more information. Nybro, spring 2018 Project group for Målerås, village of glass