Tips on hiking trails along the Kinda kanal

Viggeby Nature Reserve is a very popular place to which many come to enjoy nature.

The Nature Reserve comprises several islands in Lake Järnlunden and lies in the southern part of Linköping Municipality, immediately west of Brokind. Along the rocky shore of knotty pines and amongst the reserve’s islands you get the feeling of being in an archipelago.

This diversified reserve comprises fine oak milieus, deciduous forest and several islands. There are several hiking trails where you are met by beautiful nature in the form of flowery outcrops of rock, fine oak milieus, sun drenched shoreline cliffs, leafy deciduous forests and rolling open pastures. If you want to rest your legs, you can take a cooling dip at the inviting beaches. In the area there are both bathing and resting spots with fire-pits, toilets and wind shelters.

Trädgårdsföreningen – Open-air Museum Gamla Linköping: 4 km – Accessibility adapted
Djurgården – Vidingsjö: 4 km – Easy
Vidingsjö – Bjärka-Säby: 19 km – Easy
Bjärka-Säby – Sätravallen: 11 km – Easy
Sätravallen – Brokind: 10 km – Easy
Brokind – Viggeby:
Rimforsa – Borders of Linköping: 11 km – Easy
Pålehult – Rimforsa: 16 km – Medium
Stickspår till Trollegater:
Pinnarp – Pålehult: 16,4 km – Medium
Kisa – Pinnarp: 9 km – Easy
Kisa – Horn: 25 km – Easy

If you decide to walk specific sections of the Östgöta trail, you can get to various starting points along the trail by bus. If your starting point is Trädgårdsföreningen (Garden Society) in central Linköping, then line 25 is the nearest bus. Besides, Trädgårdsföreningen is so central, that you can reach it on foot if you are in the town centre.

Please look at the map aside to see the bus stops adjacent to the Östgöta Trail and plan your route from there. You can get to both Rimforsa station and Kisa station with the Stångådalsbanan suburban line.

Take the morning bus (566) from Linköping Travel Centre to Östanskog. Go onto the trail and hike in the direction of Stafsäter farm ice cream where you can eat your pack lunch and buy an ice cream. Then continue towards Vårdnäs Stiftsgård Centre where you have booked your first overnight accommodation. Why not land on one of their BBQ evenings with accompanying drinks package.

After a good night’s sleep and a wonderful breakfast buffet, ask for a pack lunch and then continue your hike on “Kyrkleden” trail. Take the opportunity to sunbathe and swim at some of the bathing spots by Storsjön or Sätrasjön lakes where you stop for lunch…

It is easy to get to the eastern side of the hiking trail with public transport. Start from Linköping Travel Centre, take bus number 566 towards Brokind. The line has a number of bus stops adjacent to Lake Rängen – but if you want to reach the hiking trail directly, we recommend that you get off at Hovetorp, Bjärka-Säby or Enebacken bus stop.

To use the public transport system in Linköping you need to download Östgötatrafiken’s App where you can also buy bus tickets. The prices are zone-based where a single adult ticket costs 50 kr. Getting off at Hovetorp, the bus trip takes around 30 minutes.

Around Lake Rängen is also a part of the Östgöta Trail, which means that you can reach the route by hiking through forest and across plains. The hike here is around 25 km long

There are also several parking places where you can leave your car, all around Lake Stora Rängen, during your hike. Parking is available at Hamra, KFUMS Lägergård farm, Bjärka-Säby, Västerskogs Nature Reserve, Storsjön lake, Vårdnäs Stiftgård Centre and Engekskan Nature Reserve.

Taking a walk along Stångåstråket, is to do as the locals do. This promenade is a popular outing amongst the residents and you will come upon many exercisers and dog-walkers taking their usual circuit by the river. You will pass several restaurants and cosy cafés along the way with first-class views over the river. A part of the Stångåstråket runs through the central parts of Linköping where there is a whole wealth of activities and places of interest for old and young.

The surface varies between gravel and asphalt with a light level of difficulty. During the whole of your walk you have a view over the River Stångån and the Kinda kanal and can see boats passing through the locks. The whole promenade has access to easy communication back to the Travel Centre if you want to return quickly.

Communications around the river Stångån Promenade are straightforward and it is easy to get to your desired starting point. Depending on where you want to start, there are dozens of bus stops adjacent to the canal. Search for “kollektivtrafik” on the linked map below to see the bus stops along the way.

If you are staying at a facility in Linköping City it is walking distance down to the canal. Since the canal runs parallel to the whole city, you just have to aim for it no matter where you are staying. If you want a starting point, you can always start from Linköping Travel Centre.

There are several car parking buildings in Linköping City. Park there and then walk down to the canal.