Ockelbo: Roses, Rönnåsen and Industrial History
Accommodation in Ockelbo
Ockelbo showcases nature in many different ways: Wij Trädgårdar is a modern garden park in a forest clearing, while from the summit of Rönnåsen you can look out across large parts of northern Gästrikland. There are also trails, wildlife encounters and cultural sites. If you are looking for a focus for your stay, the gardens, landscape and local history offer specific points of interest.
File:Ulvsta skola, Ockelbo kn 3648-3449.jpg
Photo: Gunnar Creutz via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-4.0
Gardens, panoramic views and trails
Wij Trädgårdar is in Ockelbo and is laid out as a modern garden park in a forest clearing. The Rose Garden features around 250 different shrub and park roses. This variety gives the garden a botanical focus, while Rönnåsen offers views and landscapes. Together, a landscaped garden and sweeping views across the region appeal to different interests in nature.
The summit of Rönnåsen is 270 metres above sea level. From there, the view extends across large parts of northern Gästrikland; Rönnåsen is about 8 kilometres from the centre of Ockelbo. There are fitness trails and hiking paths on and around the ridge. Rönnåsen is also home to the family-friendly Mullestigen trail. A path from there leads to an accessible viewpoint at a field of glacial erratics. The views, physical activity and explicitly family-friendly trail offer different points to consider when planning your trip.
Hiking and wildlife encounters
The Gästriketriangeln hiking trail connects Rönnåsen, Åmot and Jädraås. Hiking can therefore be considered as a route between several named places, while the fitness trails and hiking paths on and around Rönnåsen offer a focus of their own.
The Älgparken in Ockelbo offers a different kind of nature experience: visitors can see moose up close. This is different from the landscape views at Rönnåsen, where the focus is on vistas and trails. When weighing up nature experiences for your stay, you can choose between wildlife encounters, panoramic views and hiking.
Industrial history and architecture
The history of Ockelbo kyrka is shaped by a fire and the subsequent rebuilding. The large stone church, built in the 1790s, burned down in 1904. From 1906 to 1908, Ockelbo kyrka was rebuilt using the surviving walls. The sequence of events illustrates the difference between the original building, its destruction and its reconstruction.
Wij valsverk is a unique industrial museum. A specific episode in the region’s industrial history took place at the Wij estate: in 1797, a bar-iron forge was built there to process pig iron from the Åbron blast furnace. The journey from pig iron to processing gives this historical subject a tangible technical dimension.
Oklagård is an enclosed cultural heritage farm built using log construction. It illustrates the development of log-building techniques over 1,000 years. This span of time draws attention to changing construction methods. Ödmårdens Stavkyrka in Norrbo, Ockelbo, adds a distinct architectural note: the reconstructed early medieval wooden temple stands above a deep grey-stone crypt with a spring whose water flows north. The timber construction, crypt and spring give this building its distinctive character.
A seasonal event
The harvest festival is held at Wij Trädgårdar every year on 5 September from 11 am to 3 pm. Locally produced goods, food, cut flowers and vegetables are offered during the festival. The event links the garden to a specific occasion centred on regional produce. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the event dates for your travel year.
Discover more destinations: Kolforsen, Jädraås, Åmotsbruk
Go to the main travel overview: Ockelbo.
