Hiking with the family

It is not always easy to find hikes that are suitable for families, children, and strollers, but on this page, we have compiled some of the hikes that are a bit more family-friendly. So bring the family out and experience nature together!

Vallaskogen

Vallaskogen with its impressive pines is one of the city’s most visited natural areas, and an extensive network of walkways and trails leads visitors through the area, several of these paths work well if you have a stroller with you.

Here you will also find the forest trail, where children can gain fun and exciting knowledge about animals and nature through all the senses. The trail is 1.1 kilometers long, starting and ending at Kapellplan on the outskirts of Old Linköping’s city quarters. Along the trail, there are nine stations with information about the forest’s history, plants, and animals. Don’t miss the chance to see the Värmland forest sheep in the forest near Old Linköping’s city quarters!

You can find more information here on naturkartan.

Kärna mosse

The hike around Kärna mosse is a 1.6-kilometer loop that takes you around the area, perfect for families with younger children as the trail is not too long. The northern parts of the trail are also accessible, making it suitable for a stroller. In this section, there is a wide boardwalk that leads out onto the open marsh with several meeting places and benches. The easiest way to reach the accessible parts is through the northern entrance, where there is also a toilet.

Kärna mosse has a diversity of rare plants, not least orchids that thrive in the marsh formed by calcareous groundwater. Around Kärna mosse, there is also wild and exciting forest to explore for both large and small.

Here you can find more information about Kärna mosse.

Ullaberg and Mossens wetlands

At Ullaberg and Mossen, you will find Linköping’s newest bird lakes. Around the wetlands, there are different loops to choose from, with the longest loop being just over four kilometers long. But you can also choose shorter stages according to what suits your family. Along the trail, there are also several picnic spots and beautiful viewpoints. At the entrance to the area, there is also a toilet and an accessible platform for birdwatching, as well as a picnic spot with a fireplace.

If you start the hike from the entrance to the area and keep right, you’ll follow paths that are also suitable if you have a stroller with you, while the other side of the lake is more inaccessible but very exciting to hike for older children or a family that likes to explore more varied forest trails.

Here you can find more information.

Motala ström ravine

Outside Ljungsbro, you will find a hike through nature that gives the feeling of being in the middle of a jungle. An area that is exciting to explore for both young and old. The ravine has been formed by the Motala ström cutting through the landscape and creating a deep valley. The water flow at the bottom of the ravine is now quite small, but it’s no less worth a visit for that.

The hike takes you from the reserve’s entrance to Jakobslund mirror pond (see picture below) 1.5 kilometers away, making it a total of 3 km if you go back and forth. Several picnic spots with a beautiful view of the ravine can be found along the trail, and the first 750 meters of the hike are accessible, making them suitable for a stroller. However, the rest of the hike is more suitable for slightly older children as there are partially steeper parts and smaller trails.

You can find more information about the hike here.

Tinnerö oak landscape

For families with strollers, Tinnerö oak landscape, which is also Linköping’s largest nature reserve, is perfect as there are many wide and accessible gravel roads that go throughout the area. It is also excellent to choose different routes in the area based on how long and far you want to hike. Smedstad ponds, Frökärret, and Rosenkällasjön are particularly visitor-friendly areas in the nature reserve with good parking facilities, information boards, picnic spots, toilets, and other visitor facilities.

More information about Tinnerö can be found here.