Cykeltur till Gusums Bruk

26 km in Östergötland

During this bike ride, you will get to know the history of the area in an easy way. As early as 1652, the Walloon Henry de Try received permission to build Gusum's mill, whose operations then continued until the end of the 1980s. The city of Valdemarsvik actually arose because there was a need for a place where goods could be stored at the far end of Valdemarsviken. You will, among other things, cycle on the old railway and pass a glass cabin, old school buildings and historically interesting courtyards. The trip is about 26 kilometers.

It is a special experience to cycle on an old track embankment. Here, passenger traffic ceased in the mid-1960s. A railway embankment runs straight through the landscape and is rarely hilly. You start at the goods warehouse where the hiking trail Östgötaleden also has its beginning. The direction when you start cycling is northwest.

The text is based on a PDF that Valdemarsvik's municipality has produced and which offers interesting in-depth reading for those who are interested.

Gusumsån in Gusum.

1
Brårum
You pass Brårum, which as early as 1415 was mentioned as "biwarum". A place where swidden farming was practiced. In the yellow house between the road and the embankment there was once a school.
2
Gusum
Once you have covered the approximate mile up to Gusum, the glass cabin is a sight to behold. The building from the end of the 19th century first had a mill and in 1978 the glass cabin was established. The Czech-Swedish artist and sculptor Milan Vobruba was the author. When you turn south again, you pass Alboga, which is mentioned as early as 1441, and Gusum's church from 1731.
3
Old milestone
On the way south, you pass not far from Grönstorpssjön a milestone, probably from the second half of the 18th century, which once fulfilled its function on what was the main road between Stockholm and Kalmar until 1900 in about. Älgerum's old village is not easy to discover today, but an eerie fact is that the Great Depression is said to have ravaged the place hard in the 1350s.
4
Holmtebo by
Here was a mill that was built in the middle of the 19th century by the miller Nils Fredrik Isaksson. The village itself is mentioned as early as 1344.
5
Åbäcksholms hembygdsgård
Now you are back in the urban area of Valdemarsvik and a tip is to take a look at Åbäcksholm, which is the city's homestead. The house was built by two cousins who were both named Sven-Petter by first name in the late 19th century. The construction consists of two mirror-inverted homes with a common room upstairs. With that, today's bike ride is over. Take the opportunity to enjoy the charming archipelago town of Valdemarsvik.

Some practical tips

This bike ride is easy to ride and does not require any special prior knowledge. The round begins with 10 km through open landscapes on the disused embankment to Gusum. After Gusum, cycle 6 km on a gravel road through woodland before turning back towards Valdemarsvik and cycling 8 km on asphalt. Take it easy when crossing Highway 22.