This is a ride suitable for beginners, though the downhill after the fence should likely be walked or scouted for 200-400m.
Total climbing: 180 m
Steninge is one of the best places to ride in Halmstad, you have a mix of oak and beech forests, with amazing views of the coast, as well as coastal riding. There is a wide variety of trails in the area. This loop is based on the Red Loop in Skipås nature reserve, starting and finishing at Steninge Kuststation, hotel and restaurant, home of the three time Oatmeal World Champion. If you are thinking, “How good can oatmeal possibly be?”, then you need to book a breakfast!
It is very important to be respectful of the neighbours and walkers in Steninge, we want to show them that Mountain Bikers are responsible and cautious people. Always give way to hikers, be polite and watch out for their dogs.
To begin this ride you head out of the Hotel and up the small road to the left, follow this until you come to Champinion Vägen, and that a left again. Keep an eye out for the trail head, it’s unmarked and comes up fast. Follow the main trail, as there are many small offshoots that usually lead into somebody’s backyard. This will take you about 400 m to another small road, stay straight and ride until the end, the trail starts up again shortly.
This will put you on the Skipås (pronounced HwipOhs) red trail, follow this trail through the amazing beech forest and into the sheep pasture almost until the parking spot, then you will take a sharp left that becomes blue. Follow this for another 1km, and it will become Grey. Keep an eye out for the ‘Utsikt Plats’ signs, as you are going to be soon riding past a great lookout over the bay.
Past the Lookout, you will follow an unmarked trail about 100 m to a fence you climb over, and then continue on the red trail on a descent that begins quite technical and after about 400m turns into one of the loveliest, easiest flow descents in the region! This kicks you out onto a paved road that you will follow to the left (notice a theme here?) out, across the Kustvägen and and down a gravel road past some farms and a unique house that will bring you out on the coast. From here you can choose to add some riding to the north, or head south, following some unmarked trails that keep you as close to the coast as possible. I would strongly recommend using a GPS for this part, as there are too many small footpaths to describe.
This will return you to the outskirts of Steninge village, and a few minutes away from the World’s Best Porridge!