Trollrundan – Cycling through forests, hills and hidden stories

Between the villages of Ryssby, Agunnaryd and Målaskog, the landscape slowly changes. Roads narrow, forests thicken, and rocky hills rise quietly beside the route. This is a part of Småland where stories have always lived close to the ground – in boulders, in old workings, in the deep green of the woods.

Trollrundan is a circular cycling route through this landscape. It leads along minor roads and into areas shaped by forest, stone and imagination. There is no dramatic starting point, no gate to pass through. The experience begins gradually – as everyday surroundings turn into something else.

This is a route best taken at an unhurried pace, where cycling is naturally combined with short walks, pauses and moments of curiosity.

Museum of Legends – alternative starting point

The route can begin at the Museum of Legends (Sagomuseet) in Ljungby, where you get an introduction to Sagobygden and the stories connected to the landscape.

From Ljungby, follow the Banvallsleden cycle route towards Ryssby. It is an easy ride that gradually leads you out of the town and into the more forested surroundings where Trollrundan begins.

After completing the route, you return the same way back to Ljungby.

Ryssby – the easiest place to begin

The route works well starting in Ryssby, where you will find grocery stores, basic services and a swimming area at Lake Ryssby. From here, quiet roads lead you out into the surrounding countryside. Forest soon replaces houses, and the character of the route becomes clear.

Towards Agunnaryd – village, water and pause

From Ryssby, the route continues towards Agunnaryd, a village deeply rooted in local storytelling traditions. Here you will find places to eat, a shop, and a swimming area by Lake Agunnaryd, beautifully located and easily reached from the route. Many choose to pause here – to swim, eat or simply rest before cycling on.

Granhultsberget Nature Reserve – inside the mountain

After Agunnaryd, Trollrundan reaches Granhultsberget Nature Reserve. This is the first major stop where it pays to leave your bike behind for a while. The reserve is shaped by dramatic rock formations and clear traces of former stone and silver mining.

Near a small forest pond stands a stone bench. According to local legend, it was built to calm the trolls believed to live inside the mountain. To explore the area more fully, follow the Bergslingan trail, a demanding but rewarding footpath over roots, rocks and bare stone. Here, it is easy to understand how work, landscape and storytelling once became inseparable.

Kuggaberg – where the trolls live

Cycling on, you arrive at Kuggaberg, south of Målaskog. According to legend, this mountain is home to trolls and rises on pillars of gold every Christmas Eve. At the foot of the mountain stands a memorial stone for Mickel of Långhult, a well-known local storyteller who helped keep these tales alive.

Kuggaberg lies directly along the route and marks a place where the landscape itself carries the story.

Målaskogsberg – forest, stone and memory

After Kuggaberg, the route continues to Målaskogsberg Nature Reserve, located close to the cycling route. Here you encounter forested slopes, rocky ground and traces of earlier quarrying and mining.

This is another place where stepping off the bike deepens the experience. Moving slowly on foot through the reserve reveals how the mountain once provided work – and how such places came to be filled with stories of beings guarding what lies beneath the surface.

Stories nearby

Several legendary sites lie near Trollrundan and can be reached by short detours. Halta‑Kajsa in Ryd, Agundaborg, The Troll Smith of Nockarp, and Saint Birgitta’s Spring (S:t Birte) all add further layers to the landscape, reminding visitors that stories once explained both hardship and hope.

Swimming, food and accommodation

Swimming spots can be found at Lake Ryssby and Lake Agunnaryd. Shops, simple restaurants and accommodation are available in both Ryssby and Agunnaryd, making it easy to divide the route into shorter sections or stay overnight.

Practical note

Trollrundan is not signposted. Navigation is done using the map in the Naturkartan app. The roads are mostly quiet, and the route rewards those who allow time for pauses and detours.

When the ride becomes a walk

On Trollrundan, the real experience often begins when you stop cycling. There are no clear entrances – only quiet invitations to step off the road and into the landscape.