Ålleberg is the highest of Västra Götaland’s plateau mountains, at approximately 335 metres above sea level. It forms part of Platåbergens Geopark, which is Sweden’s first UNESCO Global Geopark. You can hike through the picturesque landscape here, most of which is a nature reserve. Experience the distinctive flora, local springs and viewpoints offering spectacular vistas of the surrounding countryside.
On Ålleberg plateau mountain there are three hiking trails which are 1.3 km, 1.9 km and one of 4.7 km. Two of them begin by the café and one of them goes from the rest area at the foot of Ålleberg mountain. They have varied terrain with hilly and steep parts. On parts of the mountain there are grazing animals at certain times of the year, generally this is from May to October. Dogs should not be allowed in grazing pastures! (There are no grazing animals on the red trail).
There are numerous legends linked to the mountain and you’ll get to discover some of them on this walk, including the tale of the Knights of Ålleberg. On the mountain plateau, you will also find Sweden’s only gliding museum, a seasonal café, a restaurant and a campsite.
In addition to its natural beauty and distinctive geology, Ålleberg is known for its legends. There are many indications that the mountain has played a significant role in people’s lives and imaginations throughout history, possibly even as far back as the Stone Age. Some writers have depicted Ålleberg as the Valhalla of Västergötland, an ancient kingdom of the dead within the mountain.
Look hard enough and perhaps you’ll find the iron gateway leading into Ålleberg. Jordälven (lit. the Earth river) flows within and from time to time breaks forth and floods fields and meadows. The Knights of Ålleberg, knights in golden helmets, sleep within a gilded hall inside the mountain. They rest here until they are needed to defend the district and its inhabitants in times of peril.
In addition to the Knights of Ålleberg, there are various other beings linked to legends of Ålleberg. These include a mountain troll and giants. One of them is a giantess called Ålla or Ållemora. When the mist hangs thick over the mountain, local residents say that Ålla is boiling her laundry, and if there’s a heavy snowfall, it’s Ålla shaking her eiderdown. It’s also rumoured that Ålleberg is the very tip of a vast palace where Ålle reigns as king of the mountain.
Some people claim to have glimpsed a gold chain in the deep crevices of the mountain, but that it proved impossible to catch hold of. There are also tales of people who have been enchanted by the mountain. They testify that the time inside the mountain felt like a day, but was in reality several years.