Hultafors: Railway, Industry and Forest History

Hultafors combines a history of railways and industry with a landscape of forests, valleys and water. If you are looking for a hotel in Hultafors, your interests in architectural history, hiking or lakes can guide your travel plans. With its historic buildings, the Knalleleden trail and Lake Viaredssjön, the town offers several points of interest for a stay.

Early Routes and the Railway Station

The history of transport dates back to the 17th century: a road for wagons and riders led from the plateau with the Fjälla farms over an old bridge, then climbed steeply to Hultet’s meadows. Hultafors station building was constructed between 1907 and 1909 in an English-inspired villa style. It was designed by Gothenburg architect Yngve Rasmussen; the station was a stop on the railway line between Gothenburg and Borås. Until 1972, the building, which housed postal and banking services, remained a social hub.

The climate and water-healing institution is also part of the town’s history. It was founded in 1908 and later became the Hultafors Sanatorium. The station and the institution represent different chapters in Hultafors’ development: one story is about transport and the social hub of the time, while the other concerns an institution that later became known as a sanatorium.

Factory and Hydropower

After moving to Hultafors, the Hultafors Tumstock factory began operating in 1907 at the Sörån waterfall. The present main building, with its office and factory areas, was built in 1939 in the Functionalist style. A small brick building was constructed east of the factory in 1945 as a washhouse; it is part of the factory site’s history. Below the factory is a working dam made of stone and concrete, built in connection with the factory’s move to Hultafors in the early 20th century.

The Hultafors power station building has retained its original 1920 Neoclassical form. Numerous structural traces at Hultafors Dam tell the story of hydropower. The inlet channel, cut into the rock, runs 900 metres west from Hultafors Dam to the power station intake. In Vikhult, the old sawmill is K-marked and can still be operated with the help of a tractor.

Forest, Hiking Trail and Lake

Hultafors consists largely of an elevated forest and wilderness area, crossed from east to west by a deep valley. The Knalleleden runs through Hultafors and forms part of the hiking trail from Rom to Grövelsjön. At Fjällaberg, the Knalleleden has a rest area with wide views over lakes and forest areas.

Lake Viaredssjön extends from Hultafors towards Viared for just over seven kilometres. Brown trout are found in the Sörån in Hultafors. The Vikhult bathing area, with a small beach, is on Lake Viaredssjön. These offer different ways to experience the landscape: the trail through the town, the views from Fjällaberg and the lake with its beach area at Vikhult.

Another Rest Area Nearby

Outside Hultafors, in the nearby surroundings, there is a rest area on a section of the Sjuhäradsleden with a shelter, seating and a barbecue area. It is an additional point of reference if you would also like to consider the surrounding area when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Töllsjö, Bollebygd, Olsfors.

Go to the main travel overview: Bollebygd.