Barbecue areas and shelters

Brommö

Brommö is the small car-free island west of Torsö. You can get here via a small ferry from Laxhall on Torsö, or by your own boat. Barbecue areas, shelters and dry toilets are available at the Store vite Sand, Rukehamn and Sandvik bathing areas. There are barbecue areas and dry toilets at the Rövarsand bathing area.

Ekudden

The Ekudden beach is located 2 km from the city center. Along the lakeshore there are several barbecue areas (including a roofed barbecue), benches and tables. There are toilets and showers at the adjacent campsite.

Göta Canal

Sjötorp:

Rest area with shelter and fireplace near Sjöslussen, the Göta Canal's first lock as seen from Lake Vänern.

Smörgåskroken:

Wind shelter between lock 6 and lock 7-8 in Sjötorp. The rest area also has a fireplace and a dry toilet.

Rogstorp:

Rest area with a fireplace, benches and a dry toilet located between Rogstorp bridge and Lyrestad.

Norrkvarn:

Rest area on the south side of the Göta Canal, opposite Norrqvarn Hotel & Resort. The rest area has a wind shelter, fireplace and a dry toilet.

Hovden

Hovden is a small island off Brommö in the Mariestad archipelago. Both the Norra Hovden bathing area (also called Trollöviken) and Södra Hovden have barbecue facilities and dry toilets. To get to Hovden, you can, if the water is low, wade from Rukehamn on Brommö, or take your own boat.

Karlsholme

Karlsholme Folkets park is located on the shore of Lake Vänern in the middle of the city center. Here there is a covered barbecue right by the lake, benches and tables and large grassy areas. Nearby, closer to the Jubileumsteatern, there is another barbecue area with benches on a small hill with a view of the water.

Leksberg

Opposite the Lekevi sports ground in Leksberg there is a forest area with an exercise track, exercise stairs and a mountain bike trail. In the middle of the forest there is a shelter with a fireplace.

Sandviken

Beach area about 4 km from Mariestad city centre, near Mariestad Golf Club and adjacent to Sandviken Nature Reserve. There is a barbecue area on the beach and a composting toilet. There is also a dog bath south of the regular beach. Several nice hiking trails start at the parking lot.

Snapen

Beach area and outdoor recreation area about 4 km from Mariestad city centre. There are shelters and barbecue areas. Changing rooms, toilets and saunas, aswel as a café that is open in the summer and on Sundays during the rest of the year. There are several nice exercise trails next to the beach.

Torsö

Torsö is the largest island in Lake Vänern. You can get here by car or bicycle via a one kilometer-long bridge. At Hattarevik beach there are barbecue areas and dry toilets. At the Sandvik beach there are barbecue areas and a composting toilet.

Please note that it is not possible to drive all the way to Hattarevik and Sandvik with a camper or other vehicle that is over 2 meters long as the road is blocked with a road barrier. Walking distance from the road barrier to Hattarevik is approximately 3 km. Walking distance from the road barrier to Sandvik is approximately 1.8 km.

Qvarnstensgruvan  

On Lugnåsberget is Europe's only millstone mine that is open to visitors. There is a barbecue area with benches and tables and a toilet at the mine area. During opening hours you can take a guided tour of the mine, visit the small museum and have a coffee in the café. But you are welcome to visit the site outside of opening hours. From the parking lot it is about a 700-meter walk on wide paths down to the mine area (the path is not suitable for wheelchairs, walkers or strollers).

Vristulven

The magical forest lake Vristulven can be found on Lugnåsberget. At the northwestern part of the lake is Svartvik. There is a barbecue area here both on the cliffs and at the small beach that you reach via a forest path from the parking lot.