Discover Lugnåsberget

Since the 12th century until the early 1900s, millstones were quarried in the mines and open pits of Lugnåsberget. Monks who came to the mountain to build a monastery started the tradition of quarrying millstones when it turned out that the stone was not suitable for building, but perfect for millstones.

Join a tour underground in Qvarnstensgruvan
All around the mountain, traces of millstone production remain in the form of around 600 open pits and 55 mines. Here and there you can also find piles of waste stone, now hidden by lush deciduous forest, and in some places whole and sometimes damaged millstones left behind for various reasons.
One of the old mines is open to visitors, where you can go underground and listen to the guide’s stories about geology, life and work in the old days. The mine is one of the few millstone mines in the world open to visitors. There is also a small museum with a café on site. It’s a lovely place to sit for a while and enjoy the tranquility of the forest. To reach the old mines, you walk a few hundred meters from the parking area through green surroundings maintained by grazing sheep.

Eco-hotel with activity tips
Just below Lugnås Church lies Lugnåsbergets Eco-hotel. Here you stay comfortably in a peaceful rural setting. All rooms have private shower and toilet. Some rooms also feature a kitchen or kitchenette, and meals can be booked with your stay. The eco-hotel works actively with environmental and sustainability efforts in its operations. Bicycles are available for rent, and there is a wood-fired sauna in the courtyard. Take the opportunity to ask the owners for excursion tips in the area. Lugnåsberget offers hiking, cycling or running along cozy roads, in deep forests or around Lake Vristulven. You can of course also take a refreshing swim or try your luck fishing.

Hiking in scenic surroundings
Lugnåsberget offers excellent hiking opportunities. Several shorter trails take you through beautiful nature with leafy tree canopies and carpets of wood anemones and hepatica flowers growing on the slopes. Around the mountain you can see numerous traces of the extensive millstone quarrying. A geological hike tells you more about the interesting geology of Lugnåsberget. Don’t miss a visit to the ancient hillfort, the wolf pit and the bandits’ hideout Tjuvugnen. One kilometer north of Lugnås hurch lies Klosterängen nature reserve. According to legend, this was the original site of the Cistercian monastery that was later established in Varnhem. It is also the starting point for the scenic hiking trail Stenhuggarstigen. Both the Pilgrim Trail and the Biosphere Trail pass Lugnåsberget on their way between Mariestad and Kinnekulle.
Every May, the popular Kvarnstensvandringen is arranged – a 10-kilometer hike across Lugnåsberget with exciting stops along the way.

Farm shop with locally produced goods
In the Lugnås railway community, on the other side of the E20, Petterssons chark sells popular locally produced delicatessen meats over the counter.