Ockelbo

Ockelbo is a small town in Gästrikland.

Understand

With only 6,000 inhabitants Ockelbo is the smallest municipality in Gästrikland, this is rural Sweden with lots of forest and small farms. Outlying villages in the municipality includes Lingbo, Jädraås and Åmot. Many here commute to work in the larger city of Gävle, just 30 minutes to the south but a spirit of entrepreneurship rests above the town and there are several small innovative companies. The most famous citizen is Prince Daniel, consort of Crown Princess Victoria.

Get in

Commuter trains runs from Gävle about once an hour during the day, from the other direction trains arrive from Ljusdal via Bollnäs.

To get here by car, take the highway E4 north and turn off to road 303. Another option is to take road 272 from Sandviken. Speed limits along the smaller roads is 70 km/h for most of the time, however the routes are quite scenic.

Get around

Ockelbo is very small, so seeing the town by foot is a good option. To get around the municipality just hop on one of the free Kuxabuses, the timetables are not perfect but they will take you to almost all the small outlying communities.

See

• Wij Trädgårdar (Wij Gardens), ☏ +46 297-55420, info@wij.se. A century old steel mill now converted into a living garden. Don't miss the Rose Garden with 230 different sorts of roses. It's also a regional center for the education of gardeners. 

Do

• JTJ steamtrain in Jädraås, Erskines väg 26b (Just south of Ockelbo on road 272, go west to Jädraås, train station in center of village), info@jtj.org. Go by steamtrain in Jädraås. Usually open on Sundays from June to August with multiple departures. The little café is open and you can visit the trainyard and the old steelmill. 120 sek for adults, children free of charge. (updated Aug 2023)

Eat

• Atalanta Restaurang & Pizzeria, Södra Åsgatan 25B, ☏ +46 297-40024. 
• Sjöbacken Bar & Restaurang, ☏ +46 297-42750. 
• Wij Trädgårdskök (at Wij Gardens), ☏ +46 297-55420, bokning@wij.se. 11:30-16:30. Serves a daily lunch buffet during summer made from local produce. Other seasons open only when pre-booked. 159 kr. 

Sleep

• Raggsocka Logi (Raggsockan), Vigatan 2, ☏ +46 297 76 33 20, info@raggsockalogi.se. Just south of the town’s center, near Wij trädgårdar. 720 sek for a single room with brekfast 1440 sek for double room. Parking spot for motorhome with electricity 250 sek, without 200 sek per night. (updated Aug 2023)