Ödsmål is a small locality of around 1400 inhabitants on the western coast of Sweden, in the historical province of Bohuslän. It is slightly north of Stenungsund, the seat of the municipality. Many people are familiar with this locality for the Ödsmål Bridge (Ödsmålsbron), a massive highway bridge of the E6 that crosses the valley. Others know it as a summer destination or because of the huge industrial center between Ödsmål and Stenungsund.
A Short History of Ödsmål
Ödsmål was once the center of the local parish with the church as its center. The parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and the current stone church was inaugurated in 1867. The former church was about 400 meters away from the new one. These days only a small graveyard is still visible.
The oldest parts of today’s Ödsmål date back to the 18th century. The connections with the rest of the region came in the 19th century with the establishment of new routes for the steamboats, these connections further increased with the arrival of the railway in the early 20th century. The new connections turned the small village into a popular vacation destination and many holiday homes were built. It is first in the recent decades that many of these holiday homes have turned into normal homes. As a consequence, the village has grown rapidly.
Things to Do and See
It is the closeness to the sea that attracts many visitors to the area around Ödsmål. The sea is never far away and visitors can also enjoy the lakes and the countryside that make up this area of western Sweden.
Söskär Beach
Söskär Beach, or Sörskärs Badplats in Swedish, is a public beach on the shores of the sea of Skagerak. There are a few amenities in the vicinity of the beach, but they are limited.
Ödsmåls Church
Ödsmål Chuch dates back to 1867 and it replaced the former parish church that probably dated back all the way to the Middle Ages. The church is today a part of Ödsmål Congregation, a part of the diocese of Gothenburg within the Church of Sweden, the national evangelical Lutheran church of Sweden.
Galtarö Lighthouse
Galtarö is a peninsula to the west of Ödsmål. During a large part of the 20th century, the peninsula served as a summer camp for kids. At the furthest point of the peninsula, there is a small lighthouse that guided the ships between the narrow straits.
Ödsmål Bridge
Ödsmålsbron is a part of highway E6. The European Route E6 is a road between Trelleborg in southern Sweden and Kirkenes in northern Norway and the bridge in Ödsmål is just one of many. The bridge has its own rest stop with a view of the bridge and the surrounding area. The bridge was completed in 1991 and is at its highest point 48 meters above the ground of Ödsmål. Well, it is actually two bridges, one in each direction. The length is 386 meters.
How to Get to Ödsmål
- Flights: There are domestic and international routes to and from Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT), which is 76 kilometers away.
- Car: Ödsmål is along the E6, just north of Stenungsund.
- Bus: Local and regional buses from Västtrafik connect Ödsmål with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 474 kilometers (5 h 51 min)
- Gothenburg – 54 kilometers (40 min)
- Malmö – 322 kilometers (3 h 31 min)
- Linköping – 324 kilometers (3 h 45 min)
- Kiruna – 1571 kilometers (18 h 56 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
