In the summer of 2026, I and Enzo packed the motorhome and hit the road. The plan was actually quite simple: go where the nose pointed, take the day as it comes, and stop where it felt good.
But quite soon a pattern began to emerge. Several of the places we visited had one thing in common: in one way or another, Leader was part of the story.
Stenshults Mellangård
Stenshults Mellangård is located in the middle of the Leader Linné Småland area, where many leader projects over the years have been about just the things we encountered here – small-scale entrepreneurship, local food, nature, and rural tourism. In Älmhult, Leader has, among other things, supported initiatives to develop the local pantry and get more people to discover the region's producers and attractions.
Stenshults Mellangård is not a leader project in itself, but for me, the farm became a fine example of the type of vibrant countryside that Leader works to strengthen: an ecological farm that combines agriculture with housing, parking spaces, and experiences for visitors.
We parked, opened the door, and said hello to our closest neighbors – a bunch of cows. Enzo was moderately interested.
Sävsjö Häradsväg
On a starry night, we spent the night in Sävsjö right next to Vallsjöbaden, which is often described as one of Sweden's most beautiful folk parks and dance floors. A real gem located right by the shore of Vallsjön, nationally known for its Wednesday dances during the summer that attract thousands of visitors. Luckily, we arrived on a Monday. Enzo does not appreciate dance band music.
However, we walked a bit on Sävsjö Häradsväg, a nearly twenty-kilometer-long cultural and tourist road between Vallsjö and Norra Ljunga. Here, the road winds through the Småland landscape with lakes, forests, fields, and meadows. The development of Sävsjö Häradsväg started as a leader project through the then Leader Mitt i Småland. The idea was to connect the historical attractions, tell more about Njudung's history, and at the same time strengthen tourism in the countryside.
Sandskenleden
A few days later, we stood at Sandskenleden in Herrljunga municipality. It is about a 13-kilometer-long trail that goes around Lake Sandsken. Here we walked through the Stora Mollungen nature reserve, one of Sweden's larger contiguous beech forest areas. In the morning, I could pick fresh raspberries for breakfast porridge.
Behind the trail is a solid local collaboration. Herrljunga municipality, the parish, the Nature Conservation Association, and local cultural associations have been engaged, and the development of the trail received support from Leader Sjuhärad to promote nature tourism and outdoor life.
For Enzo, the assessment criteria were probably simpler:
Are there exciting smells?
Can I sniff as long as I want?
In that case: approved.
Sävelången
The journey continued westward, and in Tollered we were allowed to spend the night in a friend's parking lot. But we naturally walked down to Sävelången, a lake located in the municipalities of Lerum and Alingsås. Around the southwestern part of the lake, a lakeside promenade has been developed with leader support through Leader Göta älv & Säveån. The purpose has been to make nature more accessible while linking various attractions around Floda, Öijared, and Nääs.
Enzo was not particularly patient when mom tried to enjoy the cookies and pastries purchased at the stone oven bakery at Nääs Fabriker.
Öströö Sheep Farm
On the way down to Skåne, we stumbled upon Öströö Sheep Farm, one of Halland's major attractions in the countryside. Here we learned to ”just look” at the sheep, even though Enzo would have preferred physical contact. Mom at least got to have a proper coffee break and bought a sheep salami.
The farm is not in itself a leader project, but it has been an important part of several larger initiatives through Leader Halland. One example is the tourist bus ”Åkturen,” which was created to make it easier to travel from Varberg to various attractions in the Halland countryside.
To love Leader
We set out to vacation with a motorhome and a dog – but at the same time got a little discovery trip in local development as a bonus.
As a visitor, you don't always see the project behind the experience. You see the path through the beech forest, the sign at a cultural environment, the parking spot at the farm, or the walk around the lake. You have coffee at a rural business and then continue on.
But behind much of what we appreciate are people who wanted to develop their community and who have decided to do it together.
Perhaps that is where Leader makes the biggest difference. And that is exactly why I love Leader.
