Lake Husgärdessjön
Lake Husgärdessjön is the lake Valle Camping lies beside, with lime-rich water and plenty of life in and around it, and it got its name from a medieval royal castle on the point opposite us.
The name comes from the castle
The lake used to be called Hussjön or Husesjön, and the "house" was Axevalla hus, the royal castle that stood on the point opposite the campsite in the Middle Ages. That is why the farms around the lake are called Husgärdet and Hushagen.
If you stand on one of our jetties and look straight across the water you can see the point. Today it is covered with big trees, and it is hard to imagine that one of the kingdom's strongest strongholds once stood here, with kings and queens as guests.
Area approx. 0.33 km²
Maximum depth approx. 12 m
approx. 126 m above sea level
Part of Vallesjöarna
From the Ice Age to today
The landscape around the lake owes most of its shape to the ice. When the inland ice melted away it turned colder again for a period, and about 12,600 years ago the ice edge came to a halt right here at Billingen. During that time the ice released large amounts of gravel, stone and clay. When it finally withdrew it left a hilly landscape, with ridges, hills and pits where large blocks of ice had been left behind and melted slowly. These pits are called kettle holes, and several of the lakes here are exactly that.
The landscape is called a kame landscape, and it is what you see when you walk or cycle around the Valle area, with soft hills, small lakes and varied nature.
Billingen took part in one of the great events of the Ice Age. The ice lay like a plug against the mountain and dammed up the Baltic Ice Lake, a gigantic freshwater lake where the Baltic Sea lies today. About 11,600 years ago the ice melted away at the northern point of Billingen, and the water rushed out towards the North Sea. In less than two years the ice lake dropped by about 25 metres. The traces of the breakthrough can still be seen at a place called Stolan, on northern Billingen.
People have lived around the lake for almost 10,000 years. There was fish, game and eventually fertile soil, and on Axevalla heath right next to it there are graves from the Stone Age and traces of fields from the Iron Age.
The water's route to the sea
Lake Husgärdessjön is part of a larger water system. The water comes in from Lake Skärvalången via Lake Vagnsjön and is replaced fairly quickly, about every month or two. Then it flows on past the old Ökull mill, down towards Lake Hornborga and on to Lake Vänern. From there it continues through the Göta älv river out to the sea. The water finally reaches the sea at Gothenburg.
Clear water and plenty of life
The clear water is what many guests notice first. The lake is low in nutrients and rich in lime, and visibility is usually fairly good. Stoneworts thrive in clear, nutrient-poor water and are a sign that the lake is not over-fertilised.
The lake is home to large mussels, which you can often see from the jetty, and fish such as perch, pike, bream, roach, rudd and tench. Roe deer, fox and sometimes elk move around the shores, we have also had beaver in the lake, and on a summer evening you can see bats hunting over the water. Grebes and swans swim on the lake, and the heron often stands still at the water's edge, looking for fish.
Swim, sauna and fish
The lake is never far away. We have our own swimming spot with a jetty and a small beach where even the youngest can swim, and at the far end of the jetty stands our wood-fired sauna. The fishing rights in the lake are private, but if you stay at the campsite you may fish from the fishing jetty, though talk to reception first.
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Husgärdessjön?
About 12 metres at its deepest.
Why is the lake called Husgärdessjön?
After Axevalla hus, the medieval castle on the point in the lake. It used to be called Hussjön.
Can you swim in Lake Husgärdessjön?
Yes, from the campsite's swimming spot if you stay with us. It is not a public swimming spot.
Can you fish in Lake Husgärdessjön?
The fishing rights are private. Guests at Valle Camping may fish from the fishing jetty after contacting reception.
Stay by the lake
With Valle Camping as your base, the lake, the countryside and Skaraborg are close by. Choose your accommodation and dates.
