First Camp Hökensås in Tidaholm - nature and fishing

First Camp Hökensås - Tidaholm is a campsite for those who like fishing and outdoor life. Here you can fish in a wide range of beautiful lakes or, if you prefer, hike, mountain bike or pick berries and mushrooms.

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First Camp Hökensås

We have visited First Camp Hökensås - Tidaholm, as part of a co-operation with the camping chain First Camp. This is a 3-star campsite (also 3 symbols in First Camp's own rating system) which may not be entirely typical of the chain. You can certainly expect First Camp level service and standards, but the focus here is on fishing and outdoor activities.

First Camp Hökensås is located in a nature conservation area on the western shore of Lake Vättern, near Tidaholm.

Welcome to First Camp, Hökensås Sport Fishing and Hökensås Restaurant.

What is special about this campsite is that three companies work together: First Camp, Hökensås sport fishing and Hökensås restaurant. This contributes to the special "soul" of the campsite.

We booked a meeting with First Camp's destination manager Monica Andersson, and she chose to meet us together with a representative of Hökensås sport fishing. Here they work together. They may be three companies, but as they themselves say, "we are Hökensås".

We learnt about all the loyal guests who return year after year, some of whom have even returned generation after generation. Of course, there are also new and spontaneous campers. Swedes appreciate the nature here, but also Germans, Dutch and some Czechs find their way here. Fishing is extremely popular and 25,000 fishing licences are sold each year.

Scenic campsite

First Camp Hökensås is a scenic campsite surrounded by deep forests and clear lakes. There are 50 cabins and space for many motorhomes and caravans.

There are some caravans and many nice red cottages, which shone beautifully against the blue sky when we were here.

We were in a nice spot on grass, and we were very lucky with the weather. Just a week ago it was snowing. Now it was almost summer. The photo of me (Helena) in the motorhome door was taken in the evening, after dinner. Then it was still so warm that you could sit barefoot and in a t-shirt.

Fishing, fishing and fishing

The biggest thing at First Camp Hökensås is fishing. At Hökensås sport fishing there is a shop with everything possible for those interested in fishing. They also sell fishing licences, which are available in a number of different variants.

There are 55 lakes in the area, some 30 of which are used for fishing, from the shore or by boat. This is "put and take" fishing, meaning that trout and rainbow trout are released into the lakes from two different fish farms. Fishing is done by fly, spinning or mete, in designated lakes according to a map:

• Yellow seas: fly, spin, mete
• Orange lake: fly, spin
• Red Lakes: fly
• Specialised lakes: fly/quota

Peter was guided by a man who lives at the campsite and also works in forestry. They went fishing together and ... Peter got a bite! It was a really nice trout of 1.3 kg - a perfect food fish!

Back at the campsite, we found a room that said "Here you clean fish". Perfect! Peter gutted his fish so it was ready for dinner, before we rolled on. We can reveal that it later became a really good dinner with boiled potatoes, herb sauce, asparagus, red cabbage and mushrooms.

Hiking, mountain biking and berry picking

Although fishing is a big thing at First Camp Hökensås, there are also other attractions. Many people come here for hiking, mountain biking or to pick berries or mushrooms. You can also swim and at one of the lakes, Lilla Havssjön, there are beach, piers and diving towers.

Restaurant and summer programme of activities

One of the three businesses on the campsite is the "Resturang Hökensås", which serves hamburgers, Swedish dishes and Asian cuisine. There are also plenty of activities for families with children.

It used to be mini-golf when the kids wanted to be active, but now there is also a summer First Camp programme with training, quizzes, children's entertainment and shows. The programme is relatively new and has become unexpectedly popular.

Falk's grave - and the mystery of the fresh flowers

The area is also home to the mythical 'Falcon's Tomb', where there are always fresh flowers. Who puts the flowers there? Nobody knows ...

Jonas Falk was a criminal who in the 19th century, together with his stepfather Anders Frid, decided to rob the mail coach between Jönköping and Sandhem. Falk shot the stagecoach with his rifle and Frid attacked with a cudgel, after which they fled with 2000 riksdaler to Stockholm.

Unfortunately, the postilion died and the two robbers were captured. Frid applied for clemency and had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Falk was executed and buried at Hökensås in 1855. The only question is who is still laying flowers there?

We were told that people even spend the night at the grave in a car to see who lays the fresh flowers. But so far no one has been seen doing so, and the flowers on Falk's grave remain a mystery...

Some thoughts on First Camp Hökensås - Tidaholm

First Camp Hökensås - Tidaholm is a fantastic campsite with a relaxed environment for those who like to be in nature, for example for fishing or hiking. The fact that the campsite has three stars instead of four or five does not make it feel "worse" than other First Camp campsites, but perhaps it is more about the fact that this is not a campsite where you should expect pools and the like. Here it is nature and fishing lakes that are the thing!

Video "Hökensås First Camp"

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Just ten minutes by car from Hökensås you'll find Brandstorp's homestead, which is open to visitors a few days a week in the summer. From Hökensås it is also relatively close to the beautiful wooden town of Hjo.

If you head south, you can visit the beautiful Habo church. It is also not too far to Jönköping, where you will find a nice city park and an interesting match museum.

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