2. Virestad tour • 25 km

Start the tour at Trelleborg Central Station and follow Kontinentgatan north to the roundabout where you turn right onto Hedvägen. Then turn left to Tallvägen and then left again to Köpingegatan. Follow the road towards Kyrkoköpinge.

Kyrkoköpinge
The smock mill in the middle of the village has four floors and was built in 1873. It was renovated during the 1980s. Here the flour was ground on what is sometimes considered to be one of the world’s oldest machines. The church is from the latter half of the 12th century. During the Gothic period, the church received stepped gables and picture niches. The church has medieval murals in the nave and chancel. The oldest inventory is the baptismal font from the 12th century. The altar and pulpit are in sumptuous Renaissance style. The road east from Kyrkoköpinge is believed to follow the same route as Söderslätt’s oldest country road.

Kyrkoköpinge-Gylle
The road to Gylle can be heavily trafficked, but here the typical Scanian plain landscape opens up with fields, farms and rows of willow. At the end of the 17th century, the King forced the Scanian farmers to plant a certain number of willows every year. Despite protests, advantages were discovered with the foreign trees. They protected against wind and soil erosion and also provided firewood and material for baskets. During the 20th century, many willow rows disappeared, but now the willow tree has been honored again and replanted.

Gyllhögarna and Gylle
Before Gylle, you see on the right the four so-called Gyllhögarna from the Bronze Age. On the southernmost and largest mound is a granite stone with a petroglyph resembling a footprint. On the left side you see the large Lundhög. In clear weather, from the top of Lundhög you can see Trelleborg, Skanör-Falsterbo, the Danish island of Møn and as many as 24 church spires! Gylle church is located on the highest point of the village. It dates from the early Middle Ages but has been rebuilt and refurbished several times. The crucifix is ​​from the 15th century, the Renaissance altar and pulpit are from the end of the 16th century and the current baptismal font is from 1875. The transformer tower has the same stepped gables as the church. Here you can choose to cycle a shorter round by taking the road directly to Västra Virestad.

Haglösa
The village used to be a typical round village with farms and street houses around the village street. Here you will find Haglösa Kungsgård, which in the Middle Ages was a home farm for nobility.

Western Alstad
Västra Alstad is a church village with well-preserved street houses that line the winding village street. In the center of the village is the whitewashed church. Here the plain turns into a more hilly forested landscape.

Fru Alstad
The village’s name comes from the fact that the church is dedicated to “Our Lady” (Vår Fru), i.e. the Virgin Mary. In the 12th century, a Romanesque church was built here, which in the 15th century was expanded into a magnificent Gothic temple, giving the church its unique silhouette. The church was originally a pilgrim church, below the cemetery wall are the remains of a sacrificial well and the church’s central pillar bears carvings from pilgrims who have passed. North of the cemetery there is a rest area with wind shelter.

Västra Virestad
On the road between Fru Alstad and Västra Virestad is Ullahills magasin with fashion, interior design and café, as well as Livex, which sells Mediterranean-inspired plants, food and ceramics. With its winding road network, closely spaced farms and a stream running through the village, Västra Virestad is a true Scanian idyll.

Bösarp
Now the cycling journey continues towards Bösarp, which is a so-called “row village” located where four roads converge. This is where the well-known Bösarpsstenen, which was previously displayed at Lund University’s historical museum, originated.

Gislöv village
Continue south past Södra Virestad towards Gislöv village. In the middle of the village is the commons, an idyll with a stream and grazing animals. The church has been one of Skåne’s most richly decorated rural churches with, among other things, beautiful murals from the 15th century. The tower, which was built in 1824, was built from stone blocks from all of Gislöv’s dolmens. Here you can choose to make a detour to Weinbergs at Idala Gård, a Scanian farm from the 17th century that is today a hotel and restaurant, before cycling towards Dalköpinge.

Dalköpinge village
Dalköpinge consists of a few houses. On old maps, the village was called “Berget” (the Mountain). Already in the 19th century, the population was so small that the priest wanted to demolish the church. Fortunately, the small brick church was allowed to remain up on the hill. It is a typical plastered church, one of the smallest and most beautiful from the 13th century. In the vaults of the chancel there are remains of paintings from the 13th to 15th centuries. The baptismal font in sandstone is the oldest inventory. The altar table is new and was added during the last restoration from the 1950s. Now follow the road that leads further back to Trelleborg. Soon you will see a colony area on the right, here you can take the cycle path down towards Dalabadet.

Dalabadet
Dalabadet is a popular bathing spot with a campsite, cottages, catering, accessibility ramp and a 170 m long jetty.

Östra Stranden
The cycle path west towards Trelleborg leads past Östra stranden. In the past, many professional fishermen lived here and the character of a fishing village with small houses, long narrow plots and outbuildings remains. Nowadays it is a popular residential area. Continue along the beach to the railway, through the railway tunnel, to the left along the railway to the cycle tunnel, under Road 9 and back up Östra Förstadsgatan which leads you back into the city centre.