Hovenäset can be explored through three distinct themes: the sheltered harbor entrance, the coastal landscape of red Bohus granite, and a local history shaped by fishing and stone processing. There are also the Soteleden trail, the Reso bathing area and seasonal activities. When planning your trip, you can decide whether landscape, exercise, swimming or culture will shape your stay.
Harbor Landscape and Geology
Hovenäset lies mostly along the northern part of the entrance to Klevekilen. The entrance forms a natural harbor sheltered from winds from every direction. Nearby, the Klevekilen Nature Reserve lies between Väjern and Hovenäset; it includes the bay and its shores.
The coastline of Klevekilen has a distinctive angular shape, formed by intersecting fracture systems. Peninsulas and projecting rocky cliffs define the shore. Around Hovenäset, the landscape ranges from bare cliffs of red Bohus granite to lush wooded areas with footpaths. Near Slätten, there is also a protected occurrence of stromatolitic limestone, believed to have formed during the last glaciation. The surrounding area therefore offers both distinctive coastal formations and a notable geological feature.
Hiking and Swimming
The Soteleden hiking trail, almost seven Swedish miles long, passes through Hovenäset and is marked in blue and white. Its length and markings are useful reference points when deciding how to fit a hike into your stay. A jellyfish net is installed and removed each year at the Reso bathing area; it protects swimmers from jellyfish stings.
Swimming lessons are also part of Reso’s seasonal offerings: Hovenäsets Simskola holds several weeks of lessons there every summer. These include beginner courses, swimming badge tests and lessons for adults, including front crawl technique. If lessons are important to your travel plans, check the dates in advance.
Local History and Summer Highlights
From the early 18th century to the early 20th century, Hovenäset was exclusively a fishing village. From the mid-19th century through the 1920s, it also developed into an important center for stone processing. These periods overlap: fishing and stone processing belong to different, sometimes parallel, chapters in the area’s history.
Several blockhouses along the southern access road and several timber-built boat sheds in the inner part of the bay near Kryssnäs are characteristic of Hovenäset. Hovenäsbron connects Hovenäset with Kungshamn. Two former buildings also belong to the area’s history: in 1934, a guesthouse called Hovenäsets Havsbad was built in Hovenäset; a year later, the summer restaurant Hovenäsbaden opened by the bathing beach.
The history of Kapellet på Näset began in 1919. Since April 2022, it has no longer been used as a consecrated church space; the building now serves both religious and non-religious activities. Since 2017, the Hovenäsets Bildarkiv has displayed images there several times a year, with dates varying. If you would like to plan a visit to an exhibition, check the specific dates in advance.
Flea markets and art or photography exhibitions are occasionally held in some of the boat sheds during the summer. Since these activities take place only occasionally, it is worth checking the dates before making specific plans.
The municipal moorings provide a total of 210 berths in Hovenäset harbor and at Svineviken, where there are floating docks. If you plan to use a berth, check availability and allocation, as these may change.
Discover more destinations: Kungshamn, Bovallstrand, Smögen, Hunnebostrand, Bohus-Malmön.
Back to the main travel guide: Sotenäs.
