Blåkulla Gokart i Laholm

In Laholm, on the west coast of southern Sweden, Blåkulla Gokart lays out seven hundred and fifty metres of open-air track, open to all, children included. The length of the layout makes it a genuine sporting course, with real chances to overtake and to build up speed, far from small urban tracks. People come as a family or with friends to string together timed laps, in a country setting in Halland.

Karting stays open to all, with no licence or experience: a briefing, a helmet, and you head off to find your best lap. The length of the track delights beginners trying it out as much as confident drivers, and groups happily set up close races. The presence of karts suited to younger drivers makes it a venue families appreciate. As the activity takes place outdoors, it is best to check opening times by season before coming.

Laholm is a charming little medieval town in Halland, known for its cobbled lanes, the sculptures scattered through the town and the Lagan river, popular with salmon anglers. Close by, the long sandy beaches of Mellbystrand and Skummeslövsstrand draw holidaymakers in summer, on one of the finest stretches of the Swedish west coast. The region, between sea and countryside, is easy to reach by the E6 motorway from Gothenburg or Malmö, which makes it a pleasant stop on the coast.