Billingen

Story

Billingen is the largest of the thirteen mesas in the Swedish county of Västra Götaland, with a maximum altitude of 304m. The mesa extends in a north-southerly direct with a length of 23km and a width of 11km. Billingen is divided into two parts by an east-west valley between Skövde and Varnhem. The mesa plateau is covered with vast forests and moorlands, including the nature reserve Blängsmossen with its unique flora.The limestone at Billingen has been quarried for a long time for concrete manufacturing; diabase is also still quarried there;The mesa, located between the two great lakes Vänern and Vättern, is also a popular nature resort with several nearby hotels, and an annual orienteering tournament is held here. The town of Skövde is built partially on the slopes of Billingens and the town center lies at the foot of the mesa.Some additional local points of interest are Jättadalen (a dramatic ravine with a waterfall), Silverfallen, and the "caves of Ryd" which are better described as free-standing pillars of diabase.