Lake Hornborga is one of western Sweden's great birdwatching stops, a shallow restored wetland about twenty kilometres from Skara. In March and April, cranes gather here in huge numbers on their northward migration, especially around Trandansen at the southern end of the lake. Even outside crane season, the lake has hides, trails, open water, reedbeds, and enough birdlife to justify a slow circuit by car or bicycle.
The easiest first stop is Naturum Hornborgasjon on the eastern shore, where exhibitions, guides, toilets, parking, and a cafe make the landscape easier to understand. The lake was heavily drained in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and later restored in one of Sweden's major wetland projects, so it is also a good place to see conservation work made visible. Bring binoculars, and do not rush it; this is a half-day nature outing rather than a quick roadside photo.