LIFE IS SWEDE

26/08/2007

With new low-cost flights there’s never been a better time to explore the beautiful heart of Sweden. And our own Swedish-born H&H writer Lena Gustavson believes you shouldn’t wait for the snow..

When most people think of holidays in Sweden they imagine winter and snow – but spring, summer and autumn are just as lovely.

I was brought up in a beautiful area full of breath-taking scenery with hills, valleys and more than 11,000 lakes. It’s a hidden secret called Värmland on the border with Norway. Oslo is only 100km to the west while Sweden’s own capital of Stockholm is 250km to the east.

The good news is that this part of Sweden has never been easier to visit as there are now flights from Britain to Karlstad, the largest city in the province. And you can make it the start and ending point for a circular journey along the Klarälven river, following a pilgrim route through the wilderness.

But spend time in the city first. It’s no accident that the symbol for Karlstad is the sun – the city happens to have one of the best sunshine records in Sweden. So pack your cossie. Its Lake Vänern is warm enough for swimming and fishing in summer – there are 20 beaches. You can also rent a kayak or take a sightseeing boat on the lake.

You can find out about the people and their history of the area at the Museum Of Värmland (www.varmlandsmuseum.se). Entrance £2.20.

The easiest way to travel around the province is by car. You can rent a VW Golf from £132 including excess for seven days (Europacars in Karlstad, 0046 54 182320, www.europacar.se).

But if the weather is on your side I think you should do the legwork yourself – it’s worth the effort for the scenery. You can rent a bicycle and cycle on the Klarälvsbanan (www.klaralvsbanan.se), which is a 90km disused railway route. The asphalted trail which runs from Karlstad to Hagfors along the Klarälven river is completely car-free.

You can arrange to pick up your car in Hagfors (or in any of the other towns along Klaralvsbanan) to continue your tour by four wheels instead of two.

On your way along the cycle route you will pass Forshaga which has a timber museum detailing how the Klarälven river was used for transporting lumber from the Middle Ages right through until the 1990s. You also go through Munkfors/Ransäter (www.munkfors.se), my home town, 60km north of Karlstad in the heart of Värmland.

The smallest town in Värmland with only 4,000 people, Munkfors is an industrial centre that still makes steel. This is where Gillette had their razor blades made. Take a look in the Gamla Bruket museum and learn more about how they did it. There’s another reason to go too – the museum is next to Munkforsen, Klarälven river’s highest natural waterfall.

You can also visit the Ransäters Hembygdsgard, a heritage park where there are big festivals through the summer. As a young girl, I spent most of my summers working as a tourist guide there – and having a great time!

The bike trail ends in Hagfors, which in winter plays host to the Swedish part of the World Rally Championship. This is the place to go on a safari in search for the “King Of The Forest” – the moose. I am actually quite scared of them and would not want to meet one on my own, but you will be perfectly safe on a safari.

Starting in the late afternoon you travel by minibus into the wilderness in areas known to have lynx, bears and wolves. During the safari the group takes a break to barbecue moose sausages over a campfire (adults £33, children 3-12 £27.50, www.lewa.nu).

From Hagfors you can drive north to Klarälvens Camping just outside Stöllet. They have log cabins from £22 a night or you can camp in a tent from £8.70. A main building provides a kitchen, toilets and showers.

Just north of the campsite, in Ransby, you’ll find the Pilgrims Tapestry (www. utmark.se) – a 40-metre  masterpiece, inspired by the famous one at Bayeux, telling the story of the pilgrim route from Hammarön just outside Karlstad up to Trondheim in Norway.

If you spend a couple of nights there you can try rafting, beaver safari, kayaking, rock climbing and white water canoeing (book via Vildmark in Värmland 0046 560 14040, www.vildmark.se).

I’d recommend the rafting. You get equipment, life jackets, maps and tuition in… building your own 3m x 3m raft. When it is complete, you go off on your own down the Klarälven river (a one-day trip costs from £43, children under 16 half price). It’s the most peaceful and tranquil feeling – you couldn’t get further away from the stress of city life – with the satisfying knowledge it’s all your own work.

When you reach the stopping point a few hours later you return the equipment and release the logs in the river. And you can easily carry on with your touring as the company can arrange for you to leave your car there earlier.

Head south to Torsby, probably best known in Britain as being Sven Göran Eriksson’s home town. Besides producing footballers, Torsby has ski slopes in the winter, and a ski tunnel which gives you the chance of trying cross-country skiing in the middle of summer.

Continue south and you’ll come across the town of Mårbacka (www.marbacka.s.se), which was home to the famous children’s writer Selma Lagerlöf – the first woman writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. While there you can take a stroll through Rottneros Park with its beautiful gardens and sculptures or a boat trip with the renovated 1896 steamboat Freja on the Fryken lakes (from £13.80 adults, £7.30 children, www.angbatfreja.nu).

Another good place to visit is Klässbol Linneväveri (www.klassbol.se), a family-run linen factory. More examples of Swedish handicraft skills can be found throughout Värmland – craft shops sell pottery, glass, textiles and wood carving. It’s all there to be enjoyed, even if there’s not a flake of snow in sight…
 

WHAT'S THE DEAL 

GETTING THERE: Skyways are this week launching direct flights from Stansted Airport to Karlstad. For fares and schedules see www.skyways.se – and Scandinavian Airways have 39 flights a week from Heathrow to Stockholm from £106 return. Phone 0870 60727727 or see www.flysas.co.uk

From Stockholm, a train journey to Värmland takes about three hours. Return tickets from £7 – children under 15 free when accompanied by an adult. Details: 0046771 757575, www.sj.se

WHERE TO STAY: As all towns have a selection of accommodation, from camping, to youth hostels, log cabins, hotels and manor houses, it’s best to visit www.bokavarmland.se and www.varmland.org. Alternatively, you can rent a camper van upon arrival in Karlstad. A van for five people for a week starts from £654.40. Contact Europacars for more information on 004654 182320 or see www.europacar.se

MORE DETAILS: www.varmland.se