Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [217]
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IDRE & GRÖVELSJÖN
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Though it’s still part of the Swedish heartland, Idre and its surrounding wilderness feel utterly remote – the rugged landscape looks nothing like the rest of Dalarna. The skiing and hiking here are excellent.
The tourist office (200 00; info@idreturism.se; Framgårdsvägen 1; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri Sep-May; ) has brochures, hiking advice and internet access. Staff can book accommodation and arrange activities such as dogsledding, skiing, hiking, canyoning, rock climbing, boat trips, elk and beaver safaris, horse riding, rafting and canoeing.
Idre Fjäll ski centre (410 00; www.idrefjall.se; Nov-Apr), 9km east, has three chairlifts, 29 ski-tows and 42 downhill runs – including 11 black runs. Day lift passes are Skr290 for adults and Skr235 for kids. There’s also 60km of prepared cross-country tracks.
Grövelsjön, 38km northwest of Idre and close to the Norwegian border, lies on the edge of the wild 690-sq-km Långfjällets Nature Reserve, which is noted for its lichen-covered heaths, moraine heaps and ancient forests. Reindeer from Sweden’s southernmost Sami community near Idre wander throughout the area.
Sörälvens Fiske Camping (201 17; www.soralven-camping.com; sites/cabins Skr150/495) has rather shadeless camping areas but good cabins, and is popular with the fishing crowd. The camp site is just out of Idre, 2.5km towards Grövelsjön.
The excellent STF Fjällstation Grövelsjön (59 68 80; grovelsjon@stfturist.se; dm/s from Skr270/330; Feb-Apr & mid-Jun–Sep) mountain lodge in Grövelsjön has a wide array of facilities, including a kitchen, spa, shop and outdoor gear hire. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; enquire about half-board and full-board arrangements.
Idre has a supermarket and several grills and pizzerias.
Dalatrafik bus 170 travels on a route between Mora, Idre and Grövelsjön (2¼ hours from Mora to Idre; 3¾ hours to Grövelsjön). There are three services to Grövelsjön on weekdays, and one or two on weekends.
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Northern Sweden
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GÄSTRIKLAND
GÄVLE
GYSINGE
FÄRNEBOFJÄRDEN NATIONAL PARK
HÄLSINGLAND
SÖDERHAMN & AROUND
JÄRVSÖ & AROUND
HUDIKSVALL & AROUND
MEDELPAD
SUNDSVALL
ÅNGERMANLAND
HÄRNÖSAND
HÖGA KUSTEN
ÖRNSKÖLDSVIK
JÄMTLAND
ÖSTERSUND
ARÅDALEN & PERSÅSEN
ÅRE & AROUND
STORLIEN & AROUND
HÄRJEDALEN
FUNÄSDALEN & AROUND
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You won’t find mobs of people up here, but the odds of encountering wildlife are high – everything from moose to mosquitos thrives in northern Sweden. Herds of reindeer clomp around like cattle, occasionally trotting out onto roads to frighten drivers. Birds of every description can be seen, and the lakes and streams are popular with fishermen. Arctic foxes are less visible, but you may get lucky and spot one. Just stay alert: ‘We have a lot of bears in this area,’ warns a guide at Rogen Nature Reserve, near Funäsdalen. (It’s safe to say only the very lucky few will catch a glimpse of Storsjöodjuret, the sea monster that haunts Östersund’s waters.)
The human population of northern Sweden is concentrated in the major towns and cities on the Bothnian coast and in central Jämtland around the Storsjön lake. Here you’ll find tiny fishing villages, many of which are still functioning, as well as some excellent museums on the history and culture of the area.
The region is more accessible than Lappland, but no less spectacular. It includes the World Heritage–listed Höga Kusten, a mind-blowingly pretty stretch of coastline in Ångermanland. Most of the landscape is coniferous forest dotted with summer cottages. Rivers tend to be slow-moving and wide; away from the coast, long, narrow lakes are common. The coastal islands here are small and often part of an archipelago. In summer, sandy beaches, long days and relatively warm coastal waters make the seaside a big draw. And there’s great skiing and downhill mountain biking in the chic mountain village of Åre.
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