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Funäsdalen along an unimproved, mostly gravel road. It’s slow going, but the scenery is spectacular; it looks like a glacier passed through here five minutes ago. Along the road are some Sami huts and a shop (with erratic hours, but open most days June to August) that sells dried or smoked reindeer meat. This is also one of the few areas in Scandinavia where the nearly extinct arctic foxes thrive. There’s a small tourist office (0687-200 79) here.

Ljungdalen is close to Helagsfjället (1797m), the highest peak in the area, where you’ll find good hiking and skiing. The 12km one-way hike from Kläppen (north of Ljungdalen) to the STF cabin at Helags goes via some old summer farms and is reasonably easy.

Sleeping & Eating

Both the STF Hostel Ljungdalen (0687-202 85; Dunsjögården; dm Skr170) and the STF Tännäs (240 67; www.tannasgarden.se; Bygatan 51; dm Skr150) are open year-round.

STF Tänndalen/Skarvruets Fjällhotel (221 11; www.skarvruet.com; dm Skr165-190, s/d Skr215/350) This great hostel in Tänndalen is 7km west of Funäsdalen along Rd 84, on a steep hillside with well-equipped rooms (kitchens, full baths, sturdy wooden bunks) in several red cottages with awesome views of the mountains across the valley. Hikes and nordic ski tracks start from the parking lot. Take bus 623 (reservations 020-85 00 85) from Funäsdalen.

Hotel Funäsdalen (214 30; www.hotell-funasdalen.se; dm summer/winter Skr195/225, B&B per person from Skr345, hotel r from Skr1165; ) This is the go-to accommodation in Funäsdalen: a large, modern hotel with everything from hostels to hotel rooms in two levels of fanciness. It’s open all year and has a good restaurant (whose daily lunch draws in lots of locals) and a pool.

Wärdshuset Gyllene Bocken (210 90; www.gyllenebocken.se; main house s/d Skr715/1050) This is a lovely old inn opposite the golf course in Ljusnedal, with a good restaurant attached (mains Skr86 to Skr205). Rooms in the ‘bruk’ are slightly cheaper than those in the main house. The hotel is open for ski season (November to April) and golf season (mid-June to mid-October).

Villan 1951 (215 60; Rörosvägen 10; espresso Skr20; 8am-9pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) On the main road through town, this tiny, industrial-chic cafe takes its espresso seriously, which is a rarity in Sweden, so it’s a real find. There are also tempting pastries and, in the evenings, inventive cocktails.

Getting There & Away

Härjedalingen (www.harjedalingen.se, in Swedish) runs buses between Stockholm and Funäsdalen (Skr420), via Gävle and Järvsö, several days a week; on Saturday buses also connect with Tänndalen and Ramundberget (Skr440). See the tourist office for info and bookings.

Local bus 622 and 623 run from Funäsdalen to Ramundberget and Tänndalen, respectively; there are also daily ski buses in winter. There is not a direct connection with Ljungdalen; take the daily bus 613 from Åsarna (which has an Inlandsbanan train station), about 100km east. Bus 164 runs from Funäsdalen via Åsarna to Östersund once or twice daily.

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Lappland & the Far North

* * *

VÄSTERBOTTEN

UMEÅ

SKELLEFTEÅ & AROUND

NORRBOTTEN

LULEÅ

PITEÅ

HAPARANDA

PAJALA

LAPPLAND

KARESUANDO

KIRUNA

ABISKO

RIKSGRÄNSEN

GÄLLIVARE

JOKKMOKK

ARVIDSJAUR

SORSELE

TÄRNABY & AROUND

STORUMAN

SAXNÄS & AROUND

* * *

Travelling in Lappland and the far north of Sweden can draw you into an unusual rhythm. The long, lonely stretches between towns are epic and often completely deserted – you’re almost guaranteed to see more reindeer than fellow travellers on the roads up here. It takes a long time to get from anywhere to anywhere else, regardless of what kind of transport you’re using. Consequently, people who live in these parts take things slowly; even their manner of speaking is more ponderous and deliberate than elsewhere in Sweden. At first it may be disorienting to travel through: you might take six hours to reach a town and then discover when you arrive that absolutely nothing is going on, the museum is closed and there’s only one restaurant