Sweden has a lot to offer us Dutch. Stockholm is ideal for a (long) weekend, winter sports in Sweden are hardly more expensive and at least as beautiful as in the Alps and nature changes every now and then when you travel through the country, but is nowhere Dutch. Vast cornfields in the south, thousands of islands off the coast of Stockholm and increasingly rugged the further north you travel. This time I was invited to visit the area around the towns of Mora and Orsa, about 3.5 hours by train above Stockholm and located in the beautiful province of Dalarna – indeed the area where the well-known Dalarna horses (or Swedish: Dalarna hästar), but more on that later.
1001 possibilities
Sweden is a perfect country to visit 'just as quickly', although it would be a shame if you stay there too short. But that is also the beauty of this country as a destination. Three days in Stockholm, Malmö or Gothenburg (I'll just name the most obvious destinations) is fantastic, but it is just as beautiful to drive a camper from south to north for three weeks. Or stick to it for another week or three and take Norway with you as well. When it comes to travel, Sweden is truly a country of 1001 possibilities. We fly from Schiphol to Arlanda, a flight of two hours. Arlanda is Sweden's largest airport and is located near Stockholm, which can be reached within twenty minutes with the Arlanda Express (a network of trains that run to and from the airport). We choose the northern direction and travel via a stopover in Borlänge to Mora, where we are picked up by Claes Tibo. The friendly Swede works for Orsa Grönklitt, which includes a beautiful campsite and a park of fully equipped Swedish stugas (typical red wooden houses). The campsite is beautifully situated on a lake and offers everything you would expect from a campsite.
stugas
Orsa Grönklitt appears to have a lot to offer anyway, we conclude from the words of Claes Tibo. In the summer you can swim and canoe in the lake, but you can also make beautiful trips through the woods. In winter, the area offers plenty of opportunities for cross-country skiing, skiing and skating, or even trips on snowmobiles. No activity for us yet. We dine in the restaurant at the campsite – which also has a bowling alley – and are then taken to our cabins by Claes Tibo. The cottages breathe cosiness, but are also richly equipped. Not even a sauna is missing!
Orsa Gronklitt, SwedenOrsa Gronklitt, Sweden
Fryksås
The silence in the Swedish area proves to be conducive to a good night's sleep and so we start our first active morning fresh and fruity. The walking shoes are on, as Claes Tibo takes us in tow for a walk through the woods. Walking for hours without meeting anyone. In the Netherlands you will not succeed, in Sweden it is apparently still possible. The environment is also beautiful. We walk along water, cross a swamp by jumping from stone to stone and enjoy views after another easy climb. We eventually end up in the tiny town of Fryksås. A lovely village, in which it seems as if you have stepped back in time two hundred years. We are welcomed by Per and Liselott Länsmans for lunch in their great pride. They own Smidgården, a beautiful café-restaurant, which also offers accommodation (the apartments are phenomenal!) and spa facilities. Built with their own hands and run with love and you notice that as a visitor.
Ultimate Silence
The afternoon program is equally active. We are taken by Björn Sohl, the man who can fulfill every active wish of tourists. He seems to live up to his name with his size (Björn is the Swedish word for bear), but on a quad he is excellent. He takes us with his covered wagon to Lake Rädsjön, where canoes are waiting for us. It turns out to be an excellent way to unwind in the enchanting Swedish nature. You really don't get it quieter than here. The water is vast, there are lonely wooden summer houses on islands in peace and you don't see people in the furthest distance. Better yet, you don't hear them either. The sound of the paddles in the water is all there is. If you stop paddling and sit very still (otherwise you will hear the rustling of your life jacket) you will reach the ultimate silence... So it still exists.
Freedom
After the canoeing it is time for motor violence. Björn also offers quad safaris and it is our honor to give that a try. It turns out to be a must. Okay, the peace is quite disturbed by the roar of the four-wheelers, but the freedom you experience when you cross the woods is wonderful. Trees shoot by, rivers are forded and
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