Holiday apartment in Ovanåker – Voxnan, Culture and Nature

Parts of Ovanåker Municipality lie within the Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve, which essentially follows the Voxnan River catchment area. The upper course of the river is one of the longest, best-preserved and least-impacted watercourses in central Sweden.

Nature

Between the lakes Ullungen and Vägnan lies the Sässmanområdet area. It provides a habitat for a diverse range of insects and birds, including reed warblers and coots. The landscape’s variety is also evident on the water: the canoe routes on the Voxnan cover 250 kilometres and run along the riverbanks from rapids to calm stretches. Swimming and fishing are possible at Frostkilen beach.

Culture

Våsbo fäbodar offers a special insight into the region’s history. Traditional summer grazing is still practised there: farmers from Roteberg have been bringing their animals there to graze in summer for several centuries, and continue to do so. Since 2008, Våsbo fäbodar has been the county’s second cultural reserve. The preserved buildings, flora and well-maintained grounds convey what Swedish transhumance farming in Hälsingland could have looked like in the late 19th century.

Hälsingegård Ol-Anders is one of four visitor centres for the Hälsingegårdar World Heritage Site. The exhibitions also tell the history of the forestry machinery company ÖSA, which grew out of a blacksmith’s workshop in the village. The Emigrant Museum at Hälsingegård Ol-Anders tells the story of Brita Olsdotter and the religious group Erikjansarna, who left Alfta in 1846 to seek a new life in America.

Hälsingegård Löka is a local heritage museum with a shop selling local handicrafts and a café. The main building, also known as Storstugan, can only be visited as part of a guided tour; the farm is open in summer and by appointment. Pallars is one of the seven farms on the UNESCO World Heritage List and features, among other things, two side wings, several artistically designed entrance porches and a sleeping room with well-preserved wall paintings. Further cultural highlights include the Jim Reeves Museum in Voxna, with original photographs, personal belongings and awards belonging to the singer, as well as Hälgegården, an exhibition about the comic character Hälge and his creator Lars Mortimer.

Activities

At the Kygelvallen recreation area, there is a six-kilometre MTB trail that runs mostly as a varied singletrack route through the forest. In winter, Edsbybacken at Gårdtjärnsberget in Edsbyn offers 135 metres of vertical drop, two surface lifts, a magic carpet in the children’s area, five runs and a fun park.

There are several differently designed trails for walks and hikes. The Kulturstigen in Alfta is approximately three kilometres long and explains Alfta’s local history on a total of 45 signs. The Kulturstigen in Edsbyn is a 2.2-kilometre walking route from Bärstabron at the library, along the Voxnan River to Bågbron, continuing past Sommars Café and uphill to Norra torget. The Pilgrimsleden Hoppet includes a seven-kilometre hike to Ovanåker Church.

Getting around

The 28-kilometre tourist route Stora Hälsingegårdars Väg connects Hälsingegård Ol-Anders in Alfta with Alfta Church, Hälsingegård Löka in Gundbo and Hälsingegård Mårtes in Edsbyn, passing through several villages. For the return journey from the road junction towards Edsbyn or Söderhamn, take bus route 100.

Café Agnes is part of the seasonal offering in the area. The café is open in summer and serves Hälsingeostkaka, World Heritage pastries, open sandwiches, ice cream and coffee.

For further local navigation, you can visit Edsbyn, Ovanåker, Alfta, Voxnabruk and Viksjöfors. Find more destinations under Söderhamn, Ljusdal and Trönödal.

To the overview of destinations in the wider region: Gävleborg.