Summer in the Swedish mountains has so much to offer.
Now that the main season is over, the pace is a little slower, there are not so many guests on site so there is plenty of space for everyone.
Yet there is so much to do, so much to see and experience. Below are a number of activities and attractions compiled that will fill a summer week in Björnrike/Vemdalen and the surrounding area.
Fettjeåfallet
With a drop of 60 meters, Fettjeåfallet is one of Sweden’s highest waterfalls and has one of the most beautiful natural scenery in the area. The hike there along the Fettjeån is a nice family experience along paths and stone steps. From the parking lot, you walk towards the wind shelter and follow the path upstream of the Fettjeån. The trail has been improved and paved by Nepalese Sherpas in recent years. You cross the river twice over bridges. After about 2 kilometers, you reach the mighty waterfall and a rest area with a barbecue area and toilet. You can continue past the rest area to the foot of the waterfall.
Rändåfallet
Rändåfallet is located near Långå. The waterfall is an easy walk of about 900 meters from road 84 and the road to it is wide, well-trodden and very slightly hilly. A perfect excursion for small children or people who have trouble walking.
Rändåfallet consists of several larger and smaller waterfalls. The total height of the fall is about 60 meters and the falls extend about 1 km from the first to the last fall.
(When you pass the bridge over Ljusnan just after Långå, turn right, parking on the left.)
Sångbäcksfallet
Sångbäcksfallet is an easily accessible waterfall located right next to road 315. From the parking lot, there is a great barbecue area with tables and benches.
The top of the waterfall is about 200 meters from the road, just before you reach the barbecue area. You can get down to the base of the waterfall via a staircase and once down in the valley you will experience a fabulous forest environment and a fantastic waterfall.
Fallmoran
Fallmoran is actually two waterfalls in a row, upper and lower, and can be reached in three different ways. At the lower falls there is a small lagoon where the brave can swim, and there are also tables and benches to rest your legs and have a much-needed coffee.
1: Hike from Vemdalsskalet trail center, approximately 11 km long.
2: Hiking from Storhogna mountain hotel via Samivistet and Karl IX’s Road, it is about 7.5 km.
3: Hike from Ripfjället’s cabin area, approximately 4 km long.
Vemdalen climbing park and trails
The climbing park consists of five courses with different levels of difficulty.
The courses contain lots of different elements, all placed in poles between the trees where arm walking, lianas and bridges are some examples. The heights in the park vary and at the highest you are 8 meters up in the air. The grading of the courses starts with orange which is the easiest course, followed by green and blue.
At Skalet Express/Skalets torg you will find two trails that you can easily get to with Skalet Express. The trails consist mainly of machine-dug trails that run through forest and land. The trails have different levels of difficulty (green/blue) where elements of jumps, drops and dosed curves occur.
Golf
There are two golf courses in the area, Klövsjö/Vemdalen Golf Club and Hede Golf Club.
Klövsjö/Vemdalen is a really challenging forest course, it winds through nature incredibly beautifully, almost a must for a golfer to try this course.
Hede, on the other hand, is a slightly ”calmer” park course, very beautifully located on the shore of Ljusnan and with the fantastic Sonfjället in view.
Reindeer
The probability of seeing reindeer in the wild is high.
The reindeer is a medium-sized deer with a long and dense fur that varies in color with the season, light in winter and a little darker in summer.
The reindeer is considered a domesticated animal, although it roams more or less freely in the wild. One unique thing about the reindeer is that both male and female animals have horns. You can hear a slight clicking sound when the reindeer walk, it is not known why this is so, but perhaps it is so that the reindeer can more easily keep the herd together in the dark or fog?
If you encounter reindeer, show them respect!
Do not approach reindeer you encounter, but admire them from a distance, keep dogs on a leash.
Also keep in mind that reindeer often stick to roads and are not always easy to see from a distance, adjust your approach accordingly. Black garbage bags are placed along the road where there are plenty of reindeer.
Sonfjället
Majestically, Sonfjället rises in the eye of Björnrike!
Sonfjället, with its highest point at 1278 meters above sea level, attracts attention wherever you are in Björnrike!
There are hiking trails up to the top and many are content to climb Lilltoppen, just over 1000 meters in altitude. It is an easy hike on trails that most people can handle.
If you want to challenge yourself, climb the entire mountain, it is a little more advanced, but completely possible.
Take the opportunity to look out for bears, Sonfjället is known for the abundance of bears in the area.
The hiking trails start from Nyvallens fäbod, which you reach via a winding drive through the forest.
As Sonfjället is a national park, special rules apply here.
Flatruet, day trip by car
Flatruet is a low mountain that you reach via Sweden’s highest road, 975 meters above sea level.
Take a tour with the first stop in Funäsdalen, feel free to take the gondola lift to the top and enjoy the view over Lake Funäsdalssjön.
Then continue up towards Flatruet, once up there, the magical view opens up towards the Helagsfjällen.
Watch out for reindeer on the way!
After Flatruet, the road heads down again and the next place is Ljundalen. This is where you start if you want to go to Helags, but that is a completely separate excursion.
Then continue the road towards Åsarna, keep an eye out in a northerly direction and you can see Lundörrspasset. Along the way down towards Åsarna, you pass a number of lakes and watercourses, take it easy, stop, enjoy the views.
Finally, stop at Åsanbron at Åsanforsan, one of Scandinavia’s largest stone-arched bridges, inaugurated in 1852. You reach the bridge and rapids via a slip road just before you arrive at Åsarna.
Cloudberry
Cloudberries, this fantastic low-growing berry, ripen in early August, governed by the weather and wind. One year the cloudberries explode the bog with the fiery yellow berries, another year there are only a few.
The berries are found in damp terrain, such as bogland, which is abundant in the area. After a day on the bog, frying some haloumi cheese served with freshly cooked cloudberry jam and a glass of cool Rose is a culinary experience.
Above Storhogna mountain hotel is one of the many cloudberry bogs that Björnrike/Vemdalen has.
Drive all the way to the turning point at Kull-Johannes. From there you go straight into the forest and follow the path until you are out on the bog.