Thursday 11 June 2009

Leksand -  Mora - Fulufjället - Tännäs:

357km / 222 mi

After breakfast we drive through the pouring rain to Mora. We drinken  coffee again at Kaffestugan, like yesterday. After the coffee with chokladboll, a typical Swedish treat made of chocolate and coconut, we continue along road 70 towards Särna. A little beyoud Särna is the Fulufjället national park with its star attraction the Njupeskär waterfall, the highest in Sweden. This one is 93 metres (310ft) high. It has been pouring down all day, but as we enter the gates of the National Park the rain has subsided to a mere drizzle. We dress up in rain gear and set out for the short hike from the car park to the waterfall. It is an easy walk over board walks and stairs and a few climbs. The waterfall is a beautiful sight. With big force the water plunges down into a little lake and a stream. We see some fellow Dutchmen on our walk, but we do not let on. After the hike back to the car park we have some lunch at the Serveringen (buffet restaurant). We get a hamburgar and chips. We then get on with our journey along route 70 and subsequently route 311. Route 311 takes over a plateau above the tree line. We hardly see a soul and there are no villages to speak of. Just a cottage once in a while and that's it. The trees get smaller and are few and far between. In the far we see snow capped mountain tops. 

Finally we get toTännäs. A very small hamlet with a kiosk, a church (the highest in Sweden at 648 metres above sea level) and a youth hostel. We are the only guests and have the entire building to ourselves. There is no ATM, but fortunately there is one in Funäsdalen, about 18 km up the road. We drive their to get some money and to eat. There are four or five restaurants, but there is only actually open. It is a very good one though: Skoogs . Friendly staff, good food and wonderful views over the lake. After dinner we drive back to the Youth Hostel. To my surprise there is an open Wifi transmitter and can do some surfing and send an email to the folks back home. The weather has improved dramatically. It is dry and the sun is putting in an appearance. 

The views from the hostel on the mountains around  are enchanting..

Weer: rain and 8°C/46°F. At the end of the day dry and 11°C/51

 

Friday 12 June 2009

Tännäs - Røros - Tännäs: 187km / 116 mi

Breakfast is waiting for us in the fridge of our building. Because we are the only guests, there will be no breakfast buffet this morning. The warden has prepared our breakfast things the evening before. It is fairly complete: bread, marmelade, cheese, ham, rolls, knäckebröd, ground coffee, tea, cucumber and tomatoe. 

After breakfast we drive to Norway. We cross the national border without any formalities and drive in the direction of Røros. We stop halfway to get some Norwegian cash from an ATM.  Röros is about an hour and a half driving from Tännäs. The town was founded in the 17^th century for coppar mining. The mine was closed down in 1977. Mining became too expensive compared to more easily accessible mines elsewhere in the world. Alternative employment had been developped by that time and closure of the mine was not followed by mass unemployment. The decline of the mine went very gradually. The town is well preserved from the 18th and 19th centuries and has a rightful place on the world heritage list of Unesco. The centre is made up of two parallel streets. The main street is wide, but becomes narrower towards the end, thus giving the impression that it is much longer than it really is. The houses are tall and more ornamented. The smaller street is narrow, the houses smaller. The latter is now the main shopping street. Around the town are huge mountains of slag, a waste product of the copper production. Around it are numerous small wooden cottages, once miner's houses, but now part of th e open air museum. They have yet to open for the tourist season. After midsummer it will look differently. The church is closed due to repairs. 

At the Tourist Office we sign up for a guided tour. An older gentleman takes us on 45 minute walk taking in the major sights of the small town. After the walk we have lunch at the Coop supermarket and have a look at the local museum, based in the former  smelthytt (melting house). The oven burned down a couple of times, the last time in 1975. It was raised again in 1988, this time as a museum. The surrounding area was cleared of forest because of the need for wood by the copper mines. The wood was used to heat the soften the stones and make it easier to hack it loose. It was not until the 19^th century that miners started using explosives. 

We drive to a village north of Röros to look at a modern style Stav Church, the traditional Norwegian form for churches. Unfortunately it is closed. Then we turn round and drive back to the Youth Hostel in Tännäs. 

At night we eat in Funäsdalen again, this time at Ilhan's pizzeria. Not bad and very cheap.  

Weather: mostly dry and some sunny spells. Shower late afternoon. Temperatures 8-11ºC / 46-51ºF.

 

Saturday 13 June 2009

Tännäs - Östersund: 197km / 122 mi

We drive towards Östersund. It is raining all the way. At Vemdalskalet we have a coffe. Shortly after that we pass through Klövsjö, alledgedly Sweden's finest village. It does look nice enough but not more than the other Swedisch villages we have seen. The red and white painted cottages are well taken care of and look lovely. Swedish flags and banners fly everywhere. Around 12.30 we arrive in Östersund, located on the big lake Storsjön. We check in at the Clarion Hotel Grand. Nice and modern in the middle of town. It is still raining heavily and we go for lunch in a pub on Prästgatan.

In the afternoon we visit Jämtli, the county open air museum. They have a nice exhibition about the history of the region, especially the Sami or Lapp culture gets good deal of attention. There is also an exhibition on traditional dress, festivals, music and weaving. The open part of the museum is not actually in operation yet. You can enter the grounds, but all the buildings are closed. That starts after midsummer. We drink a beer in a pub and at night we have dinner at Brunkullans Krog. A good restaurant with well prepared Swedish dishes and a friendly service. 

After dinner we return to the hotel hoping that tomorrow will bring better weather, although the forecasts do not offer much hope until Monday. .

Weather: rain 8-11ºC / 46-51ºF.

 

Sunday 14 June 2009

 

Wenn we get up it is dry outside. We  have breakfast in the large breakfast room, that is very busy. Breakfast offer wide variety of food and all needs are catered fo: ecological, gluten free, and lots more. We want to make a bike tour with the hotel's rental bike. A real   Kronan. But as soon as we set foot outside the hotel it starts raining. We don't waiver and set course to the tourist office. We get a road map with suggestions for cycling routes. We cross the bridge to. Frösön, the island in Storsjön. There we have to start climbing uphill adn the Kronan is a heavy bike to push. The rain does not do a lot for a fun bike ride either. We do have a nice view on the town of  Östersund. We continue on our bikes and pass the Frösön Zoo, which opens its door today for the season. Past the Zoo our route all the way down hill. 

Back in the hotel we take a warm shower and go out for lunch. Most places are closed and choice is limited to  McDonald's. After lunch we go for drive in the car. First to the rune stone on Frösön. Then on to the church of kerkje van Frösön. It is a beautiful Rococo church with a long history. The church was originally built in the 12th century. Its patron saint is Olof, who is honoured with a big statue. The church has - as so many Swedish Churches - a balcony with panels depicting biblical figures. The rococo element can be seen in the 18th century altar and pulpit. The 19th century organ was renovated in 1951 by the Dutch company Marcusson & Zn. The typical belfry is next to the church and has a 14th century bell. 

We then set course for the look out tower run by two elderly ladies, who also run a cafeteria  (kaffeservering). The views are limited because of the continuous rain, but we can distinguish  Östersund and Storsjön through the mist. The first tower here dates back to 1888. In 1929 it was replaced by a new one, but it burnt down in 1979. This tower was built shortly after the fire. 

We carry on across the island and cross the bridge to Rödön (red island). We cross that to and via Dvarsrätt we return to Östersund. Some what later we go to the Simon & Victor pub for a nice cocktail. It is not a very strong one but it tastes good. At night we eat at the Thai restaurant Paviljong. Lovely Thai food, in a modest setting. After a difficult start the waitress opens up and becomes really friendly. We walk back to the hotel, through the rain. 

Weather: heavy rain and windy. 5ºC / 41ºF

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