Borlänge - Jättendal

The night in the tiny house was very pleasant. For breakfast we had cinnamon buns, Nicolas style, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil and bread, Annina style. Unfortunately it was already time to leave the cosy little place. We set off by car, heading further north. Our destination was Jättendal, around 190 km from Borlänge as the crow flies.

We hadn’t gone far when we came to a beautiful lake in the middle of the forest, where we stopped and took photos. On the shore stood a red wooden house, reflected in the still water. The typical red of many Swedish wooden houses is called Falu rödfärg. The pigment comes from the copper mine in Falun, around 18 km north-east of Borlänge as the crow flies, and is made from low-copper ore that was left to weather. It was already being made there in 1616, and has been produced industrially without interruption since 1764. At first castles and manor houses were painted with it, and only in the 19th century did the paint reach ordinary people, when many houses and barns were painted red.

We walked along the lake for a bit, but didn’t get far, because we kept having to stop to marvel at the view of the lake and the forest around it. Dark clouds hung over the water, and the wooded shore and the trunks of the pines and young birches were reflected in the calm lake. On the opposite shore stood a small wooden hut among light green birches and pines. There was also a wooden jetty on the lake.

On the drive we kept passing lakes and moose warning signs. According to Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, moose move around more than usual in spring, when last year’s calves are driven away, and during the hunting season in autumn. Drivers should be especially alert at dawn and dusk. Anyone in Sweden who collides with a moose must mark the spot and call the police on 112 straight away, even if the animal does not look injured. Failing to notify the police is a criminal offence.

Along the way we went into an ICA Maxi again to buy some food. Nicolas was at the wheel most of the time, and Annina drove the last part to our next Airbnb on Älvstagatan near Jättendal. Jättendal lies in Hälsingland, in the municipality of Nordanstig. The area consists of flat valley floors around small lakes and streams near the coast, surrounded by hilly forest. In the Middle Iron Age the sea was higher than today, a sheltered bay reached all the way to Jättendal, and this was the centre of the district, which was already called Nordanstig back then. Just above the local heritage museum lie two large Iron Age burial mounds, probably raised between 350 and 550 AD.

Our little house, called “Krusa” (Nicolas booked the Airbnb… coincidence?), has a very nice view of fields and a lake in the distance.

It is furnished very cosily and has everything you need. The only thing missing is Wi-Fi. After a little tour of the grounds we set everything up. We charge our car overnight from the outdoor socket. That way we can drive the first kilometres on electric power again the next morning. We haven’t filled up the rental car yet. The first time will be the next day, on the way to Själevad.

For dinner we have a traditional Swedish dish: Köttbullar with mashed potatoes and gravy, plus a salad. The köttbullar are vegetarian, of course. (Insider tip: If you forgot to buy the matching lingonberry jam, strawberry jam works too…) In the evening we do a short workout and have a video call with our family back home.