Help yourself! Allow us to tempt you with a sample of outings in the Marsfjällen mountain area – exciting, historical sites and other excursions, all in fantastic countryside.
Have a good day out!
VILHELMINA MUNICIPALITY
CONTENTS Page
Map 1 n
Stalon hill viewpoint
3
2 n
Dimforsen rapids
3
3 n
Njakafjäll recreational area
4
4 n
Trappstegsforsen - the ”Flight of Stairs” rapids 5
5 n
Marsliden
6
6 n
Marsfjäll nature reserve
7
7 n
Grytsjö water mill (Skvaltkvarn)
8
8 n
Satsfjället
9
9 n
Lulevardo / Middagskullen
9
10 n
Saxnäs Church
10
11 n
Ricklundgården
12
12 n
Lisa Stämp´s cottage
13
13 n
Fatmomakke Church
14
13 n
Fatmomakke church town
15
13 n
Fatmomakke today
16
14 n
Norgefarargården
17
15 n
Vielmesmakke
18
16 n
Stekenjokk
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Stalon hill viewpoint In the village of Stalon, you can drive your car up to the top of the Stalon hill. From there, you can see for miles along the Stalonån river, the village of Dorris, and over the Malgomaj lake and its surrounding area. At the top of the Stalon hill, there is an old airfield. The road is narrow but paved with asphalt. GPS: E 1501162, N 7205052
Photo: Frida Gustafson
Dimforsen rapids The Dimforsen rapids are located a few kilometres from Stalon, on the left-hand side of the road. The road down to the water is steep but you can park in a layby on the right-hand side. There is a hut and a wooden footpath. Follow the path and feel the force of the Kultsjöån river.
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Njakafjäll recreational area The word Njaka comes from ”njakka”, a Sami word that means ”the inaccessible”. This is a gentle and easy-to-reach low mountain area, located between Saxnäs and Stalon. The area has wooden footpaths and marked hiking trails with timber huts where you can spend the night. There are several lakes and tarns in the area with Arctic char and salmon trout. For hunters, there is small game, grouse, blackcock, capercaillie and hare. The Njakafjäll recreational area offers great countryside, beautiful views and ancient forests with spruce trees that are 600 years old.
Photo: Magnus Ström
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Trappstegsforsen – the ”Flight of Stairs” rapids
Photo: Magnus Ström
Trappstegsforsen – the ”Flight of Stairs” rapids – is a well-known and popular destination. The way the rapids are formed makes it Sweden’s most eye-catching and beautiful waterfall. Here you can pull up with your caravan or camper van. The café is open every day in summer. When you stand and gaze at the mountain world ahead of you, it is easy to imagine that this is the way into the “Mountain King’s” kingdom. There is a path from the rapids that runs for a couple of kilometres to Bielite, a historical place for Sami reindeer herding. At Spaunakullen and Tomasvallen, there are traces and relics from many generations of Sami dwellings. Bielite and its downstream rapids are popular fishing waters. Litsjöforsen, Kaskeliteforsen and Dimforsen are rapids downstream from Bielite and there are also several smaller lakes and stretches of slow-flowing waters before the Kultsjöån river flows out into the Malgomaj lake. In summer, you can savour what is possibly Sweden’s tastiest hamburger, made in Trappstegsforsen’s little grill hut.
GPS: E 1483985, N 7205817
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Marsliden
Photo: Magnus Ström
The village of Marsliden is located at the foot of the Marsjället mountain. It has become well-known through the books of Bernhard Nordh – I Marsfjällets skugga (In the shadow of the Marsfjället mountain) and Fjällfolk (Mountain Folk). In the village of Marsliden, you will find Lars Pålsson’s cottage, a replica built on the spot where the first new settler dwelling was built in 1856. In the summer, there are guided bus trips to the village so visitors can get to know the author and the area. There is a wonderful bathing place with a long sandy beach, fishing trails and a hut. Just before you Photo: Magnus Ström get to the village, you will see a small sign on the left-hand side “Badplats” (Bathing place). This is well worth a visit. Marsliden is a good starting point for hikes in the Marsfjäll range and up to the peak. GPS: E 1479180, N 7213620
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Marsfjäll nature reserve
Photo: Jan Hammarsten
Marsfjällen is Vilhelmina’s most impressive mountain range. Its peak, 1589 m above sea level, is the highest peak in southern Lapland. This is the only mountain chain in Scandinavia that runs in a north-south direction. In the most northerly part, there are the valleys of Trollskalet and Offerskalet. They are shaped like troughs where melted glaciers have dug their way through the cam of the mountain. It is claimed there are ancient Sami sacrifice sites here but you have to look carefully because they are not easy to find. Several fine hiking trails run through the nature reserve to Fatmomakke, the Marsfjällskåtan hut and on to Kittelfjäll. A couple of km from Marsliden, you will find Apelsinklyftan, with a hut and a magnificent view. This is perfect for a family outing.
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Grytsjö water mill
(Skvaltkvarn)
The village of Grytsjö has the only remaining water mill in the Kultsjödalen valley. It is beautifully situated by the Lilla Grytsjön lake. There is a windbreak, large jetty with benches, a fireplace and a huge piece of slate that is used for baking traditional “flat bread”. The first person to apply for permission to build a mill in Grytsjö was Mats Matsson. He was issued a permit by the County Administrative Board in 1850. One summer’s day, the mill was destroyed by fire because it started running while unattended. The mill stones got so hot, they overheated and flying sparks set the mill on fire. In 1915, the mill was rebuilt and it was in use until the end of the 1940s. If you want a nice place to enjoy a picnic, this is the perfect spot! Just follow the sign from the Grytsjö road. GPS: E 1487536, N 7210992
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Satsfjället
Photo: Magnus Ström
From Saxnäs, you can drive on a narrow gravel road all the way up to the treeline on the Satsfjället mountain. This is where the 22kilometre trail to Borgafjäll starts. Alongside the trail, there is a cottage with a studio that the artist Folke Ricklund had built in the 1930s. The studio is private but is open for hikers. GPS: E 1474573, N 7204286
Lulevardo / Middagskullen A mere 20-minute walk from the church in Saxnäs will take you to Lulevardo or Middagskullen as the locals call it. This is a relatively easy hike. When you reach the top, you are rewarded by a fantastic view in natural, widescreen format. At midnight, Mother Nature will sometimes put on a spectacular show in the sky. Middagskullen is accessible in winter too, just five minutes away by snowmobile. GPS: E 1477437, N 7207615
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Saxnäs Church The first weekend in November in 1959, (All Saints’ Day festival), Bishop Ivar Hylander consecrated Saxnäs Church, the graveyard and the mortuary chapel which was built out of local slate stone. The wooden relief is made out of pine wood by Erik Eriksson, a local man from the village of Lövberg. He called it “Jesus’s sermon on the lake” and he made it in honour of his mother who was a midwife up here in the mountains in the days when there were no roads and the nearest doctor was in Åsele, almost 200 km away. The altar composition with six handmade candlesticks and a cross made out of tin was made and donated to the church by the first deacon in Saxnäs, Rickard Rodling.
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Photo: Sten Forsberg
The altarpiece was painted and donated to the church by artist Kalle Hedberg who was a frequent guest of Emma and Folke Ricklund. This turned out to be Kalle Hedberg’s last piece of work. He died shortly after finishing the painting but before being able to sign it. The textiles and the tin-embroidered chasubles were designed by curate Dan Dahlgren and embroidered and sewn by sisters Sanna and Syrene Wilks from the village of Grundfors. The navy blue vestment was woven by textile artist Birgit von Platen. The organ was a gift from the Saxnäs Church sewing circle. Initially, the church bell was a loan from Vilhelmina parish but in 1963 Saxnäs was able to purchase its own church bell after a collection organized by prost Artur Stjärnholm. The church bell is inscribed with: Gloria altissimo refugio suorum which means “The highest glory of his refuge”. The church bell is also inscribed with the words “Donated to Saxnäs Church in 1963”.
GPS: E 1477437, N 7207615
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Ricklundgården
Photo: Magnus Ström
Ricklundgården, the ”White House” of Saxnäs, is an artist home and museum built by Emma and Folke Ricklund in the 1940s, in the heart of magnificent mountain landscape. Ricklundgården has its own guide who will show you the house, its works of art and exciting architecture. The house is located in a large and attractive garden. Folke Ricklund was an artist who truly loved nature while Emma was a multi-skilled and purposeful woman who ran Saxnäsgården, at that time a small inn.
Ricklundgården turned into a cultural centre and many artists and other cultural figures came to stay as guests. Ricklundgården is a foundation with two guest studios that are visited by Swedish and foreign artists all the year round. It has Sweden’s largest collection of works by Kalle Hedberg, a well-known artist. The annual summer exhibition displays the work of the foundation’s scholarship artists.
We thoroughly recommend a guided tour! GPS: E 1478861, N 7207522
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Lisa Stämp´s cottage Take a look at Lisa Stämp´s cottage, situated on the slope just a stone´s throw from Ricklundgården. Walk down the sturdy stone steps and then enter a different era, a different world. The milieu is so authentic that you almost expect Lisa to be sitting there with her handicraft. Folke Ricklund designed the cottage entirely on the basis of Lisa´s size and needs. It comprises an entrance porch, a small kitchen, a room and an attic. Some of the materials and fittings were taken from Ricklundgården and Lisa had the same Lisa Stämp in her kitchen. Photo from Karin Fisk´s collection sort of fireplace that Emma had in her little room. The cottage has been carefully renovated. The wallpaper in the kitchen has been reprinted and the kitchen table and sofa are now back where they belong in the tiny kitchen. Lisa’s home was always open for relatives and friends who needed to stay the night or wait for transport.
Lisa Stämp’s cottage
Photo: Gerd Ulander
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Fatmomakke Church In 1884, the current church in Fatmomakke was consecrated. There have been a number of churches in Fatmomakke. In the early 1790s, a couple of Sami huts were used as a chapel and in 1830, the first church was built. It was located where the cemetery is today. Some of the church fittings like the pulpit and the church door were from the old church in Åsele. It was not unusual to ”recycle” church fittings in those days. The altarpiece was painted by a man called Meurk. He also painted a similar motif of Jesus in Dikanäs Church. The altarcloth edging and most of the other textiles are works of tin wire handicraft, sewn by sisters Sanna and Syrena Wilks from the neighbouring village of Grundfors. Syrena and her husband Andreas were two of the people who reintroduced tin wire techniques into Sami handicraft. The newer textiles, also with tin wire handiwork, have been sewn by Carina Skott who is from the same village of Grundfors. In the sacristy, there is an old copper cauldron which has a story of its own. It has been used as a coffee pot for church festivals, as a bucket for cleaning, and as a baptism font. GPS: E 1468581, N 7220625
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Fatmomakke church town Fatmomakke is a legendary and mythical meeting place with a long history. Facing the peak of Marsfjället, Fatmomakke is situated 120 km northwest of Vilhelmina where the Ransarån and Saxnån rivers converge and flow into the Kultsjön lake. Fatmomakke has been a meeting place for Sami people since at least the 18th century. People stopped here when they moved their reindeer in spring and autumn, between the pastures in the mountains and the forestland. Fatmomakke was easily accessible for most Sami families in the area.
Wedding in Fatmomakke
Photo: Lars Dalhstedt
The long distances in northern Sweden have contributed to a distinctive feature of cultural heritage – the church town. This is a group of buildings where people can stay overnight when they visit the church. Christian missionary work in Lapland increased after the Reformation when Sweden became Protestant and the State Church was established. A duty to attend church was introduced and church towns were built, like the one in Fatmomakke. There have been several churches here: the present one was built 1881– 1884. Every summer, there are three church festivals. The colonization of Lapland began back in the 17th century, when the State encouraged people to settle in northern Sweden. Settlers came to live in the area of Fatmomakke in 1820 and Fatmomakke church town became the natural meeting place for both Sami and new settlers.
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Fatmomakke today
Photo: Magnus Ström
Photo: Frida Gustafson Photo: Magnus Ström
About 80 Sami huts and 20 church cottages are gathered along the meandering footpaths around the church. Fatmomakke is still a vibrant church town, unlike many others in the north of Sweden. Descendents of the new settlers and the Sami who built the first huts and cottages still gather here for the three church festivals. Some buildings are open for visitors. When you visit ”Länsmanstugan”, (the County Sheriff’s Cottage), you will meet the clergyman and the county sheriff, two very respected persons in authority in Fatmomakke. There is a Visitors’ Centre where you can view the exhibition ”Att mötas i Fatmomakke” (Meeting in Fatmomakke). Lapp-Lisa’s prayer-hut, an exhibition Sami hut and the church are also open. Guided tours, coffee and refreshments are available from mid – June to the end of August. In summer, a number of events are organized here. In addition to the three church festivals, the church also hosts music cafés and cultural events. Every Sunday there is a church service. GPS: E 1468581, N 7220625
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Norgefarargården For the mountain farmers who were on their way to the trading places Kroken and Mosjön in Norway, this farm was a natural place to stop since it offered food and board for the farmers and a stable for their horses. In summer, Norgefarargården has a café that serves good-quality local products. It is renowned for its delicious waffles! In the stable, there is a farm shop selling handicraft, presents, products of nature, Arctic char, Arctic salmon trout, reindeer meat, cheese and marmelade. Children will enjoy the farm animals. GPS: E 1452571, N 7218103
Photo: Annica Hed
Photo: Magnus Ström
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Vielmesmakke
Photo: Marita Alatalo
Vielmesmakke is located in the wilderness outside Klimpfjäll. It is an old Sami dwelling where there used to be a Sami school for 7-9 year-olds. The teacher was Elsa Skott and the school consisted of three Sami huts, a school hut, living quarters for the teacher and a catering hut where the matron lived. The children often slept in the shed that is still there. They played in the forest and by the river where they would fish.
A visit to Vielmesmakke, 1934 … … / It’s an ordinary Sami hut but it has two windows. The children are sitting with crossed legs on the floor and when they do writing, arithmetic and drawing, they have a small wooden board to support their notebook and drawing pad on / … / The children have to walk for miles to the mountains out west. The teacher tells us that they have just come back from a long mountain hike that took four days. They have walked more than 40 miles and, among other things, visited two reindeer-separation sites / …
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The Sami dwelling Vielmesmakke is located southwest of Klimpfjäll, Vilhelmina municipality. The south Sami spelling is Vielmies mehkie. The dwelling is easy to reach. Two kilometres west of Klimpfjäll on the 1067 road, turn left towards the Soldalen holiday cottage area. Down by the Saxån river, there is a bridge that takes you to a hiking trail to Slipsiken and Raukasjö. In winter, this is a snowmobile trail. The locals call it the SGU road to Stekenjokk. After crossing the Saxån bridge, you walk up a gentle slope for about 1 kilometre to get to the dwelling which was restored in 2009. GPS: E 1449408, N 7216200
A Sami boy practises throwing a lasso. Schoolchildren washing up at the Vielmesmakke nomad school, 1941.
Photo: Nils Eriksson
Photo: Nils Eriksson
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Stekenjokk
Photo: Magnus Ström
This is an above-treeline mountain area with one of Sweden’s highest roads, Vildmarksvägen (the Wilderness Route). This area borders onto the Borgefjäll national park in Norway. There is copper, zinc and silver ore under the mountain plateau. This road was built during the period when there was mining going on here. The mine was closed in 1988. Today, this is one of Sweden’s most beautiful tourist routes. The road reaches its highest point, 876 metres above sea level, at the province and county border to Jämtland. The road goes over bare mountains and offers magnificent views. It is a perfect starting point for hikes, fishing trips and ski-ing. You can find patches of snow here well into the summer. The road is kept open from June until October. The Wilderness Route continues down into the county of Jämtland where you can visit the Bjurälven nature reserve, the Gausta waterfall and coral caves.
Read more in the Wilderness Route brochure and remember to pick up a hiking map of the Vilhelmina area. GPS: E 1436690, N 7221426
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