I’ve spent the past few summers driving and hiking around Härjedalen and Jämtland, the southern part of the Swedish mountain range (fjällen). Perhaps lesser known than Lappland, it is full of wild nature, mountain peaks, waterfalls, wild orchids, reindeer – and solitude.

I have been travelling up and down these counties, breathing the free air, doing day hikes and taking pictures. All of the following places are accessible by day hike from a car road, yet I was alone at every place. Some days I’ve walked for hours without meeting another person, and mostly had the road to myself as well. Most visitors come for winter skiing, but I say summer is the best time for visiting Härjedalen and Jämtland.

Helags

Lunndörren

Sonfjället

Wild orchid at Fallmoran shieling (fäbod)

Sonfjället above the clouds

Helags

Lappspira (Pedicularis lapponica) at Hamrafjället

Reindeer calf at the top of Hamrafjället

Rhodiola rosea (arctic root, rosenrot) at the foot of Helags

Flatruet: stone age rock paintings, about 4000-6000 years old

Reindeer on the road to Funäsdalen

Djävulshålet (devil’s hole) near Ljungdalen and Tossåsen

Helags

Fettjeåfallet, between Vemdalen and Klövsjö

Above Lillråndafallet

View from Skorvdalsfjället, Vemdalen (Sonfjället at the horizon to the right)

Kvarnbäcksfallet, Ljungdalen

Reindeer on the path to Helags

Wild orchid at the foot of Hamrafjället

Half of Fettjeåfallet, between Vemdalen and Klövsjö

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