Explore Central Sweden
Stretching from just north of Sveg to the border with Lapland, a distance of around 250km, the province of JÄMTLAND is centred round one of Sweden’s greatest lakes, Storsjön, and its associated watercourses. Altogether more pastoral than its wilder and more mountainous neighbour to the south, Härjedalen, it was the plentiful supply of fish from the lake coupled with successful cultivation of the rich lands around its shores that enabled the region’s first settlers to eke out an existence so far north – Stockholm, for example, is 550km to the south. Although the province can trace its history back to the early Iron Age, Jämtland has only been Swedish since 1645, before which it was part of Norway. The people here have a strong sense of regional identity and, in recent years, have even called (albeit rather half-heartedly) for independence from Sweden. Spend any length of time here and you’ll soon encounter the tremendous pride the locals have in their villages, forests and lakes.
Approaching from the south, it’s the cross-country skiing centre of Åsarna that you’ll reach first. Just beyond here, Hackås is the location for the wildly entertaining Årets Näck competition, which sees a group of naked male fiddle-players compete for the prestigious title. The most enjoyable town in the province is the provincial capital of Östersund, situated on Storsjön lake, whose murky waters reputedly hide Sweden’s own version of the Loch Ness monster. West of Östersund, Åre is Sweden’s most popular ski destination for foreign tourists, whilst nearby Storlien has some great summer hiking right on its doorstep.
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Nude male fiddlers: Årets Näck
Nude male fiddlers: Årets Näck
One of the most intriguing and quintessentially Swedish events you’ll witness takes place in Hackås, just 35km north of Åsarna, on the second Thursday in July. The Årets Näck competition (w näck.nu) features a succession of naked male fiddle players, who compete for the prestigious title by sitting in the unflatteringly chilly waters of the local river to play their instruments. The roots of this eye-opening spectacle of public nudity are to be found in the mists of Swedish folklore where the näck, a long-haired, bearded, naked water sprite, would sit by a river rapid or waterfall and play his fiddle so hauntingly that women and children from miles around would be lured to him, only to drown in his watery home. The event begins around 9pm on the island of Gaveriholmen near Strömbacka mill; Hackås is on the Inlandsbanan and is served by buses to and from Östersund.
