Gysinge: Ironworks and River Landscape
Accommodation in Gysinge
Explore Gysinge from two perspectives: the history of Gysinge Bruk and the river landscapes of the nature reserve and nearby Färnebofjärden National Park. If you’re planning a stay, you can choose between industrial heritage, nature and active days outdoors.
File:Gysinge Centrum för Byggnadsvård.jpg
Photo: Hannes Granberg via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-4.0
From Vallonbruk to Industrial History
Gysinge Bruk is a well-preserved Vallonbruk ironworks with origins in the 17th century. In the 19th century, it was one of Sweden’s leading ironworks. Another milestone followed in 1900: Gysinge was the first place in the world where steel was produced using electricity. These dates help put the history of the area into context over several centuries, rather than reducing its industrial history to a single event.
Other buildings and sites also highlight the area’s history. Orangeriet is a greenhouse building dating from 1790. Granön is a park established in 1876, with fine broadleaf trees. Naturum Färnebofjärden is housed in a stable building dating from 1814 and is located at Gysinge Bruk, close to Färnebofjärden National Park.
Gysinge Centrum för byggnadsvård was founded in 1990. Here, demonstration buildings, exhibitions, advice and building conservation materials come together in one place. This adds the subject of how buildings are preserved and maintained to the story of the historic ironworks.
Nature Reserve and River Landscape
Gysinge Nature Reserve covers 463 hectares. Its habitats include broadleaf forests and river meadows, which are rare elsewhere in the county. Close to Gysinge Bruk, Färnebofjärden National Park preserves an unspoilt river landscape with forests, wetlands, swamp forests, lakes and waterways. These two descriptions offer different points of interest for anyone particularly interested in river nature and habitats.
Gysingeforsarna comprises fish-rich rapids and flowing waters around Gysinge Bruk. Granön also has a nature park with a nature trail. These details add other aspects of nature to the forests and meadows, without conflating the different areas into a single type of landscape.
Hiking and Getting Around
The long-distance Gästrikeleden trail passes through Gysinge on the section between Hedesunda and Österfärnebo. Naturum Färnebofjärden offers activities throughout the year; individual activities may vary. Alongside the industrial history, the hiking trail and visitor centre offer different points of interest for planning your trip.
Buses operated by X-trafik Gävleborg serve Gysinge. From the Brukshandeln bus stop, it is a 500-metre walk to the Naturum Färnebofjärden visitor centre. Check current timetables before travelling, as public transport services may change.
Seasonal Cuisine
The restaurant at Gysinge Herrgård offers modern interpretations of home-style cooking made with ingredients from local producers in the surrounding area. The menu is updated to reflect the season. If you’re planning your meal around a particular dish, you can ask about the current menu in advance.
Discover more destinations: Årsunda, Hammarby, Storvik, Sandviken, Kungsgården, Österfärnebo, Järbo.
Back to the main travel overview: Sandviken.
