Ljusdal – Nature, Culture and Trails

A prominent cultural site is Fågelsjö Gammelgård, also known as Bortom Åa: it is one of the seven Hälsingland farmsteads that were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 1 July 2012. Fågelsjö is located in the border area between Hälsingland, Dalarna and Härjedalen.

Culture and History

Fågelsjö Gammelgård offers guided tours of the preserved historic buildings. These include the old gunsmith's workshop, the servants' quarters and the storehouse with its seven locks. Loos Koboltgruva also appeals to visitors with its history: the working-life museum offers various types of guided tours throughout the year. The two wings of the mine building also house a historical exhibition and a mineral collection.

Stenegård is a historic farm where culture, gardens, food and people come together, offering experiences, events and creative activities all year round. The programme includes seasonal historical tours and garden tours, as well as guided tours for groups that can be booked year-round. At Stenegård, the Lill-Babs Museum provides a vivid insight into Lill-Babs' life's work through texts, pictures and objects.

Ljusdalsbygdens Museum presents a broad exhibition programme with a strong educational focus. The museum includes a weaving room and Slöjdverkstan, an educational handicrafts programme for children and young people. Numerous public artworks can be found in Ljusdal's townscape. Murals in the area around Bagargränd put the town on the street-art map; there are also numerous public artworks in the Slotteområdet area and the Gärdeåsen residential district.

Enåsengruvan is a historic gold mine filled with water and bears witness to the region's rich mining history.

Nature and River Landscapes

Hamra National Park lies in a gently rolling primeval landscape with low mountains and covers 1,383 hectares of forest, marshland and waterways. The Hamraleden trail passes through varied nature throughout Hamra National Park; the hike takes approximately six hours. In the national park, the main entrance, Myrentrén and Svartåentrén are accessible to people with disabilities.

At Vildriket, a wooden boardwalk leads through a natural forest landscape. Vildriket is just under one kilometre away on foot from Järvsö railway station.

Mellanljusnan Nature Reserve encompasses a 24-kilometre-long, undeveloped section of the Ljusnan River between Laforsen and Korskrogen, as well as adjacent forest areas. It features free-flowing rapids, landforms shaped by the river and the inland ice, and rich flora and fauna. Marked hiking trails run along both sides of the river; there are also picnic areas and shelters.

Mellanljusnan has six access points with information boards, parking areas, picnic areas, a campsite and shelters. Flottarstigen runs from Färila to Laforsen along the southern shore of the Ljusnan, coincides with Helgonleden and passes mostly through Mellanljusnan Nature Reserve. Near Hoppströmmen, there is a wooden boardwalk along this trail that is also suitable for wheelchair users.

Hiking, Cycling and Winter Trails

Helgonleden is a pilgrim trail from Uppland towards Nidaros, present-day Trondheim, and follows the southern shore of the Ljusnan from Färila onwards. In the Ramsjö area, a hiking trail is approximately 12 kilometres long and has two entrances with parking. The different trail lengths and the approximately six-hour hike in Hamra National Park provide various time options for personal planning.

From the car park at Järvsöklack Nature Reserve, a 1,350-metre-long trail leads to the summit, with 200 metres of elevation gain. Järvsöklack offers extensive views over the Ljusnan valley.

For mountain biking, Cykla Järvsö offers more than 30 kilometres of safe, sustainably designed trails in the forest, as well as a total of 42 trails for different experience levels. In snow-reliable Harsa, there are up to 85 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails when the entire trail system is open.

Getting Your Bearings Locally

The municipal tourist information centre provides information for the entire municipality of Ljusdal year-round and is located in the old railway station building in Järvsö. Naturekartan can be used to find nature reserves, hiking trails, cycling routes and national parks in Ljusdal Municipality.

The immediate local subdivisions include Ljusdal, Hamra, Järvsö, Korskrogen and Färila. Other places at the same higher administrative level are Ovanåker, Söderhamn and Hofors.

For the overview of the higher-level travel region: Gävleborg.