Day 92 – to Kynnefjälls Nature Reserve

Tresticklan National Park was established in 1996 to help preserve the ancient forest landscape of the valley, while ensuring visitors were monitored and controlled, for example, biking and horse riding are not allowed within the park. It’s west side borders Norway. Part of its ancient forest, which dates back to before the Stone Age, burned in a major fire in 1930, so another reason for it being elevated to National Park status was to assist in its repair.

There is evidence of Stone Age communities around Boksjön lake, next to which I had stayed the night, and from where we began a hike this morning.

The mist of yesterday afternoon lowered a few metres overnight. Rain was forecast, but it was a moist sort of day anyway. I had planned an 11 kilometre circuit, but cut that short when I found myself well into a large marsh area. I skirted around its edge, and found an alternative route back.

I’d met nobody all day until just before getting back to the car park. Two women about my age were taking a jog around the lake as their lunch break. Both work online from home, and were so taken by Roja they had to stop their Strava watches and take a minute. They were more than surprised to see me, as they it’s very rare to get any visitors at this time of year, in fact there’s only a few in season. They told me they rarely get snow here any more. It sounds more like a Cumbria climate, perhaps without the big winds off the ocean.

The rain came as expected, and was heavy for much of the afternoon. I drove a half hour south on a small road to get to Kynnefjälls Nature Reserve which I’ll investigate more tomorrow. This area, Dals-Ed in northwestern Dalsland would be tremendous to ride a bicycle through. There are plenty of old tracks and small roads, with very little traffic, and gentle rolling hills.