Discover Ovanåker: Church, Pilgrim Trail and Voxnan

Ovanåker offers several starting points for a trip: the architectural and furnishing history of Ovanåker Church, as well as paths and waterways within the municipality. Depending on the purpose of your trip, you can focus on church art, a pilgrimage route, or activities on land and water.

Ovanåker Church: construction and furnishings

Ovanåker Church was built of stone from 1744 to 1753, roughly on the site of an earlier wooden church. At the altar is a relief by Carl Johan Dyfverman from 1890: it depicts Jesus on the cross with Jerusalem in the background. The relief was created considerably later than the stone building, adding a distinct historical layer.

The organ also has several historical layers. Jonas Wengström built it in 1845. The original organ mechanism was later replaced, while the current façade is still Wengström’s work. The organ therefore has two distinct parts: the original mechanism, which was later replaced, and the preserved façade. Chronologically, the church building came first, followed by the organ and finally the altar relief.

The Hoppet Pilgrim Trail

The Hoppet pilgrim trail is approximately 7 km long and follows Gamla Landsvägen from S:t Olofs Chapel to Ovanåker Church. The seventh and final trail marker stands at the church. Motor vehicle traffic is prohibited on Gamla Landsvägen; walking and cycling are possible.

An account from 2023 describes a pilgrimage along the old country road between Edsbyn and Ovanåker. During the walk, conversations focused on the Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve; participants described Gamla Landsvägen as Sweden’s most beautiful road.

From the trail junction near the endpoint, bus 100 can be taken back towards Edsbyn or Söderhamn. Check the current timetable before your return journey, as transport information may change.

Cycling, canoeing and fishing

In the municipality of Ovanåker, a 6 km MTB trail starts at the Kygelvallen recreation area. When choosing between the routes, you can consider their lengths and activities together: the Hoppet pilgrim trail is about 7 km long, while the MTB trail is 6 km; Hoppet also runs from the chapel to the church, while Kygelvallen is the starting point for the MTB trail.

The 250 km of canoe routes along the Voxnan within the municipality range from rapids to calm stretches, offering a variety of water conditions. The municipality also has fishing waters with pike, perch and whitefish, as well as waters with self-sustaining populations of trout, char, whitefish and grayling.

The Voxnan has meanders in the landscape—that is, bends in the river. The term describes the river’s winding course. Meanders therefore describe the shape of the river, while rapids and calm stretches characterize the range of canoe routes.

Discover more destinations: Svabensverk, Edsbyn, Voxnabruk, Viksjöfors, Alfta.

Back to the main travel overview: Ovanåker.