Discover Brunskog: Culture, Literature and Nature

Brunskog combines a six-day cultural week, literary connections to Gustaf Fröding and several opportunities for hiking. When planning your trip, it is worth deciding on your main focus first: would you like to experience historic crafts and regional food, learn about Fröding’s life and work, or spend time on hiking trails? These interests offer different reasons to visit and can help you choose a suitable period to look for a hotel in Brunskog.

Culture, Crafts and Fröding’s Footsteps

Gammelvala is a six-day cultural week in Brunskog. There, you can experience the sounds and smells of the self-sufficient way of life of the past. Historical techniques on display include carding and spinning wool, processing linen, baking tunnbröd, natural dyeing and butter-making. Visitors can also sample traditional home cooking, the Värmland speciality nävgröt med fläsk and the local delicacy klengås. Demonstrations of old working techniques are thus paired with regional and local food.

The Frödingspelet tells the story of Gustaf Fröding’s time with his sister Matilda at Slorudsborg in Brunskog and is set around 1890. It is performed only during Gammelvala week. If the play is part of your reason for visiting, check the current programme before setting your dates.

Brunskog Church also offers a variety of reasons to visit: services, masses, concerts, choral events and even dancing are held here. Check the current church programme if you would like to plan your visit around an event. The church is also a literary landmark: Gustaf Fröding celebrates it in his poem Vackert väder. It was rebuilt within its preserved stone walls and inaugurated on 19 January 1975.

Slorudsborg is another place connected with Fröding: it was his home, where his sister Matilda lived. Many of his poems were inspired by visits to Brunskog and Mangskog and walks between the two places. Brunskog’s local heritage centre, Brunskogs Hembygdsgård, preserves and interprets the area’s cultural heritage. For special events, it is best to check the applicable admission requirements in advance. The grounds are also home to Vildhjärtas Pinnreservat, a permanent exhibition of stick figures from the work of Maria Vildhjärta Westerberg.

Hiking Trails and Outdoor Excursions

The Skutboudden nature and culture trail is 2.3 kilometres long, marked in orange and starts at Soldatentorpet. It passes through varied natural surroundings with diverse and, in some places, rare vegetation. Small traces of the past along the trail bear witness to earlier times. In summer, you can stop for a fika at Drängstugans kaffeservering on Skutboudden. As the café is seasonal, check current opening information before your visit.

Hiking trails run between Brunskog and Edane. You can start your hike at Vandrarhemmet Bergamon in Brunskog or on Mangskogsvägen in Edane. The trail between the two places crosses varied terrain, following paths and passing through woodland, before reaching Prästtjärnet, where it offers lovely views over the lake. Bus route 115 runs to the north-eastern side of Brunskogsfjället; Edane has train and bus connections. Check current timetables before travelling.

Paddling is another way to explore the area. You can paddle around the islands in the 35-kilometre Värmeln lake system. There are few buildings there and plenty of places to camp. Sandvikengården offers transfers tailored to your chosen starting point for canoe trips.

Discover more destinations: Bråten, Brunskog, Skoghall, Sunne, Kil, Långserud, Munkfors, Storfors.

For the main travel overview: Värmland.