Bergaliv in Hälsingland
Hälsingland is one of Sweden´s most scenic and traditional provinces. Bergaliv is located in the very middle of Hälsingland. Here, on the Åsberget Mountain by Orbaden, Vallsta, in the Ljusnan River Valley, we offer the scenery of Hälsingland´s cultural landscape, including its arable and pasture land, farms, water, forests, mountains and valleys.
In Bergaliv´s Loft House you can let the surrounding nature and the wide views soothe your mind. But you can also take the opportunity for trips and excursions to make yourself familiar with our wonderful province.
Hälsingland
Take a look at Hälsingland. This link takes you to an overview of what´s on in Hälsingland right now. Let us, however, give you some suggestions about a few own favourite spots nearby.
Culture
One of the characteristics for Hälsingland is the unique presence of wooden houses with interior rooms and halls painted and decorated for weddings and festivities. More than 1000 farms and about 400 decorated rooms are still preserved in the province. The flax, the forests, the cattle and the trade are generally emphasized as sources of wealth in Hälsingland´s history, and the farms with their wooden little ´palaces´ are still illustrating ancient times of healthy peasant culture. UNESCO has appointed seven selected decorated farm houses a World Heritage Site, i.e. an environment that is entirely unique in the world and is thereby of significance for all humanity. Here you can read more about Hälsingland´s decorated farm houses.
One of the seven world heritage farm houses, Gästgivars is located within walking distance from Åsberget and visible in the view from the Bergaliv Loft House. The interior of Gästgivars is decorated by Jonas Wallström, one of the most famous and trendsetting painters, born here in Vallsta and active within vast areas of Hälsingland during the 19th century.
In Järvsö, 25 kilometres north Orbaden, you will find many of Hälsingland´s main attractions. One of them is Stenegård. Here, during the late 19th century, the pharmacist Julius Brun cultivated the estate of Stenegård in addition with a pharmacy and a medical centre. This was the basis for what can be seen here today: A craft centre with activities like silversmith´s work, art metal work, glasswork, shops, bakery, playground and gardens.
The towels in the Loft House are from Växbo Lin, a linen factory and a living industrial memory with successful production and sales of linen products in the little village of Växbo, 22 kilometres south east from Orbaden: /. During 2019, Växbo Lin was awarded the Swedish Industrial Memory of the Year. The flax cultivation and the linen production have long historical traditions in Hälsingland and in Växbo you can discover revival as well as renewal in the linen tradition. Here you can also find Trolldalen, a picturesque valley with timber houses and old linen production works as well as a forge, a pottery, a bakery, small shops and a genuine mill-pound environment:
Nature
The Åsberget Mountain and its surrounding offer good examples of our beautiful landscape. The river Ljusnan, 443 kilometres in length, crosses Hälsingland to the Gulf of Bothnia and renders the landscape much of its character, not least by the fertile agricultural land, shaped on both sides of the river from millennia of elevation of the land and humans´ assiduous cultivation. On the Åsberget Mountain, the botanists can discover their Eldorado among herbs and orchids in company with mushrooms, wild raspberries, lingonberries and blueberries. With some luck, above the house you will catch a sight of the sea eagles breeding nearby. And in springtime you can listen to the blackcock´s calls and the singing from the tree pipit, the chaffinch, the robin, the jay, the black woodpecker, the kestrel, and many more. In the winter, for sure you will find traces from elk, roe deer, fox or rabbit in the surroundings,
Hiking
Depending on your physical fitness and ambitions, you will be able to hike up or down the mountain within a space of time between half an hour and two hours. If you like daily excursions, you can follow the tracks to Simeå or Hosarbo. But further, longer hiking trails are connected to Åsberget and Bergaliv. The most famous ones are Hälsingeleden and Helgonleden. Hälsingeleden starts out from the province border and ends in the village Harsa. Helgonleden is a 600 kilometres long pilgrim trail across the Scandinavian peninsula connecting the medieval cathedral cities Uppsala and Trondheim.
Bathing
Straight below the mountain, close to the spa hotel were guests check in to Bergaliv, you find the beach of Orbaden with white sand and crystal-clear water. In popular parlance it is called the Riviera of Hälsingland.
Biking
Järvsö Bergscykel Park, 25 kilometres north Orbaden, is a down-hill biking park with lifts. There are biking tracks of all degrees – from the easiest to more advanced. You can use your own bike or rent a down-hill bike with complete safety equipment.
But Orbaden as well as Järvsö, like areas in between, also welcome you to more traditional biking for all ages on trails and gravel roads. You will find recommendations and maps in the tourist offices in Bollnäs and Järvsö.
Skiing
On the downside slope of the mountain, there is a n illuminated skiing track and in wintertime, the local ski club, Vallsta SK, performs tracking for many miles of skiing in the surroundings. Järvsöbacken, 25 kilometres north Orbaden, is one of Sweden´s most popular skiing centres with 20 pistes and 8 lifts.
Adventure
By the foot of the mountain, you will find the entrance to the Adventure Park Orbaden Zip & Climb. Here you can climb or try Sweden´s fastest tandem-zipline as well as exciting adventure packages of different kinds. Would you prefer a smooth tour on the River Ljusnan? Take a contact with Arbrå Kyrkbåtsroddare.
Food and Beverage
The brewery by the foot of the mountain, Organic Smash Brewery produces 100 % organic beer that you can order in advance to be served in the Loft House. A local restaurant that we recommend with particular sincerity is Orbaden Spa & Resort, and a lovely local café is konditori Collini in Gästgivars. In Växbo you will have delicious food in Växbo Krog, and if you visit Järvsö, we would like to recommend, among many excellent places, Restaurant Eftertanke on the top of the Öjeberget Mountain and Järvsö Crêperie down in the village.
Flea markets and antiquities
Here and there along the roads and in towns and villages you will find flea markets, antique shops and craft boutiques. And don´t forget to look in the local newspaper, Ljusnan, for the summer´s popular auctions!
