Understanding friluftsliv: The love of being outdoors in Sweden
The Swedish love being in the outdoors so much they’ve invented a word for the concept. But when that outdoors is as enchanting as the southern Omberg region, it’s really no surprise…
“In Sweden we like a lot of space. We need space,” said Linda as we sat around the fire she had just built and started brewing coffee. She’d been explaining the concept of friluftsliv, a word not easy to translate but essentially meaning a love of being outdoors and connecting with nature. And here we were, in a small clearing within an old beech forest, with only the chatter of birds as a soundtrack.
I was with a small group on a five-day itinerary exploring the area around Omberg in southern central Sweden. Our guide, Linda Staaf, owns a local company called Woods & Water, which specialises in guided tours by foot, bike or kayak.
Self-possessed, softly spoken and passionate about sustainability, Linda had us all hanging on her every word within minutes of meeting her; I wasn’t the only one thinking, I wish I could be like Linda when I grow up. The fact she had just effortlessly made a fire with a flint and some birch bark, and was now passing around delicious cinnamon buns only enhanced the feeling.
“And this is our first fika together,” Linda went on to explain. “Every day in Sweden we stop for a break and have a sweet snack and a coffee. But it’s more than that; it’s important culturally. You don’t do it on your own. Offices and schools break for it, or you go out together with friends for it. It’s a chance to slow down and exchange ideas.”
We were in the Omberg Ecopark, a forested reserve on the eastern shore of Vättern, one of Europe’s largest lakes. The trees here are mostly deciduous – beech and oak – and it is one of the most diverse and species-rich habitats in Sweden. At the heart of the park is Omberg mountain, a peak associated with a number of legends.
We followed a narrow trail, passing vivid carpets of moss, while Linda brought the forest to life for us as she pointed out a variety of plants. “This is known as the Flowering Ark because of the rare and protected species,” she explained. “A lot of areas are too steep to be accessible to people and so that is good for the animals and plants.”
As we turned towards the lake we could hear crashing waves, as if by the ocean. We emerged by an overlook, a steep slope plunging to the water, to feel a strong wind buffeting our faces. The lake stretched away to the horizon in front of us, even more immense than I had imagined. Linda told tales from centuries past of cattle rustling via the lake, of wolves and lynx, and of when this was a hunting reserve for the king.
Omberg’s woodland is one of the most biodiverse spots in Sweden (Annika Müller)
The Omberg area has a long history of human habitation; remains dating back 3,000 years have been found. But, returning into the woods, Linda moved on from Vikings, monks and medieval kings to reveal that Omberg is best known for a very
different character.
“We have our own being, half human, half owl, called Omma,” she said. “Some say she’s a myth but there may well have been a real-life Omma way back. People worshipped her even when Christianity came. And Omberg was considered a holy mountain”
There are many stories about Omma. One tells that a giant was so obsessed with her that he took her captive in a cave. She transformed herself into fog and escaped. The giant chased her and fell, creating nearby Lake Tåkern. “The word ‘ama’ means fog, so Omberg is Fog Mountain.”
Even today Omberg is considered to be a female mountain, and a very spiritual place. “I spend a lot of time on my own here,” said Linda. “For me there is some sort of presence here. A feeling.”
Having lunch in a café later, Linda’s comments were born out by our host. “There seems to be lots of strong women here in Omberg. It’s something about the mountain,” she said. “It’s common for women to run businesses here.”
While Omberg had a magical quality, that afternoon I entered another enchanted forest. We were staying at Urnatur, a farm whose name means ‘ancient nature’. We pulled up by a long building overlooking a lake and then walked ten minutes along a track past fields of grazing sheep and horses, the pastures enclosed by traditional fences made of spruce and juniper.
Done responsibly, relaxing around an open fire is a popular way to enjoy nature and practise friluftsliv (Annika Müller)
Särtshöga Vingård produces excellent sparkling wine from its Solaris grapes (Annika Müller)
The track entered a woodland, where hobbit-like cabins nestled among the trees, each one unique and beautiful. Above us we could see walkways and some treehouses peeping out of the leaf-laden canopy. There was no electricity, no internet coverage, just “the luxury of simplicity” as the owners of Urnatur describe it. I was lucky to be allocated the Big Raven Nest, a treehouse anchored in ten pines. Stairs and a footbridge led up to a large and light-filled room, its many windows overlooking the forest anda pond. The bed was big and inviting, and a woodburning stove sat in one corner. It was oh-so tempting to just kick off my boots and stay there, shutting out the modern world.
But, as dusk fell, it was time to head back to the lakeshore and set about making dinner. Urnatur offers an outside kitchen for guests to use, and it was well stocked with a selection of tempting organic local produce. Jars were filled with herbs and spices, grains and legumes, and there were a couple of suggested recipes to follow.
We marvelled at the huge brandywine tomatoes, the size of apples, and tucked into small indigo rose tomatoes as we prepared chard and cheese fritters with minty yoghurt, a mixed vegetable stew and rice. One of the group proved adept at
lighting the fire we were to cook over and, even more importantly, at keeping it going, as we willed the rice to come to the boil, and took it in turns to stir the stew and duck the smoke if it blew our way.
Savouring the results, washed down with glasses of wine, we all agreed that nothing beats food cooked and eaten over a fire. Well sated, I headed back to Big Raven to sleep. Once inside, all was quiet. I lit a kerosene lamp, which swayed with the movement of the treehouse, and fell asleep quickly. But throughout the night I stirred occasionally to a gentle creaking, like being on board an old wooden schooner. It was as soothing as a lullaby.
I woke to a soft dappled light streaming through the windows and stepped out onto the balcony to breathe in the scents of the forest. A gentle breeze was rustling through the leaves and the only sounds were of that and of birdsong.My clothes from the night before smelled of wood smoke and pine. I descended to the forest floor and strolled through the woodland, feet crunching the twigs and leaves. I was making too much noise to creep up on any wildlife, but did spot the rump of a deer as it raced out of view.
Over breakfast at the main building, I asked owners Ulrika and Håkan about Urnatur. “We never made a plan for this!” said Håkan. “I’m a forester, Ulrika is a biologist. We bought the farm and the original idea was to be as self-sufficient as possible. But I know bushcraft and it became popular here for team building. Companies came but not everyone wanted to build a shelter. They needed somewhere to sleep, so we built the cabins. It’s a crazy project.”
Alvastra Monastery was founded in 1143 by Cistercian monks invited by King Sverker the Elder and Queen Ulvhild (Annika Müller)
Lake Tåkern is one of Europe’s most important bird reserves (Annika Müller)
While team building is still an option, many people just come for a break. “The idea is that it should be a holistic thing,” Ulrika chipped in. “Nature connects everything. We have the world’s best guests… they are always positive and very rewarding. We’re trying to be an example of what good ecotourism can be.”
If Urnatur was slightly quirky then our next stop was a complete surprise. You may not associate Sweden with wine, but long hours of daylight in summer plus global warming have led to an increase in producers here. Särtshöga Vineyard makes sparkling wine from Solaris grapes, which are especially developed for cool climates. Its guest rooms made an unexpected but delightful stop.
Our final hotel proved charmingly different again. The Ombergs Turisthotell sits on a hill looking over farmland and forest to Lake Vättern. The building dates back to 1914 and the current owners have carefully restored its period feel.
While it has modern (geothermal) heating and is known for its excellent cuisine, the bedrooms do not have en suite facilities. Padding down the corridor in my pyjamas at 2am, I felt as if I was back in the 1930s – an experience magnified when I passed a bearded gentleman in a striped dressing gown coming the other way.
The combination of the huge size of Lake Vättern and the Omberg Ecopark’s small but steep cliffs give an oceanside feel to the reserve (Annika Müller)
From the hotel we could walk to the ruins of Alvastra Monastery, founded by Cistercian monks in the 12th century. We could hike to Omberg mountain or visit the beautiful house of author Ellen Key. We visited the birdwatching mecca of Lake Tåkern, one of northern Europe’s most important lakes for migrating birds. And we got our history fix exploring the castle and abbey of the village of Vadstena, overlooking Lake Vättern.
But there could only be one way to finish the trip. We had to fika of course. As we squashed around the only available table in a popular cafe spread over several rooms of a characterfulbuilding, we procrastinated over the wide choice of decidedly decadent pastries. The conversation then inevitably turned to the highlights of the previous few days. The fika habit was one we had fully embraced and it had been a joy to learn about many aspects of Swedish culture. And there were the lakes, the historical sites, the myths and the storytelling.
But all of us had a wistful urge to be back in the woods. Listening to the rustle of the branches in the breeze. Breathing in the scents of damp earth, pine needles, tree bark and fallen leaves. Our clothes smelling of wood smoke. Yes, we now understood friluftsliv.
Need to know
Getting there
The Omberg area is situated in Östergötland County, between Stockholm and Gothenburg, approximately two hours from each. The nearest railway station is Mjolby. The highly recommended Woods & Water offers guided day and multi-day trips in the region.
Where to stay & eat
Step back in time at this charming hotel known for its excellent cuisine.
Stay in the quirky treehouses or cabins and kayak, hike or simply relax. Breakfast is included, other meals are self-catering with vegetables provided; lamb from the farm or fresh fish can be ordered at an extra cost. Minimum two-night stay.
Comfortable B&B accommodation tucked within a working vineyard. Its restaurant offers delicious wood-fired pizzas.
Sweden’s oldest hostel with a range of accommodation and an excellent cafe.
