Åre Things to Do

This is certainly the smallest church I have been in and it is marvellous. Decorated in Jämtland style and with a belfry to match it, you enter by using the key hanging outside. It has stood here for centuries and must have seen many of the pilgrims on their way to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim since Åre is along the "Pilgrim Way".

If you have somewhat sensible shoes, consider the trek to the top of the mountain. You will be rewarded with great views and unique souvenirs. From the cable car station, it took us an hour up and 30 minutes down and that was with a four-year-old. She loved climbing the bedrock and lose rocks up there and slept well that night! Great family activity in decent weather. See my travelogue for inspiration.

We never made it to this area (you really need a car) but it is a plan for the future. We could see the lake from the top of Åreskutan and know that the area is picturesque with farmland to the backdrop of Åreskutan and with things like an old mine to see.

Not as dramatic as Tännforsen but a 14 metre waterfall with forces is still a nice sight and this is so much more accessible, signposted from E14 road from where it is only a few hundred metres. There is even a campsite if the falls captivate you :-) and you can go canoeing in the rapids, although you'd better ask at the campsite so it's still there if you are keen on that. If you haven't got your own car, that's fine as you can take the Järpen to Åre bus and get off at "Hålland E14" from where it's only a short-ish walk. That's how we ended up seeing it since the bus driver told us it was nicer than waiting for our connecting bus in Järpen!

The greatest mountain ranges in Jämtland, just along the Norwegian border. Snasahögarna can be seen from the train and sort of lures you off the train and into the highlands. You can get off at several of the stops after Åre village and stay at STF fell stations like Storulvån, Blåhammaren or Storlien and walk around as daytrips or from station/cabin to station/cabin. Definately something I want to do as I was THAT close to jumping off the train when I first saw Snasahögarna and would have done if I wouldn't have had my little daughter with me. We'll be back when she can do proper daytrips!

Sweden's only Alpine cable car (the others are all ski lifts up mountains) was built by the Swiss and I am very grateful since it has twice in my life taken me 1200 metres up the Åreskutan with great views and a restaurant at its station. Åreskutan is a mountain which is well known in Sweden and which is easily recognised in the area as it sort of stands on its own and not in a chain of fells. "Skutan" means "the ship" and it has got its name as it looks like a ship turned upside down. Wintertime people take it to ski down and summertime it is used by people wanting to access a high fell, and by brave cross country bikers going up and down all day! A return costs SEK 100 and there are also day passes available. They start running around 10.00 and the last one down is at 17.00 summertime. Should you want to get up to the summit, you have to walk and climb the rest of the way. All in all you are then 1420 metres up, where you are rewarded with a fabulous view across to the Norwegian fells and also a cup of tea, exclusive postcard or whatever else you might want from the top cabin. Bring binoculars to see grazing reindeer on distant fells in summer. I will soon make a travelogue about the climb to the summit :-) If cable cars aren't your cup of tea, you CAN walk up Åreskutan. Several walks are signposted from the village and it is a 6 km. walk. Many people combine the two and cable up to walk down.