Glaskogen shows its best side

We really do live in a fantastic country, not least when it comes to our beautiful nature. One of the main reasons for this is that the government has been actively working for a long time to preserve areas in nature reserves. The creation of reserves began as early as the Middle Ages but was originally mainly a way for landowners to protect their right to hunt. It was only in the 19th century that the state started using it as a way to protect nature and biodiversity. At the end of 2019, there were over five thousand reserves in Sweden with a total area of almost five million hectares. Of the total area, approximately 75% is in the mountains.

As regards Glass boilers nature reserve, it is Värmland's largest reserve with an area of 35000 hectares. It is a scenic area largely due to the many watercourses, which also makes it a popular destination for canoeists. The largest watercourses are Stora Gla and Övre Gla, which run through large parts of the reserve. Incidentally, it is these lakes that give the reserve its name rather than the glass production that took place here until the late 1930s.

In the centre Glass Forest is Lenungshammar, a small village with good parking, camping and café. The campsite is of the slightly simpler kind where the focus is on nature experience rather than entertainment and activities. Café Carl However, the village has been revitalised and now offers both good food and Italian ice cream. Around the village stretches Glaskogen with a total of over 30 miles of well-kept trails. There is no charge to use the trails, but if you want to benefit the foundation that manages the reserve or use the facilities, you should still buy the very affordable Glaskog card.

So why are we here? For several years I had been thinking about how to sell this tent and wilderness to my wife, but guess what, I was a little stunned when she asked out of the blue if it wouldn't be nice to take a trip. Since up until then we had mostly visited castles and mansions, I thought that this can go just about anywhere. Said and done, after some planning we packed a car full of amenities and headed for Glaskogen. I had never had so much stuff with me but I felt it was probably safest to take everything that could offer some comfort in the wilderness. We checked in at the campsite and then set off on one of the trails. For those who don't know us, it's easy to think that the rush was due to the cold of the wilderness but in all honesty, it was probably the freshly baked Artisan buns that required a cosy coffee spot.

After the coffee break, we hiked for a few hours before it was time to return to the campsite. Once back, we looked for a perfect tent site overlooking the water. There was a German tourist in the way but he looked so happy that he just added to the experience.

We celebrated our successful camp building with a bottle of bubbly. My plan was to offer a three-course menu cooked over an open fire, but due to the fire ban, we had to settle for Café Carl. It may not have been as much of a wilderness experience but we were still very pleased as they now have both good food and ice cream. When we got back to the tent, the sun had started to set and we were then treated to an incomparable sunset.

As always, Glaskogen showed itself from its best side. The area may not have the high mountains and deep valleys of the mountain world or the large campsites, but despite that, you always leave with a big smile on your face. Sweden is amazing!