Djurås to Särna Route

3km/2mi south of Särna stands Mickeltemplet (624m/2,047ft; lookout tower), from which there is a superb view of the Fulufjäll (1,044m/3,425ft; nature reserve) to the southwest. On the north side of the fjäll is the Njupeskärsfall, the highest waterfall in Sweden (125m/410ft, with a sheer drop of 70m/230ft). The falls can be reached on a footpath (3km/2mi) from the village of Mörkret, 26km/16mi west of Särna.

From Björbo Road 247 leads south, passing an expanse of protected natural forest at Skärlacken, and comes in 27km/17mi to the old mining town of Nyhammar. 5km/3mi northwest of the little town is the Gasenberg (417m/1,368ft); 8km/5mi northeast is Grangärde-Hästberg, with rock carvings and the Hästbergsklack (419m/1,375ft). 3km/2mi beyond Nyhammar, between two lakes, lies the village of Grangärde (alt. 160m/525ft).

16km/10mi southwest of Ludvika on Road 60, near the border between Dalarna and Västmanland, is the little mining town of Grängesberg (alt. 273m/896ft), which has given its name to the large Grängesberg iron and steel corporation. In this area are the largest reserves of iron ore in Sweden outside Lapland, which have been mined since the 16th century and are now worked to a depth of 600m/2,000ft. Conducted tours are available. From here a trip can be made to the Fjällberg (469m/1,539ft), 5km/3mi northwest.

Road 247 skirts the Västmansjø at some points, to Ludvika (21km/13mi; alt. 157m/515ft; pop. 29,000), once an important mining town (first ironworks 1555) but now dominated by the electrical industry (transformer testing plant of the ASEA Brown Boveri corporation). To the west of the town is a good example of a 16th century mining settlement, the Gammelgård (houses with old furnishings) and a Mining Museum.

45km/28mi from Vansbro is Malung (alt. 302m/990ft, pop. 12,000), chief town of a district, an industrial town and the center of the Swedish leather industry (midsummer celebrations in which leather features prominently). The church (13th C.) has a 15th century effigy of St Olof. The Open-air museum (Malungs Gammelgård) features old houses.

Malung is home to Malungs Folkhøgskola, home to folk music and dance programs.

From Björbo Road 71 continues west to Nås (17km/11mi), probably the oldest parish in Dalarna. Here Selma Lagerlöf found the theme of her novel "Jerusalem", and a play by Rune Lindström based on the novel is performed here every year at the beginning of July. 17km/11mi south of Nås is the old iron foundry of Lindesnäs, now closed down.

69km/43mi north of Sälen, on the Ästerdalälv (here dammed to form the Trängsletsjö, a lake 70km/44miles long), lies the village of Särna (alt. 440m/1,445ft), with a wooden church of 1690 (renovated 1766). The village was Norwegian until 1644.

In 28km/17mi from Nås, Road 71 reaches Vansbro, a typical railroad town with an imposing station. The annual "Vasa Run for swimmers" (5km/3mi) is held in the Västerdalälv at the beginning of July, when the water is still quite cold. The event began in 1950.