Fryken Lakes

From Karlstad, Road 61 follows the right bank of the Klarälv, through wooded country for most of the way. 13km/8mi from Karlstad, on the left, is a small lake. Then comes a road junction where Road 62 branches off on the right, following the Klarälv valley. Road 61 bears left, coming in 7.5km/4.5mi to another road junction where a road goes off to Kil (3km/2mi southwest), an important railroad junction from which a line runs north to Torsby (pop. 15,000), at the north end of Upper Lake Fryken.

Road 61 runs to the south end of the three Fryken Lakes (alt. 62m/203m; total length 71km/44mi; boat trips), an area familiar to readers of Selma Lagerlöf's novel "Gösta Berling's Saga". It passes the church of St Kil (on right); then, 6.5km/4mi beyond the turning for Kil, crosses the Norsälv, which drains the Fryken Lakes, and reaches a junction. Here we turn right into Road 45, which runs up the Fryksdal, passing numbers of farms and small lakes. Off the road to the west is Frykerud church (1799), with modern stained glass.

From Krykerud, in 25km/15mi the road comes to the village of Västra Ämtervik, charmingly situated above the 27km/17mi-long Middle Lake Fryken (Mellan-Fryken). Opposite it, on the east side of the lake, is the church of Östra Åmtervik. 1km/0.75mi beyond Västra Åmtervik church a country road (signposted to Arvika) goes off on the left and climbs to Kringerås (272m/892ft), a hill from which there are superb views of the beautiful Fryksdal (an attractive side trip of 5km/3mi).The road continues at some distance from the shores of the lake and in 6.5km/4mi crosses the Rotnaälv, which links Mellan-Fryken with the beautiful Lake Rotnen (Finnfall skiing area).

4.5km/3mi from Rottneros is Sunne, a pleasant little town on the channel between the Middle and Upper Lakes which attracts many summer visitors; it features in "Gösta Berling's Saga" as Broby. Above the town can be found the church (19th C.).The town of Sunne hosts a large music festival each summer.

9km/5.5mi southeast of Sunna, off the main road, is the manor house of Mårbacka, where Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) was born and lived until her death. The house now belongs to a foundation and is open to visitors in summer. Her grave is in the churchyard at Östra Åmtervik (6km/4mi southwest of the house).

From Sunne there are two possible routes: either on Road 45, which runs along the east side of Upper Lake Fryken (Övre Fryken) by way of Lysvik to Torsby (41km/25mi), or (preferably) on a country road which follows the west side of the lake, passing the manor house of Stöpfors (14km/8.5mi) and Tossebergsklätten (342m/1,122ft; views), to Torsby.

To the south of Arvika (pop. 26,000) - the farthest inland of Sweden's inland ports, with a connection to the Skagerrak - is the Glaskogen nature reserve (area 28,000 hectares/70,000 acres), with marked footpaths and canoeing routes and overnight accommodation in mountain huts.

From Rottneros, on the right, is the manor house of that name, the Ekeby of "Gösta Berling's Saga", set in a beautiful park, with a large collection of sculpture.