Hälsingland, a province in central Sweden, is a country of long forested ridges and deep river valleys, and its farms are far from ordinary. Pallars, near the village of Alfta, is one of seven Hälsingland farmhouses inscribed by UNESCO in 2012 as the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, and it stands in open farmland about six kilometres from the village, with Edsbyn twelve kilometres away and Bollnäs, the main town, about nineteen.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the farmers of this region grew rich on flax, which was spun into linen and sold across Europe, and they spent their wealth on their houses. The farms are large and handsome, built in the usual red-painted wood, but inside is a different world. The best rooms, used only for festivals, weddings and visits by distinguished guests, are painted from floor to ceiling with flowers, biblical scenes, garlands and scrolls in bright colours, and hung with painted cloths. Many were decorated by travelling painters, and the style ranges from stiff to joyful. Several of the farms are open to visitors on a seasonal basis, usually in summer and sometimes only by guided tour, so check beforehand.
The scenery is the quiet, open farmland of the Ljusnan valley, with fields, lakes and spruce forest, and the riding is a pleasure, with long, flowing curves, smooth tarmac and almost no traffic. Sweden's speed limits are strictly enforced, with cameras often near villages. Moose and deer are a serious risk, especially at dawn and dusk, so slow down near woodland. Summer days are long and bright, and in June the sun barely sets. Autumn colours are glorious in September, and winters are cold and snowy, with ice on the roads.
Bollnäs has about fourteen thousand people and is the place for fuel, supermarkets and cafes, and Edsbyn, with four thousand, has a few shops. Alfta is smaller. Fika, the Swedish coffee break with a cinnamon bun, is a ritual that you should observe at least once a day, and local specialities include smoked fish, game and the crisp bread baked in this region. Midsummer, in late June, is the biggest festival, with dancing around a pole, and many places are closed.