For a trip to Ovanåker, two main areas of interest stand out: the architectural and furnishing history of Ovanåker Church, and activities on foot, by bike or on the water. The Hoppet Pilgrim Trail connects the church with S:t Olofs Chapel; the municipality also has an MTB trail, canoe routes and fishing waters. If you are looking for a holiday rental, you can use your main travel interest as a starting point for planning.
Ovanåker Church: architectural history and furnishings
Ovanåker Church was built of stone from 1744 to 1753, approximately on the site of an earlier wooden church. An altar relief by Carl Johan Dyfverman, dating from 1890, depicts Jesus on the cross, with Jerusalem in the background. The organ also has a long history: Jonas Wengström built it in 1845. The original organ mechanism was later replaced, but the present-day façade is still Wengström’s. The construction period, image and organ history offer different insights into the church, from the earlier building on the same site to details of its furnishings.
On foot along the Hoppet Pilgrim Trail
The Hoppet Pilgrim Trail is about seven kilometres long and follows Gamla Landsvägen from S:t Olofs Chapel to Ovanåker Church. The seventh and final trail marker stands there. Its length, route and named endpoints give the walk a clear framework. Bus 100 can be used for the return journey from the trail junction near the endpoint towards Edsbyn or Söderhamn; check the current timetable before setting out.
You can walk or cycle along Gamla Landsvägen; motor vehicles are prohibited. In an account from 2023, participants in a pilgrimage described Gamla Landsvägen as “Sweden’s most beautiful road”. The Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve was also a topic of conversation during a pilgrimage along the old country road between Edsbyn and Ovanåker.
Cycling, canoeing and fishing
A six-kilometre MTB trail starts at the Kygelvallen recreation area within the municipality. Along the Voxnan, there are 250 kilometres of canoe routes within the municipality, ranging from rapids to calm stretches. The river has meanders in the landscape—bends that shape its winding course.
Fishing waters also vary according to the fish species and stocks mentioned: waters with pike, perch and whitefish sit alongside waters with self-sustaining stocks of trout, char, whitefish and grayling. This gives you different points of reference when planning: the MTB trail has a stated length and starting point, the canoe routes vary in the types of stretches, and the fishing information specifies species and stock status. You can choose activities based on what particularly interests you along the way.
Discover more destinations: Svabensverk, Alfta, Voxnabruk, Viksjöfors, Edsbyn
For the main travel overview: Ovanåker.
