Ljusdal: Discover Art, River Landscapes and Trails

Ljusdal combines diverse cultural experiences with trails through forests and river landscapes. Anyone looking for more than just a single excursion when planning their trip will find a variety of options here: a broad exhibition programme, historic church art, public artworks and trails for walks, hikes or bike rides. This makes it possible to choose accommodation based on whether you are planning cultural discoveries, outdoor activities or a mixture of both.

Culture and art in Ljusdal

Ljusdalsbygdens museum has a broad exhibition programme, making it a distinct focal point for a culturally oriented trip. Ljusdal Church provides a historical highlight: The oldest part of the church dates from the late 12th century. Inside, there is a Flemish altarpiece made in Antwerp in 1501. The bell tower also tells part of the local building history. It was built in 1757 under the direction of Per Jonsson from Rångstra, a self-taught local builder's son.

The Hembygdsgården near the centre of Ljusdal comprises around 20 buildings and displays Hälsingemåleri. It also offers a view over the Ljusnan. Anyone wishing to combine regional architectural and cultural history with an experience of the landscape can include this site in their trip planning. In addition, most of the murals from Artscape 2019 can still be seen on the walls around Bagargränd in central Ljusdal. During the art walk in the central outdoor area, a map makes it easier to find the artworks. The artwork “Spiralformer” sets a particularly striking scale with a diameter of 24 metres and 520 tonnes of Ljusdal granite.

Walking trails, hikes and outdoor activities

For a walk, Ljusdal has a popular trail that runs around Kyrksjön. Several easily accessible hiking trails start from Ljusdal. The Ljusnanleden follows the banks of the Ljusnan and passes through higher terrain in the pine forest. In Ygsbo, there is a bathing spot along this trail that is suitable for a longer break and a swim in the river. This makes it possible to add a specific waterside stop to a day of hiking.

Shorter options are also available. Barnleden offers routes of approximately 2 kilometres and 5.5 kilometres, beginning and ending at Kolsvedjaberget. The Korta leden hiking trail runs from Kolsvedjaberget to the old water tower and the former ski-jumping hill. The historic name of the hill remains part of the trail description. As a circular route, Hälsans Stig in Ljusdal is 4 kilometres long; each kilometre is marked. This provides different points of reference for anyone wishing to compare various day-trip lengths.

Kläppaåsen in Ljusdal has a signposted mountain bike trail with an easy difficulty level and a length of 4.5 kilometres. Östernäs Park has a concrete park for skateboarding and cycling. The Älvvallen sports facility has seating in the stands for around 450 spectators and adds a sporting venue in Ljusdal to the selection.

The right base for planning your trip

When looking for a holiday apartment in Ljusdal, it is worth deciding in advance what kind of daily rhythm you want. If culture is the focus, you can plan the museum, church, Hembygdsgården and the Artscape 2019 artworks as fixed highlights. For active days, the trail around Kyrksjön, the Barnleden routes, Hälsans Stig, the Ljusnanleden and the mountain bike trail offer different formats. Anyone wishing to combine both can alternate cultural visits and active days without limiting the trip to a single theme.

More places to include in your search

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Ljusdal, you can also include Järvsö, Hamra, Korskrogen and Färila in your further trip planning.

To the higher-level travel overview: Ljusdal.