Glada Hudik, Hälsingland, 30 October-1 December

Why to visit Glada Hudiksvall (happy Hudik) during the all Saints weekend? Apparently, there is not much to do around there. But upon advice from a friend, we decided to go and explore the area, and in particular visit the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, a Unesco World Heritage Site. But we did not realise hat they would be closed in Winter...

Habour warehouses along Magasingatan, the iconic view of Hudiksvall

Hudiksvall is located 300 km North of Stockholm, along the East Coast of Sweden. It is a small town dating from the 1500s' where it seems to be good to live. Hudiksvall is the main city of the Hälsingland province, an area located in what was the lateral moraine of the icecap glacier covering Scandinavia in the ancient times, between Högakusten on the North, the elevated areas around the glacier, and the Stockholm area on the South, which represents what was the bed of the glacier. Therefore Hälsingland is characterised by the presence of rocks and boulders resulting in large areas being unsuitable for agriculture, apart from the Ljusnan river banks and the Dellen lake area which are fertile. Most of the remaining land is covered with forest where the timber industry is the main source of income, still nowadays.  

Delsbo area, in the search for Pluto dwarf planet (see previous post)

Yet, we had been in Hudiksvall in 2016, sailing with Belisama along the North coast of the Baltic Sea. We made a stop-over there, without exploring further, mainly for victualling Belisama. In the area, though, we had anchored on several occasions in Kuggören, a peninsula just off Hudiksvall. So, to start the weekend, we could not refrain from heading there in late autumn. And we can confirm that in any season, Kuggören is full of charm!

Kuggören in late autumn.

Hawthorn giving Kuggören its red touch in autumn.

Kuggören chapel, dating from 1780.

Kuggören labyrinth

The wealth in Hälsingland came with the culture of flax and the production of textiles, in the 18th and 19th century when Sweden became one the most important producer of linen textiles. This ended-up in mid 19th century, when the cotton trade killed the business.

From flax fibers to linen thread...

Flax fabrics stained using wooden stencils 

Now, back the the decorated farms, the reason of our visit. When realising that they were all private and closed in winter, we contacted some of them to check if we could come and visit. And, to much of our pleasure, the Bommars farm, part of the Unesco World Heritage responded positively and welcomed us in their place. At the peak of their wealth, farmers in Hälsingland built new elaborately decorated ancillary houses or suites of rooms reserved for festivities.

Bommars farm party house (Par Hans Lindqvist — CC BY-SA 3.0)

Interiors were painted mostly by known and unknown itinerant artists. These houses were only used for organising parties and wedding and remained uninhabited for the rest of the year.  

Bommars reception room (Catasa — CC BY-SA 3.0)

Bommars reception room (Catasa — CC BY-SA 3.0)

The paintings below are representing the parable of the prodigal son in the Mickels farm in Nantsa. The paintings are represented in the Hälsingland museum in Hudiksvall. Paintings were completed by Erik Ersson in 1758.  

The sculptures below displayed in the museum are originating from the medieval churches in the Hälsingland province. Most were undertaken by Haaken Gulleson in the early 16th century.

Unknown saints and Christ, Häsingtuna church

Madona, Järvslö church 15th century, Madona with Child, Norrala church, Catherine of Alexandria, Bollnäs church

Apostles and Saint Sebastian, Hälsingtuna church.