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In the Flight Path of Nils: Visiting Skåne, Kebnekaise, Värmland and Visingsö By Goose By Sydney Vickars

be familiar with Selma Lagerlöf’s The Wonderful Adventures of Nils and The Further Adventures of Nils Holgersson. Selma Lagerlöf was born in 1858 on the small family estate of Mårbacka in Värmland. She practiced as a teacher for ten years before writing, introducing many of her own childhood memories into her texts. Her interest in the pedagogy behind literature is illustrated by the research she conducted into nature studies and bird behaviour. Eventually, this research culminated in the publication of her two children’s stories, published in 1906 and 1907 respectively.

These children’s stories were commissioned and assigned as “supplementary reading with the special idea of introducing educational and entertaining” aspects to regular geography lessons. While the two books were embraced by the Swedish public school system, the adult audience has also “found them books of permanent value.” It is therefore interesting to note that adults and children alike enjoyed travelling with Nils throughout their country, and the global audience that so lovingly embraced the stories from abroad testifies to a Sweden worth traveling to and around.

Vittskövle castle in north-eastern Skåne. Photo: skane.com © Birger Lallo Klarälven in Värmland. Photo © VTR/Vildmark i Värmland Visingsborgs castle ruin

Children in the Swedish educational system should on Visingsö.

The 14-year-old boy travels between March and November of 1898 and his story contains a number of genrespecific tendencies. Based in folklore, this spectacle of the children’s literature canon talks about humanity, the moral code and teaches children and adults alike about the intricacies of Swedish wildlife, geography and customs. If Nils were a traveller today, he would discover a very different Sweden in the cities, towns and mindset of the people, yet much the same in terms of the nature and countryside.

Though Nils traveled extensively throughout Sweden, we have focused on four areas he visited that provide offthe-beaten-track attractions – that look much the same today as when he flew by some 115 years ago.

Skåne The southernmost region in Sweden is known as Skåne. As Sanna Toringe, a librarian, author and journalist from Skåne says, the beginning and ending of the story are located in Västra Vemmenhög, “where the sky forms a vault over billowing cornfields and small farms… that still look almost the same as in Nils Holgersson’s day” – though now you can hear aircraft from the nearby airport at Sturup. The castles in Skåne are some of the most beautiful of modern day attractions and offer a return

to the past. The Rennaissance castle built of red brick still stands at Vittskövle, where an English-style park and church from the 13th century is open to the public. There is also the castle of Glimmingehus, a medieval style beauty that provides a stunning view and an intense atmosphere – though perhaps now the castle is free from the rodents, which provided such a scene in the children’s stories.

Kebnekaise At the extreme other end of Sweden is Kebnekaise, the country’s tallest mountain. Located in Lappland among the Scandinavian mountain range, Kebnekaise has two peaks, its highest at 2,106 metres (6,909 feet) above sea level. There are a number of activities as well at the base of the mountain in Nikkaluokta. Sami Tours offers boat trips and Icelandic horse riding and you can take guided canoe tours with Lappland Inspiration.

Likely the only major difference since Nils’ time here, is the Kebnekaise mountain lodge at 690 metres altitude at the base of the mountain and is owned and managed by the Swedish Tourist Association (STF). The location includes a restaurant, mountaineering shop, sauna, showers, 198 rooms and a kiosk. Guided tours, which offer coffee, tea, and reindeer burgers at the end, make the 4-6 hour hike up the mountain more enjoyable. Värmland In the west of middle Sweden, Värmland is a historical region which borders Norway on one side. Rich in small lakes, streams and ponds, nature is the main attraction in Värmland and there are many outdoor adventures to quench the thirst of any modern day traveller in addition to visiting Mårbacka, Selma Lagerlöf’s home – where all proceeds from activities go towards the maintenance of the property owned by a trust started by the author herself. 2013 marks a special year for Mårbacka because a new exhibition is opening up that will provide fun for the whole family, including a presentation on how animals adapt in the face of environmental damage, a photographic scavenger hunt which offers prizes of memorabilia and a crafts table.

You may also choose to travel down the river Klarälven by raft and may even opt to build your own raft. Martin Pattenden offers lessons on both raft building and raft sailing. His company, Vildmark i Värmland, has more to offer as well, and provides its guests with an apt and ideal example of ecotourism, embodying all the certification criteria for their “Nature’s Best” stamp. After all, even in the early 20th century, Lagerlöf was nodding to the green way of life. The animals tell Nils at the end of the text: “If you

Kebnekaise in Lappland. Photo © Fredrik Broman/imagebank. sweden.se Västra Hamnen, Malmö. Photo: skane.com © Leif Johansson Timber rafting down the river Klarälven.

Photo © Staffan Widstrand/Vildmark i Värmland have learned anything at all from us… you no longer think that the humans should have the whole earth to themselves.”

Visingsö Visingsö is located between Stockholm and Göteborg and is a small island in Sweden’s second largest lake, Vättern. Visingsö’s spectacular terrain for hiking and biking tours makes it a popular tourist destination. You can even see the island from a traditional horse-drawn carriage known as a remmalagen.

A large castle once existed on the island and was amply located so as to provide the kings and their royal families protection and a strategic vantage point. In the 18th century the castle was converted into a prison but was later burnt down by the prisoners in 1718. The ruins of the castle still exist and fans of Nils postulate that it was these historic ruins that inspired Nils’ visit here.

Lagerlöf won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1909, testifying to her texts’ ability to transcend time and genres. It seems as if Nils and his travels will forever remain in the memories of our childhood but the modern day traveller –both from within Sweden and from abroad – can use this uncoventional geography lesson to inspire their travels today.