Dalsland
We first discovered Dalsland in the summer of 2011 when we went on a ten-day canoe trip during our honeymoon. Since then, we have returned time and again and have come to appreciate this region not only for its many lakes and rich natural environment.
Hajo & Andreas
Dalsland is the region between Lake Vänern and the Norwegian border, one and a half times the size of Saarland and sparsely populated with about 50,000 inhabitants. It is considered the southernmost wilderness region in Sweden. Historically, the people of Dalsland lived from small-scale farming in scattered farms that had little contact with each other; the entire region had significantly fewer than 10,000 inhabitants in the 16th century. As a borderland between Norway and Sweden, it was the scene of numerous military conflicts until the late Middle Ages. In the 17th century, attempts were made to establish the processing of pig iron in Dalsland, but with little success. One exception to this is Mustardforsbruk, a 7th generation family business that still produces horseshoe nails and similar products – very close to the Dalsland Studio. This was followed in the late 18th and 19th centuries by the production of paper pulp, which rapidly increased the population. The villages that exist today, including Dals Långed (ca. 1850), grew up around these factories. Until after the Second World War, however, agriculture, mainly cereals, remained the main economic activity in the region. Due to the decline of agriculture and later of paper pulp production, many Dalslanders emigrated, a trend that continues to this day. Today, agriculture, forestry, education, construction and, to a lesser extent, tourism are important economic sectors in the region. The fields of art and education are among the most promising in Dalsland.
These are also present in Långed and the reason why the town has a remarkable infrastructure and a rich cultural life despite its small size (just under 1400 inhabitants). As everywhere in Dalsland, nature is not neglected here either. There are some exceptionally beautiful nature reserves in the surrounding area, and a walk into the forest from the studio is enough to find enchanting places. Dals Långed is also located on the Dalslands Canal, a fascinating canal infrastructure from the 19th century. The viaduct in Håverud, just 20 kilometres away, where the canal crosses a waterfall and is also crossed by a railway line, is well-known and well worth seeing.
As an example for the culturel life : Program of the arts hike 2024
