I was looking forward to writing the first review of this new WHS. It sounded like just the kind of site I enjoy: rural, remote, vernacular architecture. So I had added it to my short trip to Sweden already before the WHC announced that the Farms were granted WH status. Unfortunately, my visit turned into a big disappointment.

"Searching" for a WHS is part of the life of a WH spotter, and it can be a joyful part of the visiting experience. Since this was a new heritage, there was still not much known about it. In advance, I did my research via the Internet and discovered that 3 out of 7 farms are located along the route between the copper mine of Falun and the highway south towards Stockholm. For only 1 out of the 3, I was sure that it is open to visitors (most of these farms are still lived in by the owners).

I first stopped in the hamlet Langhed - unknown to my TomTom navigation, but I was just able to find it using a map that I had printed. Well, it turned out that Langhed is full of traditional red wooden farmhouses, but the 2 of them that are designated as WHS I could not find among them. There were no signs. At least not to these 2 farms: originally the nomination was much larger, in this region there are about 400 of this kind of farms. Some are now used as bed & breakfasts or restaurants. But most are just private homes. It was a nice village to drive through, but I had not earned to tick it off.

That I had left for a farm some 50 kilometers away, in the village of Söderala. The Erik-Anders farm is open daily for everyone in summer. But here also I had the greatest difficulty finding it. I drove three times through the town’s main street in search of a clue. I also tried all side streets (not so many, fortunately), but nothing turned up. I didn’t want to leave without trying everything and decided to go for the last try and ask around. Just then I discovered another exit from the main road. And even a sign to the Erik-Anders farm. It turned out to be a mile or 2 away from the town, on a small street hidden in the forest.

I was so surprised to see that I was not even the only visitor, but that there were already 6 people or so enjoying a coffee and cake in the farm’s cafe. The owners had even made a special visitor parking on a nearby lawn. And they charged an entrance fee of 40 krones to the interior of the decorated house, a separate building from the main farm. There was also ample information available in both Swedish and English. It’s all quite small however, and that’s no problem as long as the interior would have given me a “Wow!”-feeling after I entered. But it did nothing for me, it felt like just any old farmhouse that one can see in Germany or the Netherlands. There are painted decorations around door openings and just below the ceiling. And a lot of its uniqueness seems to lie in the use of wallpaper. Hello – a WHS about wallpaper?

Maybe I visited a lesser impressive example of these 7 farmhouses. I’ve seen more flashy decorations on the Hälsingland farms website, so maybe there’s something in it after all. I would love to hear from others about which farms they visited, and what their impression was.