Vännäs between River Landscapes, History and Hiking Trails

Vännäs Camp illustrates an era of development in Swedish military history. The page Vännäs offers more information about the place.

Other destinations in the same higher-level region include Malå, Sorsele, Åsele, Umeå, Storuman, Dorotea and Vilhelmina.

Geographical location

Vännäs Camp, also known colloquially as Lägret, is located on a wooded hill northwest of central Vännäs. The site can be reached by bus or train as far as Vännäs Travel Centre; from there, it is about 1.5 kilometres on foot.

Culture

Vännäs Station House is of great architectural and historical value and is a good example of the Nordic-influenced architecture used by the Swedish State Railways in station-house construction during the 1880s and 1890s. It has been a state-listed historic building since 1986.

The Vännäs Motor Museum is located in an old aircraft hangar at the former Vännäs airfield, which is characterised by military cultural heritage from the 19th and 20th centuries. In period-style settings, the museum presents the aviation and motoring history of the 20th century with cars, motorcycles, mopeds, aircraft, boat engines, chainsaws, stationary engines and tractors. Directly outside is a fully reconstructed Gulf petrol station from the 1960s.

The pedestrian and cycle underpass in central Vännäs features artworks by Jessica Arevärn, based on the artist’s own images of children from Vännäs depicting things, figures and places. Storyspot offers five specially written audio stories about ghosts and mysterious myths with a historical background from Vännäs. Visitors can walk among the historic buildings on the grounds of Vännäs Camp.

Nature

The municipality of Vännäs has eleven nature reserves and four Natura 2000 sites.

In the wider Vännäs area, the Vännforsleden trail connects the Vännforsen Nature Reserve with the Långforsen recreation area and offers hikes along the Vindelälven. The trail passes through a hilly and varied river landscape with abundant animal and plant life, including beavers, foxes and moose.

Also in the wider area, Gullhöjsleden is a 1-kilometre hiking trail that leads from the southern shore of Gullsjön up Gullhöjsen to a viewpoint with a wind shelter. A challenging hike of approximately 1.2 kilometres leads to the 15-metre-high lookout tower on Selsknösen; in clear weather, the view extends over more than five Swedish miles. The different trail lengths help you compare short walks with longer routes to viewpoints.

In the wider Vännäs area, fishing is possible year-round in the rivers Umeälven and Vindelälven as well as in several lakes. Many fishing areas offer boats and overnight cabins for rent, as well as fishing piers and barbecue shelters; some facilities have been adapted for accessibility.

Activities

The riverside promenade runs for approximately 7 kilometres along the Umeälven, largely from Brånsbron in Vännäsby to Marahällabron in Vännäs, and can be used on foot or by bicycle.

Middagsberget has two lifts and six runs, including a fun park. There is also a tobogganing slope and a wind shelter with a barbecue area.

Vännäsbadet has pools measuring 50 and 25 metres in length, a paddling pool with water features, a water slide and facilities for beach volleyball. In addition to the swimming and water-play facilities, the pool complex also has trampolines; a mini-golf course is also part of the site.

The Röda Viken disc golf course has a 9-hole course. Another nine holes were being planned at the time, and the facility can be used free of charge around the clock. Set in an attractive landscape, it is located in the recreational area near Vännäsbadet and the campsite.

Directly below Slöjdarnas Hus in Vännäs, there is an ice spot for cold-water winter swimming. In the wider Vännäs area, Eldare Gård offers bookable horse-drawn carriage rides through a village and along gravel roads through a beautiful agricultural landscape.

Local Crafts and Café

Slöjdarnas Hus on the banks of the Vindelälven sells works made by local craftspeople from glass, ceramics, textiles, wool and wood, as well as knives, jewellery and art. Slöjdarnas Hus has a café serving coffee and pastries, ice cream and light meals. A bakery can be rented for baking your own bread; on some days, tunnbröd is also sold there.

For the higher-level travel overview: Västerbotten.