Upplandsleden stage 13 Lövstabruk - Västland 22 km

The stage starts in magnificent Lövstabruk, once Sweden's largest ironworks, now a forgotten but well-maintained reminder of a bygone era. The trail goes from the castle-like mill environment straight into the wilderness in a few minutes. The path is barely visible and the only traces of civilization are a few hunting towers and a forest road. The silence is total. After a mile you pass Österlövsta church, another reminder of how rich the area once was.

The rain sweeps in from the coast and we put on our rain gear. Soon we are deep in the forest again. We find fresh droppings packed with lingonberries. Later we realize that the droppings come from the bear that has been in the area since last spring. The rain passes and the wind dies down completely and we pass an almost magical marsh area with occasional ponds. It is the end of August and the heat from the rain-damp ground envelops the area in a mysterious fog.

We come out of the forest just before Västland, which is our destination. The village, which today has 84 inhabitants, would probably fit on the first row of pews in the gigantic church.

It is easy to find the start and finish of this stage. The trail is periodically well marked in the terrain but the path is often completely overgrown. There is a nice shelter to rest in a few kilometers west of Österlövsta.