Crown Princess Victoria Visits Färnebofjärden National Park
Today, 4 February, Crown Princess Victoria visited Färnebofjärden National Park in Gävleborg County. This was her first in a series of engagements where the Crown Princess will visit all of Sweden's national parks.
This is not the Crown Princess’s first hiking initiative, after her 40th Birthday in 2017 she began a series of hikes through all 25 of Sweden’s provinces. Upon completing those hikes in June 2019, she had the idea to next hike all of Sweden’s National Parks. The purpose of these hikes is to promote outdoor life, encourage movement, contribute to public health and get more people to discover what Sweden has to offer in the form of nature experiences. At the same time, the Crown Princess wants to learn more about Sweden's national parks.
Färnebofjärden National Park, located about 140km north of Stockholm, is crossed by the river Dalälven and covers 25,000 acres. Due to its location along the ecotone of the northern and southern coniferous forest regions- Färnebofjärden offers a unique biodiversity in plants and animals. With over 100 regularly nesting species, the park boasts an unusually rich bird life that has no equivalent throughout the rest of Sweden.
Despite the falling rain, the Crown Princess arrived in a good mood and ready to begin. The hike began in Gysinge and walked towards the national park's main entrance. There, lunch, prepared over an open fire, was made and eaten alongside staff from the County Administrative Board. The afternoon hike went along the Dalälven river, over river meadows and through the forests. The Crown Princess also walked the Kungsslingan where, among other things, the Kungsstenen stands. The stone marks the place where the King inaugurated the national park in 1998.
During her hike she showed her bird spotting skills as she pointed out an eagle to the guide. Along the fjord, Crown Princess Victoria heard about the beavers who make their homes in the park as well. She explained to journalists, “I want to highlight Sweden's national parks and think that we have such a fantastic nature in Sweden and I wish that more people would take the opportunity to experience all the good we have.”
For this hike, Crown Princess Victoria wore a Woolpower Österlund full zip jacket underneath her Tretorn Arch Jacket. She wore her Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell trousers and POC WO Mittens. On her feet were her Lundhags boots (The model was named Bergsport and produced around 1985).
