A Christmas on the mountain
Snow on the pines, a fire in the stove and the slopes right outside the door. This Christmas, our cottage above Lofsdalen is waiting for you.
The house on Lövhammaren
Some Christmases you plan. Others you simply arrive at: a dark road through the forest, the first lights of Lofsdalen in the valley, and a little house on the hill with snow piled softly on the roof.
High above the village, at Lövhammaren, our cottage stands among the pines with the ski mountain Hovärken on one side and the long silver line of Lake Lofssjön below. It is the house we return to winter after winter. This year, we are opening its doors to you: the cottage is available for Christmas celebrations until 27 December.
Here is how a Christmas in the mountains might unfold.
Boots off, stove lit
You arrive in the blue hour of a December afternoon, when the snow turns violet and the first stars appear above the fells. The car crunches to a stop right by the door. Inside, the house smells of pine.
Someone lights the wood stove. Someone else finds the candles. The bags can wait. Outside the big windows the valley goes dark, and one by one the lights come on in the village far below. Christmas has begun.
A long table, a warm sauna
In Sweden, Christmas Eve is the heart of it all. The morning is slow: rice porridge, a walk in the forest with the dog, perhaps a few runs on the mountain while the light lasts. In the afternoon the whole house gathers on the sofas around the stove.
Then the long dining table fills up for the julbord: herring and ham, meatballs and saffron buns, glögg warming on the stove. There is room for everyone, with beds for up to ten. Late in the evening, someone lights the private sauna. You step out onto the terrace into the cold, steam rising into the dark, and the whole valley is silent beneath the snow.
“Snow outside, a fire inside, and nowhere else you need to be.”
Christmas in LofsdalenCandlelight, then first tracks
In Sweden, Christmas Day begins in the dark. Long before sunrise, families wrap up warm and set out for julotta, the early-morning Christmas service, with candles glowing in the church windows and snow creaking underfoot. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful Swedish Christmas traditions, and from our cottage you can celebrate it somewhere truly special.
Julotta in Sweden’s highest chapel
Drive 32 kilometres through the sleeping fells to Högvålen, at 835 metres the highest village in Sweden. Its small mountain chapel, probably the highest in the Nordic countries, was consecrated on Epiphany 2018 and has an altarpiece designed by Lea Wallmark of Funäsdalen.
Picture it on Christmas morning: a handful of cars in the snow, light in the windows, and the old Christmas hymns rising into the dark above the treeline. Afterwards, drive home as dawn colours the fells, just in time for breakfast and the first lift.
The parish publishes its Christmas services in December. Check the Härjedalen parish calendar for this year’s julotta, or ask us and we will find out for you.
Then the mountain is yours. Pull on your boots in the hallway, step outside and click into your skis: the cottage is truly ski-in, ski-out. The lifts in Lofsdalen open for the season on 11 December, so on Christmas morning the snow is waiting.
At lunchtime, ride the six-seat chairlift to the summit of Hovärken, where Lofsdalen Skybar sits 1,125 metres above sea level. Settle in with a light lunch and a glass of wine, or join one of the beer and whisky tastings, with the whole of Härjedalen spread out white below the windows. The Skybar is open to guests aged 12 and over.
And when the short December day fades, the mountain has one more gift. On clear, dark nights far from city light, the Northern Lights can ripple over the valley while you watch from the terrace, wrapped in a blanket.
Ski to the door
Lofsdalen has 25 runs and 9 lifts, a 492-metre vertical drop and two six-seat chairlifts, with gentle slopes for the children and a 42-degree steep for the brave. The lifts run from 9 to 16, and at the end of the day you ski all the way back to the cottage.
A husky adventure
Join Arctic Wilderness Dogs in Glöte for a dog-sledding tour of around ten kilometres with their Siberian huskies, through forest and marshland with the fells as a backdrop. Drive your own sled or ride with a guide, then warm up with fika by the fire. Tours run every week in winter.
Meet the reindeer
In Sörvattnet, near Idre, a Sámi reindeer-herding family welcomes visitors to their farm. In winter some of their reindeer live there: experienced draught reindeer, reindeer in training and the youngest of the herd, each with its own personality. The family also sells meat from their own free-grazing reindeer. Get in touch with them before you visit.
Fatbikes in the snow
For something different, try winter cycling on a fatbike. Rent a bike at Karins Sportbod in the village, ride the snowcat up the fell and follow the five-kilometre loop around Stenruten along the snowmobile trail. Soft falls in fresh powder are part of the fun, and children love it.
Waffles at Våffelstugan
Across Lake Lofssjön, at 820 metres on top of Mossaruten, sits Våffelstugan. Ski there on the tracks from the village across the frozen lake, or ride up by snowmobile or snowcat, for soup, warm sandwiches and crisp waffles with cloudberry jam. On Thursday evenings in winter, the Viltkväll serves bear, elk, reindeer and cloudberries with stories of Lofsdalen’s past. Book ahead.
Slow mornings
Leftovers for breakfast, a long book by the window, one more sauna. On a clear day, return to Högvålen in daylight for the views over Lillfjället and Kölsjöfjället. Stay until 27 December and let the holidays run at their own pace.
Warm pine, room for everyone
Inside, the cottage is honey-coloured pine, soft light and deep sofas, designed by an interior architect with smart storage for skis, boots and wet gear. Across three and a half rooms, including a loft beneath the sloping roof, there are beds for up to ten guests.
There are two bathrooms: a spacious main bathroom with double showers, a sauna and a washing machine, plus a smaller second bathroom for busy holiday mornings. The cottage is accessible for guests with disabilities, and pets are welcome. See every room on our Cottage Booking page.
Make it your Christmas
The cottage is available for Christmas celebrations until 27 December. Christmas is one of the first weeks of the season to be booked, so we recommend getting in touch soon.
Visit our Cottage Booking page, send us your dates and group size, and we will confirm availability. As a luxury DMC, we can also add the rest: a private ski instructor, a husky tour, a transfer to julotta in Högvålen or a private whisky tasting at the Skybar. Planning more of December? See our guide to Nordic Christmas markets.
A Christmas in Lofsdalen
Julotta by candlelight, a sauna after the slopes and room for the whole family. Available for Christmas until 27 December.