Stage 9 of the North Sea Trail/Bohusleden stretches through a large part of Svartedalen.

The name Svartedalen has long been surrounded by a touch of mystery, wilderness, old forest and untamed, sullen countryside. It is also associated with a range of recreational activities such as angling, forest walking, picking fungi and berries, orienteering, etc.

Svartedalen is the largest continuous forest and wilderness area in south-western Sweden. The countryside is hilly and includes a large number of lakes of varying character.

Bottenstugan is an old stone cottage which reminds us of the harsh living conditions in the 19th century and the lack of forest in the area. Several short footpaths start here.

The municipality buys electricity for Bottenstugan from a small private hydroelectric power station which utilises the difference in altitude between Ålevattnet and lake Håltesjön.

Beyond the farms in Hålt, the Svartedalen wilderness unfolds.

The plateaus along lake Härsvatten offer several fine outlooks.

A little further north, you come into the Svartedalen nature reserve.

Forestry and building are not permitted here. Nature is left to its own devices, resulting in species richness. This applies to both plants and animals – not least birds. There is plenty of black grouse and capercaillie. With luck, you may even see breeding cranes in the early mornings during spring and early summer.

Towards the end of this stage is lake Gårdsjön, well worth a detour if you have the energy. A footpath takes you round the lake. Advanced environmental research has been carried out here for many years, focused on soil acidification. A unique plastic canopy covers a large area of forest, collecting precipitation for analysis.