As part of our feature on Climate Smart Holidays in West Sweden, Sarah Baxter took the train from the UK to West Sweden to visits five low carbon places to stay. Here is the second place she visited: Inforest
In a nutshell:
An off-grid cabin (they call it a 'tiny house') in the forests just outside Hjo on Lake Vättern.
Rooms: 1 double bed plus mezzanie double.
Price: 2-night package from 7,200 Swedish Krona for two people, includes bedding, towels, wood and final cleaning plus transport to and from Hjo bus station.
Meals: Self-catering
Open: April to October Carbon count: One night at Inforest creates around 0.9kg CO2-equivalent per person (the carbon emissions at an average hotel in Sweden is approximately 6.8kg CO2-eq per person)
Our stay at Inforest, cooking on the outdoor fire, cycling to the lake, and star-gazing at night
Photos: Richard Hammond
Sarah's insight:
Laying back on the bench by the side of the cabin, I watched the stars multiply. The more I stared, the more appeared, pin-pricking the inky sky above the silhouetted tree tops. The fire pit was still glowing; the remnants of dinner – toasted bread and buttered chanterelles – needed clearing but they’d have to wait. I was transfixed by the late-night show.
It was 30 years ago that Jesper Uvesten’s father bought this peaceful patch of forest, just outside the historic trästaden (wooden town) of Hjo on Lake Vättern. In 2020 he opened his first of four secluded, self-sufficient tiny houses here. Handmade from natural materials by a local company, each cosy, off-grid cabin has a Scandinavian-minimalist design, well-kitted kitchen and a bathroom with a separating toilet and shower.
But even better they have batteries that are charged via solar panels and water tanks with meters, so you can monitor your use. Both power and water should last two days, if used mindfully – something Jesper is keen to encourage. A stay at Inforest is about being immersed in this pretty pocket of nature but also about considering your impact: how much energy you consume, how much you really need. “For example, there’s plenty of hot water for a shower,” Jesper explained, “just not for a teenager-type 30-minute shower!”
During my restful stay, I revelled in seeing how little I could consume. I charged my phone by day, when the sun was bright; cooked on the fire outside; kept the lights off, to better see the stars. And I left with my own batteries fully recharged.
How to get to Inforest
By train: about two hours from Gothenburg (three hours from Stockholm): take the train to Skövde and then the bus to Hjo bus station, where you will be picked up by electric car and taken to Inforest.
More information:
Book a stay at Inforest: inforest.se
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