"The luxury of simplicity" could be the motto of the simple - and that is precisely why the idea behind the Urnatur holiday complex in Ödeshög, Sweden. Here guests learn what many of us have forgotten over the years - or never knew before: perceive and appreciate the beauty of nature with all senses, enjoy silence, do nothing - or do as little as possible, find your way back to yourself ...
And like the name already promises: here the original instincts are literally awakened. Because in order to enjoy light and warmth or to cook, the art of lighting a fire is required. But don't worry: the cordial host couple is always on hand to offer their visitors advice and action and are happy to share their enormous knowledge of the forest and nature with curious holidaymakers. After all, they see it as part of their mission that their guests not only relax and rest well, but also go home with expanded knowledge and horizons. In times of office jobs and digitization, who can claim to know how to start a fire, chop wood or carve with a knife?
In 2007 Ulrike Krynitz and Håkan Strotz opened their vacation home, which was almost entirely handmade. The forester and the biologist and designer have lived and farmed the land using traditional methods since 1993. They viewed the topic of environmental education as part of their task and over time the idea developed to enable guests to stay longer and to create authentic accommodations that matched their credo.
The cozy furnishings of the individually designed huts and tree houses allow guests to quickly immerse themselves in another world. The complex was built in the middle of the forest belonging to the farm and is surrounded by an original cultural landscape with free-range animals and a lake that invites you to paddle and in summer to swim.
In addition to a covered and an open-air kitchen, there is also a barbecue area by the lake. In addition to various cooking utensils, spices, oil, coffee, pasta, lentils, beans, dairy products and much more are available for the guests so that you don't have to bring anything from home, there are creative recipe ideas.
For children, nature in and around the primeval nature is the ideal adventure playground. You can go on a discovery tour in the forest, collect mushrooms, fruits and herbs and get to know the animals on the farm. The "Moos-Tempel" and the "Wolfshütte" as well as the new tree house are ideal as family accommodations.
The activities offered are simple, down-to-earth, close to nature and educational and thus reflect the philosophy behind the Urnatur project. There are also numerous excursion destinations in the area.
We also featured this accommodation on our blog at Five places in the treetops. And at Five places you can travel by night train.
Tree house | from145 € |
Cottage | from270 € |
ArchitectureAll huts and tree houses and their interior are made exclusively from natural materials. The system is the result of honest manual work and was almost exclusively built and furnished by the owners themselves. The wood of the trees, which fell victim to the severe storms Gudrun and Per in 2005 and 2006, was used meaningfully without unnecessarily cutting down many healthy trees. Despite the simple, at first glance seem spartan furnishings, all accommodations offer a cozy ambience, healthy indoor climate and the necessary comfort to feel comfortable. All houses are unique in their design - from spacious and flooded with light to small and cozy. Some guests like to come back again to test different houses. The furniture was partly designed by Swedish artists. All accommodations have in common the natural colors made from linseed oil and the comfortable beds that ensure a restful sleep. The original population of Sweden is also recognized by the architecture: the furnishings of the Moss cabin and Wolf cot huts are modeled on the traditional Sami huts, the indigenous people from the north of the country.
FoodThe day at Urnatur starts with a rich, healthy breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Tin Castle on the lake with fresh ingredients from the farm and organically produced regional food. Eggs in different colors, homemade goat cheese, delicious spreads, fresh herbal tea or the in-house Kombucha are just a small selection of the diverse specialties. A joint dinner is served in spring and autumn. Depending on the season, different types of vegetables are used. An integral part are the local, aromatic herbs, which not only make the menu a special taste experience, but also a real power food. Lovingly prepared soups, stews, wild salads, and home-baked, yet oven-warm sourdough bread taste particularly delicious after an eventful day. Those who arrive at the right time can enjoy a variety of freshly picked forest mushrooms and seasonal organically grown vegetables from the garden of the operators. In summer, guests can live out their creativity and try their hand at putting together new dishes with the diverse, healthy ingredients of nature. Cooking over an open fire is a great experience. The hosts provide a selection of freshly harvested, organically grown foods and leave the rest to the guests and their ideas. The food in the original nature is basically vegetarian. If you don't want to do without meat entirely, you can buy meat from the herd of sheep belonging to the farm or wild fish. The latter can of course also be fished in the adjacent lake, true to the motto do-it-yourself.
Urnatur works with various schools and universities with whom forestry projects or conservation projects are designed and carried out.
EnvironmentIn primeval nature, everything revolves around nature. Whenever possible, renewable resources are used, such as wood from the farm for heating and cooking. The goal is to become completely energy self-sufficient with the help of additional solar panels. The toilets are only composting toilets and contribute to the fertilization of the fields. The manure of the sheep and chickens is also used for fertilization. The sheep also make a significant contribution to ensuring that the area does not overgrow and the original cultural landscape is preserved. The operators keep a particularly old breed "pälsfår", and thus contribute to the conservation of species. The rich biodiversity of the place could not be maintained without sheep. In order to protect endangered species that have found a home on the site, the grass is cut old-fashioned with the scythe at the end of July - so that the grasses can sow again in the same year.
Well-BeingThe wellness program in Urnatur is simple but efficient to match the overall concept. Sauna and the hot tub directly under the starry sky, both heated by the guests with wood, invite you to relax together. If you want, you can also take part in the morning yoga session before breakfast, which takes place outdoors when the weather is suitable. A special experience is reminiscent of the traditions of the indigenous population of Sweden - the so-called Sweatlodge, the sweat house on the lake, which is heated with the help of glowing stones. Those who dare can take a refreshing dip in the lake afterwards.
Tree house | from145 € |
Cottage | from270 € |
It takes about two to three hours to drive from Gothenburg, Stockholm or Malmö. E4 motorway towards Ödeshog. Urnatur is located in the middle of the forest on the edge of Ödeshog in Östergötland, in the center of southern Sweden, about 60 kilometers south of Jönköping and north of Linköping.
The nearest airports are in Linköping and Jönköping. From there it is about an hour to the original nature. It takes approximately two to three hours from the airports in Stockholm or Gothenburg.
There is a relatively good bus connection to Ödeshog. The SwebusExpress runs from Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm to Ödehog / Rasta (http://www.swebusexpress.se). Urnatur is approximately six kilometers from the bus stop. If you don't want to walk, you can take a taxi. Pick-up can also be arranged.
...do not miss a new accommodation
...receive great offers