Adventure Sweden in Epic Trails

At the sixty-third latitude in wonderful Jämtland Härjedalen, Sweden, nature is the essence of life. It is a lifestyle that has been passed down through many generations, and people all over the world are now starting to open their eyes to this way of living. We spend more time outside than indoors throughout the seasons. From simply taking a daily stroll in the mountains to spending time foraging for wild food from the forests. 

In the midst of this spectacular playground, Jämtland Härjedalen Tourism has embarked on a collaboration with Heliconia, a Canadian company that produces the international TV series, “Epic Trails”, which highlights destinations that offer something truly extraordinary. Epic Trails is a series that showcases spectacular hiking areas, revealing their soul whilst raising awareness of the importance of nature conservation. The show was filmed in the autumn of 2018, in the setting of western Jämtland, with nature's colours in full force, with plenty of gastronomic delights, and local stars proudly telling us their stories about life at the sixty-third latitude. 

Linda Wasell and Karin Gydemo Grahnlöf who worked on the production, from the initial brain-storming to the final result, explain more:

- We consciously chose to show our region from the angle of why we love to live here. We are extremely proud of the natural playground we have the honour of calling home, and the strong entrepreneurs we have the benefit of working with. The tourism sector is a major contributor to Jämtland Härjedalen, and if we want to preserve our natural treasures for future generations we must remember to act responsibly. 

In choosing this production, we wanted to attract the kind of visitor who knows that only footprints should be left behind. Visitors who understand that a knowledgeable guide is the best way to experience nature and who wants to find out more about us, our culture and our history. Visitors who appreciate locally sourced and regionally produced ingredients on the restaurant menus. Visitors who understand and want to do the right thing. That’s how we can preserve the place that gives us our livelihood. 

We also decided to bring in local gastronomic and outdoor companies through our choice of clothing and equipment used in the episode, so that we could promote and praise these fantastic local entrepreneurs. We are so proud to be able to show off our home in the Epic Trails series. It’s a TV show intended for an audience that matches our target group, and we provide the content and they take care of distribution - a combination that has already proven to be a perfect match!

The episode of Epic Trails filmed in Jämtland, Sweden premièred in July and has so far been seen by 1.265.000 viewers.

During the production of the Epic Trails we also hosted "Adventure Sweden days" where media and buyers from USA, UK and the Netherlands experienced Jämtland Härjedalen. Check out the "behind the scenes" movie filmed by Martin Olsson Outdoorswe: