Winter Activities in Sulvik: Cross-Country Skiing, Skiing & Ice Fishing

Think cabin life is just for summer? Think again. Our cabins are winterised, warm and perfect for a week of Värmland winter, when the snow lies deep, the lake is frozen and the fire crackles in the stove, few places in Sweden can match Sulvik. Here is our complete guide.

Cross-country skiing: Värmland's strength

Cross-country ski trails are what Värmland does best. Within a 15-minute drive of the cabin you'll find several prepared trails with both classic and skate tracks:

• Vikshjärta (5 km): closest and shortest. Good for beginners and children. Light to medium hills, lit for evening skiing.
• Glaskogen trails (20 km total): vast tracks through pristine old-growth forest. Truly silent, you can hear the snow falling. More hilly, requires some skill.
• Pålgården (10 km): family-friendly. Large forests, a fika cabin halfway.

If you're a beginner, rent gear at Skidshopen in Arvika or at Valfjället. For children there are sledging hills around the area, ask us and we'll mark them on a map.

Season: mid-December to mid-March is the safest window. Recent years have been variable, we've had a snowless Christmas a couple of years and metre-deep snow in April others. That's Värmland.

Downhill at Valfjället

30–40 minutes by car from us lies Valfjället Skicenter: Värmland's closest downhill resort with 14 runs. It's not the Alps, but it's perfect for a family day on the slopes:

• 5 lifts, top elevation 415 m, longest run 1.3 km
• Ski school, rental, restaurant
• Discounted day passes available online

Many of our guests take one day at Valfjället mid-week and spend the rest of the time on cross-country and cabin life. A perfect mix.

Ice fishing on Glafsfjorden

If the winter is really cold (a few weeks below -10 °C), safe ice forms on Glafsfjorden, often January to March. Then it's time for ice fishing:

• What you catch: perch and pike, sometimes pike-perch
• What you need: ice auger, jig rod, warm clothing, safety hooks
• Ice check: always 10 cm of solid ice. We don't recommend going alone the first time, ask local anglers or book a guide

We have a neighbour who is an experienced ice angler and occasionally takes guests out, ask us when you arrive.

More winter fun

• Snowshoes: rent in Arvika; perfect for deeper sections of Glaskogen where the trails aren't groomed
• Skating: when the ice is clear, Glafsfjorden or smaller lakes. Long-distance skates work well here
• Dogsledding: a local operator in Eda municipality runs day trips with huskies
• Ice dip in Glafsfjorden: a dip in ice-cold water after a long ski day is restorative (if shocking). We don't have a sauna on the property, but a towel and hot tea on the deck does the job

Cabin life when it's -15 °C outside

What you do inside the cabin is just as important when it's properly cold. Our favourites:

1. Fire + book + mulled wine. The woodshed is stocked, use it.
2. Board games: the cabin has Monopoly, Yatzy and Catan. Family evenings are gold.
3. Local food on the stove: fresh bread from Nordells Bakery & Patisserie and seasonal produce from local farms (see our farm shop guide).
4. Hot shower and a blanket after a ski day: we don't have a sauna on the property, but a wood-warm deck and a hot shower is what most guests value most.
5. Stargazing: no light pollution. On clear January nights the Milky Way is visible.

Winter packing list

• Thermal base layers + multiple layers
• A proper winter jacket (not a city jacket)
• Boots or winter trainers with grip
• Hat, scarf, mittens (not gloves)
• Sunglasses (snow glare in late winter sun)
• Thermos + thermal mug
• Torches (darkness falls early)

Missing something? Tell us, we can lend most things. We've run the cabins for years and learned what guests often forget.

Seasonal pricing

Winter is our "off-season", which makes it one of the best times to book for value. Prices are 30–40 % lower than summer, and you usually have the whole cabin grouping to yourself. Book via Airbnb or directly with us.

The silence: what we call "white silence"

What most people don't know about Värmland in winter is exactly this: the silence. When the snow is deep it absorbs sound. The forest is like a soundproofed room. It's not empty, it's full of birdsong, wind in the branches, your own breath. For many guests it becomes the strongest memory, not the activities, but the experience of real silence.

Welcome to white silence with us.