ABSTRACT
THERE is a province in the northern kingdoms known as Jamtland, with a manor or domain called Vásterhus, which has been a lordship of the archbishop of Uppsala from time immemorial. 1 In summer the natives and foreign travellers journey from Jamtland by a route that is no less frightening than dangerous across the lofty mountains mentioned in the title of this chapter; whereas in winter they make their way whenever they wish by short cuts and footpaths over frozen marshes, lakes and rivers. For those mountains are enormous and hardly to be paralleled in Europe. On the eastern side they have at the entrance to the foothills gates or openings of the hardest flint, some cloven by Nature, some hewn out or pierced through for the use of the people and paid for by monarchs in the past. Beyond these, within the flanks of the mountains, such cold is felt even in the middle of summer that, unless the travellers fortify themselves in winter fashion by wearing many layers of clothing, they encounter an almost fatal hazard from the sudden change in air temperature, which lasts until they are able to quit these bowels of the mountains and freezing valleys. Then, as they are preparing to descend from those altitudes, itself a journey of many days, they are sometimes menaced by a greater danger, when hanging bridges, fastened to the sides of ravines by wooden supports, are seen to be smashed or half broken down by the fall of snow, of trees torn away by a storm, or of rocks. There is no other hope to sustain them in their dilemma than to hope that the bridge can be repaired by the efforts of all the local men working together, since there is no detour to be discovered over these soaring heights and deep valleys.
Jämtland Västerhus
Journey dangerous in summer
Confined cold almost deadly
Hanging bridges
No detour
