Hemgården in Storsätern — Then and Now
Hemgården has a long and rich history. The farm is mentioned as early as the 1830s, and was one of the first in the area to be lived in year-round. It was originally called Per-Jonsa Gården after one of the first owners, but later became known as Hemgården. Before it was inhabited year-round, it was used as a summer mountain farm (säter)—hence the village name Storsätern—with haymaking and grazing during the summer months.
Most of the buildings on the property were built in the late 1800s. Parts of the barn (the cowshed) are older than that and were likely originally built as a larger fäbod. Most of the buildings are made from hand-hewn timber. Hemgården is described in detail in the Idre local history books.
The farm’s main activities were forestry, keeping livestock, haymaking, and some small-scale cultivation, but by the 1920s it had also become a tourist farm, offering accommodation to traveling salesmen and visitors. Between 1935 and 1944, a hostel was operated here under the Swedish Tourist Association, mainly in the building now known as Tullstugan (the Customs Cottage). In the early 1900s, that same building—Tullstugan—served as a customs station with on-site quarters for the customs officer, located here because the main crossing over the Grövlan River between Sweden and Norway ran via the bridge at Övre Fallet (just west of the property).
One perhaps unusual detail is that several artistically minded people lived both on the farm and among the neighbors in Storsätern. This means the property is described in unusually rich detail, especially during the 1940s. One example is a 1941 painting by the neighbor Albin Gustavson. Much of it still looks the same on the farm today.
Hemgården today
In addition to operating as a tourist farm, Hemgården still has extensive forest holdings on land adjoining the property. The farm also includes a fäbod and a hunting cabin.
In 2025, major improvements were made across the property, including the installation of a new heating system, new kitchens and bathrooms in all of the larger houses, broadband throughout, and a new service building for the campground with toilets, showers, and a kitchen. The result is a place where historic character meets modern comfort. That’s exactly how we want Hemgården to feel—a welcoming, family-run farm where the original, genuine character has been updated with modern standards for heating, electricity, kitchens, bathrooms, and broadband.
The people who look after you—and Hemgården in Storsätern
Gunnar Westling took over the farm in early 2025. Together with our closest neighbors, Lars-Åke and Anette, we take care of you as guests—and of the property. Gunnar’s one of his biggest interests is fishing and outdoor life. Lars-Åke and Anette know everything worth knowing about Storsätern and the surrounding area.
Contact us if you have any questions: info@grovlan.se
