Val­le­vä­gen has been cal­led “the most beau­ti­ful road in the world” becau­se of the way it winds through the Val­le region.

The lands­cape here is rolling and con­stant­ly chan­ging, fea­tu­ring hills, ridges and small lakes. This distin­cti­ve lands­cape was sha­ped by the last ice age.

When the ice mel­ted after the last ice age the cli­ma­te sud­den­ly become col­der for some time. This inter­rup­ted the mel­ting of the ice, and the ice front remai­ned sta­tio­na­ry over the same area for a long time – right here in Val­le. Lar­ge rivers of melt water car­ri­ed mas­si­ve amounts of gra­vel and sedi­ment. Ice­bergs of vari­ous sizes were also sub­mer­ged in the gra­vel. When the­se mel­ted they left behind pits in the lands­cape, known as kett­le holes.

Sedi­ment was also depo­si­ted in cracks on top of the lar­ge blocks of ice and later for­med kames in the lands­cape. Under­ne­ath the ice, run­ning water cre­a­ted ridges of sto­ne and gra­vel known as eskers. All the­se land forms and many others cre­a­ted the founda­tion for the rolling lands­cape and diver­si­ty we see today. This has given rise to a distin­cti­ve flo­ra and fau­na, as well as fer­ti­le farm­land made up of mea­dows and pastu­res. We recom­mend visi­ting the Val­le regi­on in May, when the cher­ry tre­es are blossoming!

Hit­ta Hit