Jönköpings Posten, 23.08.1980
On my journey between
forgotten villages in Jönköping County I made a stop somewhat south of Jönköping
[...]: in Galtås [...].
From Klevshult, situated near the E4, you have to drive only some few kilometres
westwards: already you find yourself beyond presence, beyond the noisy [...]
highway. I feel as if a curtain had been let down between me and the so-called
civilisation, a curtain made of dark coniferous forests. And all is peaceful and
quiet, nearly as if I had entered another world, a world that has disappeared a
long time ago.
The narrow gravel road winds itself trough a piece of emerald green forest. And
suddenly you are there, in sunny, bright and charming rural surroundings. The
gently hilly scenery around the hamlet Galtås is dominated by oak- and
juniper-covered hillocks. Enormous boulders are evidence of the [...] violent
incidents that have shaped this part of Småland in days of yore.
In the bright midday sun the hamlet Galtås lies in enchanting beauty. In God's
dark late summer green people put daubers of most brilliant red: residential
premises, barns and sheds with white corners, [...] decorated with wooden
ornamented porches, balconies and galleries. The colourful splendour of the
horticultural flowers is overwhelming at this time of the year.
A barn that is very closely situated by the little road immediately attracts
attention. The long and expansive tin roof rather puts one in mind to the ski
slope Holmenkollen in Oslo than to the roof of a barn in Småland.
Once upon a time there lived
around a hundred people in Galtås; one could find ten to twelve farms and
numerous cottages and shanties here. [...] But even despite noticeable
emigration, Galtås is by no means dead. The lovely, old houses are still
inhabited and the soil is still tilled. [...]
I directly become aware of a rectangular barn of grey wood. As far as I know,
this barn is built in the style typical for the island of Visingö in the lake
Vättern and not in the one typical for our region. [...]
The hamlet Galtås is old; it
originates in prehistoric time: repeatedly stone-axes were found in the stony
ground and directly beside the hamlet a grave from the Iron Age was discovered.
The quite funny name [galt-ås = wild boar-hill] apparently refers to the fact
that hordes of wild boar rooted about in the vast oak forests of the Middle Age.
And in former times there existed a sacrificial spring in the hamlet, called
Bear Spring. It was situated in the forest, close to the so called Infantryman
Cottage.
Now and then a tractor is creeping over the surrounding fields, humming like a
gigantic bumble bee; here and there one can hear the hammer-blows of renovation
activities [...]; some few cars roll along the narrow gravel road that twists
itself through the hamlet.
Galtås is not dead at all. Galtås is alive, even if somewhat forgotten. And in
Galtås time goes at its own pace, at a much slower pace as the one dominating on
the highway on the other side of the forest.
Although it is still summer time, the sun already goes down earlier; it is
getting close to September. One could believe the sunbeams inflame the tops of
the oaks west of the little village. [...]
Not far from here a fox is sneaking through the high grass, looking for a
delicious supper. The fox is starving, shows its teeth and would certainly not
raise any objection to a lamb chop ...
My frequent encounters with animals have been doubted: Are you cheating? Not at all. But when one travels criss-cross through nature and keeps ones eyes open, one can very often come upon wild animals. [...] And, believe it or not, when I drive in the dusk through the forest down to Galtås South Farm [...], an imposing moose bull stands not far away on a meadow and quietly looks at me. [...]