Gunnar’s Carousel

Hidden in the woods near the small village of Drängsered, Sweden, stands a forgotten carousel with a very unusual story. Locals call it “the carousel in the forest.”

In 1974, at the age of 67, farmer and handyman Gunnar Karlsson decided to build something magical for the children of his family and the village. On the site of an old mill, he dammed a stream, built a waterwheel, and connected it to the gearbox of an old Volvo. The ride had three gears — and on the fastest one it spun so wildly that riders had to hold on tight. On top, he fixed four garden benches to a wooden platform, creating a water-powered carousel hidden deep in the trees.

Today, the carousel is still there, though time has worn it down. The water no longer flows, the planks are rotting, and a sign warns that you enter at your own risk. Still, many visitors who follow the forest path can’t resist giving it a gentle push, imagining the laughter of children as it once turned with the power of the stream.

This strange and enchanting relic is a reminder of one man’s creativity, and of the secret treasures that sometimes wait in the woods.