Hundreds of abandoned classic cars grow like trees in a misty Scandinavian forest that looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale. Here's how, with some U.S. Army help, 200 cars found their way into this forest to die.
Europe seems full of abandoned car yards. Magical spots where someone rolled or parked old vehicles either for salvage, storage, or parts. Over time the yards become abandoned and forests overtook them. Now, once in a great while, they pop up to be discovered.
Most famously in recent years was the Historischer Autofriedhof Gürbetal, a Swiss junkyard of epic proportions, unearthed two years ago, untouched and full of automotive treasure. Unfortunately, as soon as the authorities found it, the cars were evicted and what couldn't be sold was crushed.
The fans and owner of this newly discovered, verdant classic car yard in Scandinavia are keeping mum about its precise location for fear of the real world encroaching on what seems like a fantasy playground. The car mix is interesting, but not particularly enlightening as to its location. French cars mingle with Opels, Fords, Audis and even old Buicks. But how did they all get there?
Most of the cars are from soldiers of a nearby former U.S. military base, likely deposited to decompose after their G.I. owners terms of service were up.
No big bad wolf lurks these parts, nor a cannibalistic old maid, but there's at least one Sunbeam. The biggest threat is from outsiders taking something away or bringing someone with a government salary inside. Already two stanches of vehicles have been evicted from the forest and now this last group of 200-plus cars may share a similar fate.
If you want to enjoy it you can talk to someone in-the-know or check out this somberly beautiful set of photos over at Autobild.
(Hat tip to Merc900!)