The Kolbäck river flows through the heart of an area called Bergslagen. Bergslagen is known  for its hills with iron-ore and deep forests. A few hundred years ago the highly valued iron-ore was transported downstream the Kolbäck River. Today the fire has died out in the ancient iron works and the blacksmiths hammer is silent. The river flows as it did long before the days of iron producing. Silent, winding and beautiful. But there are interesting historical traces from the past. For instance we will pay a visit to one of Sweden's world heritage sites - The Ironworks in Ängelsberg

The Swedish steel was exported all over the globe and generated big funds back to the ironwork owners. The ironwork owners constructed very nice mansions and castles to live in. There they  lived their lives in luxury. The ancient mansions  from the 16^th and 17^th Centuries are lined up along the Kolbäck River. What is so special about the Kolbäck River Tour is that we will spend the nights and eat our dinners in mansions with a charming 16^th and 17^th Century environment  

World heritage site - The ironwork in Ängelsberg

The Strömsholms Castle

ITINERARY

Day 1) Transfer from the airport to Wanbo Herrgård (Wanbo Mansion)

Night and dinner at Wanbo Herrgård

Day 2) Guided paddling Wanbo - Fagersta 24 km. Paddling along the Northern Barken lake. We pass through an archipelago with islands covered by pine forest and some red painted lumber cottages. A fair introduction of our paddling adventure and the Swedish countryside. We pass through some narrow stretches and among other things we will see a giant beaver hut. Here we get to know the story about the hard working beaver

      Night and dinner at Fagersta Herrgård (Fagersta Mansion)

Day 3) Guided paddling Fagersta - Wirsbo 27 km

Night by the waterfront with our own dock. Night and dinner at Wirsbo Brukshotell (hotel)

The ironworks in Ängelsberg has ancestry from the Middle-Ages and is one of UNESCO's world heritage sites. A guided tour takes us around the historical site. The world heritage village Ängelsberg has an unique and exciting architecture. The architecture of the village's two castles has inspired the architects who built the villages villas at the turn of the last Century. Some villas have a variation of small towers. After lunch we paddle by the "Oil island" where the world's oldest preserved oil refinery is located. Here we get to know about the islands odd and thrilling history. We go ashore on the Dunshammar peninsula. Here we visit one of the earliest iron producing sites and get to know it's history. The old remains consist of stone ovens from the Iron-Age 

We paddle further in an archipelago with open water and plenty of big and small islands. This is The Kolbäck River's broadest point (on its 110 kilometer long course)

Day 4) Guided paddling Wirsbo - Ramnäs 16 km. From Wirsbo the river is smaller and offer some exciting river paddling. Night and dinner at Schenströmska Herrgården (Schenströmska Mansion)

   Day 5) Guided paddling Ramnäs - Hallstahammar  22 km. The exiting and winding river paddling continues. Guided tour of the Strömsholms Kanal's Museum in Hallstahammar. The museum shows and explains the interesting history of the Kolbäck River and the rivers canal stretches

Night and dinner at Hallstahammars Brukshotell (hotel)

Day 6) Guided paddling Hallstahammar - Kolbäck 7 km. The exiting and winding river paddling continues. Night and dinner at Kolbäcks Gästgiveri (hotel). The hotel has a nice garden overlooking the river. We will finish our paddling with champagne down at the dock in the picture

Day 7) Guided tour of Strömsholms Slott (Strömsholms Castle).
Transfer from Strömsholm to the airport

Nordic Discovery - Naturarvskompaniet

Mikael.Nilsson@naturarvskompaniet.se

Handelsbobacken 2

Phone: +46 (0)580 31007 

Kloten

Cell phone: +46 (0)70 2551984

714 91 Kopparberg

 www.nordicdiscovery.se 

Sweden

www.naturarvskompaniet.se