Canoe Tours in Bergslagen (Sweden)

Land transports add to the challenge

The total distance covered for Canoe in Bergslagen is around 52km. This canoe tour also requires about 8 land crossings, the longest transport needed being around 4km. A canoe trolley is included as part of your equipment to assist with land transports.

The land transports required during the canoe trip and the remote nature of much of the area makes Canoe in Bergslagen the most challenging of our canoeing tours in the Värmland area, though as a 5-day route, the tour is also accessible to wide range of participants and the distance is intended to be easily coverable in the time available.

No previous experience of canoeing is required, but you should be used to and enjoy the outdoor life.

Canoe Tours in Bergslagen is suitable for adults and also for families with older children who are used to the outdoors - a fairly challenging but very rewarding canoe adventure that will leave you with a host of memories and stories to tell!

A region rich in cultural and natural heritage

Bergslagen, the name given to the old mining areas reaching over Västermanland, the southern parts of Dalarna and the east of Värmland, is wonderful canoeing country. The natural surroundings in Bergslagen offer a beautiful area of connected lakes superb for paddlers. The flora and fauna of Bergslagen, where the north and south of Sweden meet, is a cross-section of Swedish species.

The Bergslagen tour features a beautiful landscape of lakes and narrower waterways

Canoeing for odd-numbered groups

Canoes used are 2-person Canadian canoes but can also accommodate three persons. For odd numbers, there are two possibilities - please specify your chosen option when booking (option chosen does not affect the price):

• Paddle three persons in one canoe. This reduces the level of challenge but note that this option will limit available space for packing (this option is not recommended if your party is only three persons in total).
• Extra person uses sit-on-top kayak as alternative to canoe. The majority of packing for this extra person will then be carried in one of the canoes. A trolley is provided for the kayak to assist with land transports.

Arrival

Detailed information you will need for your experience, including a description of the route, is sent out once full payment has been received.

You meet at the canoe centre in Gunnerud, where you will receive your canoe equipment, some instruction on paddling technique and other information for your tour. You can also now buy a fishing licence for the tour if you wish. Together with the canoe centre staff, you take some time to mark the places on the map where you have to launch and take the canoe out of the water and note some suitable camping spots. Together you load the canoe equipment onto the minibus and head for the starting point to begin your canoe tour.

• High season: Check-in is between 13.00 and 14.00.
• Low season: Start time is by arrangement between 12.00 and 17.00.

Following Days

Launching your canoes into Västra Sundsjön, you paddle south. At the southern end of the lake, you take the canoes out of the water and make your first land transport, about 700m, to launch into Östra Sundsjön, heading north through a beautiful labyrinth of floating islands.

Your canoe tour continues through lakes and connecting creeks with a total of around 7 land crossings, the longest being about 4km.

You will need to take all food needed for the tour with you from the start. A provisions package is available as an optional extra.

Departure

Your canoe tour ends 5 days later. You will be met at the end point for return transfer to the canoe centre.

• High season: Pick-up on Saturday around 18.00 (back at canoe centre around 19.00). If travelling by public transport, the last bus to Karlstad leaves at 19.06 from Sjögränd. The end of the tour will connect with this bus, but you will be dropped at the bus stop on the way back rather than returning to the canoe centre. Any luggage you have left at the canoe centre during your tour will be brought in the pick-up vehicle. Please mention to the canoe centre staff at the beginning of your tour if you are taking this bus.
• Low season: Pick-up time is by arrangement between 12.00 and 17.00.

Included

Maps are essential for this tour. Maps can be ordered independently or as an optional extra - please see "Optional extras" below.

• Canoe equipment: 2-person Canadian canoe, paddles, buoyancy aids, one waterproof pack barrel (approx. 60 litres) and one waterproof dry bag (approx. 40 litres) per canoe, water can (5 litres), canoe rope, canoe trolley, toilet spade (toilet paper is not included), cleaning sponge and rubbish bags. For odd-numbered groups, please specify when booking whether you would like to paddle three persons in one canoe or would like sit-on-top kayak for odd-numbered person.
• Map: A map for the tour is provided, printed on waterproof paper and containing some additional information on camping, fishing and other elements of the route. No other map is required for the tour. If you also wish to purchase your own map, the map suitable for tour is Norstedts Sverigeserien Topo50 Blad 65 Fredriksberg (1:50,000). Maps can be purchased independently through The Map Shop.
• Kitchen equipment: Trangia hurricane stove* with fuel, cups, plates, cutlery, carving knife, cutting board, spatula, cheese slicer, whip, butter knife, can/bottle opener, potato peeler, bowl, dish brush, washing-up liquid, kitchen roll, matches and storage box.
• Instructor: Instruction meeting before your tour starts.
• Transfers: Transport by minibus for participants and equipment from the meeting point to/from the start/end points of the tour.

*Exact contents may differ from example shown

Please be careful with the canoe and the rest of your equipment! If some part of the equipment should break as a result of misuse or carelessness, you may be charged for the damage caused.

Not Included

Please see "Prices > Optional Extras".

• Travel: We do not arrange flights or domestic travel, but are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey. See under "Getting There" for general travel information.
• Food: This tour runs in a remote area with no opportunities to buy food along the way. We recommend you bring all food with you from the start.
• Tent
• Sleeping Bag
• Maps

Required

Health requirements/experience:

Swimming ability required by adults. All participation at own risk. Minimum 2 adults.

You should be in good health and have a general good level of fitness and strength.

The canoe tour is on calm running waters and small to medium-sized lakes. The Bergslagen tour requires a number of land transports, the longest of which is around 4km. During the land transports the canoe can be transported on the canoe trolley but you will need to carry other equipment. This tour may be too demanding for younger children and is unsuitable for children under 10. If you have younger children, our Canoe on Svartälven or Canoe on Klarälven tours may be more suitable. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

What makes this "Medium-Hard"?

The tour takes place in a fairly remote area and features wild camping on all nights, but most paddling during the tour has moderate level of challenge. Land transports during the tour can be moderately demanding.

NB: Perception of difficulty is very subjective. What is hard to one person may be easy for another and vice versa, depending on factors including level of fitness, age and previous experience. Weather conditions/temperatures can also dramatically affect the actual level of challenge encountered.

Equipment/clothes needed:

For information on any equipment and/or clothing included as standard for this experience, please see under "What's Included".

A detailed recommended packing list for personal items to bring will be sent with your booking documentation.

NB: We advise you not to buy equipment or clothes for your trip or to incur other non-refundable expenses such as flights until you have received confirmation of your booking from us in writing. Note of course that the most appropriate clothing to use as well as the level of challenge experienced during any outdoor activity may vary significantly depending on factors such as the time of year and the particular weather/temperature conditions during your trip.

Preparing for your trip:

For further reading, we also have a number of general information articles to get you ready for your trip, covering a wide variety of topics from what to do on a city break before/after your tour, advice on packing, eyewear for winter and considerations for female travellers.

Combine This With

This experience makes a good combination with the following:

• Lakeside Cabin Retreat in Värmland (3 or more days, 1.5 hours by car or 2.5 hours by public transport)
• Log Cabin Escape in Värmland (3 or more days, 1.5 hours by car or 2.5 hours by public transport)
• Timber Rafting on Klaräven (5 or 8 days, same location)

Groups

Canoe in Bergslagen is suitable for groups. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Eco Info

This provider has received a prestigious Swedish Ecotourism award for its commitment to high standards to cultural and environmental sensitivity.

"The lakes and camping spots were beautiful. It was very relaxing." Alex

"The website is very clear and the extra information provided after booking had all the information that we needed to know. Everything was taken care of, so we had nothing to worry about during the trip. I think that was very important to really enjoy it from start to end. The best part of the experience was the feeling of solitude during the canoeing. Even though we went in high summer, we never had the feeling of the trip being too tourist-y which is exactly what we were looking for." Diederik