Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - Östergötland Round Tour
Canoe Tours in Östergötland: Östergötland Round Tour
This tour follows explores the lakes and streams to the south of Linköping and connects the Kinda Kanal,
Stångån and Svartån which are described separately in this book.
Start: Ydrefors: Ydrefors is on a minor road NW of Vimmerby.
Finish: Gullringen: Gullringen is about 15 km by road from Ydrefors.
Portages: about 27 portages including several long ones. A canoe trolley is esential.
Distance: 420 km
Difficulty: Medium. There are a few awkward portages and there could be big waves on the lakes in windy
weather.
Map: There is a canoe map for this tour.
The route:
Ydrefors - Horn 96 km 6 portages 0.1-0.4 km
From Ydrefors follow the Stångån to Horn as described as a separate tour.
Horn - Råsabro 18 km No portages
Paddle into lake Åsunden up the lake to Råsabro, the bridge separating the southern half of Åsunden from
the northern half. From here you need to get to find a way to lake Sommen.
Råsabro - Malexander 43 km 4 portages, one about 2 hours
You could paddle further north and paddle upstream up the Kisaån to Kisa and Nedre Föllingen but I
suggest it is best to take out to the west of the Råsabro and do a 2 hour portage along the road to Kisa and on
to Nedre Föllingen . Paddle into Övre Föllingen and then
Örlågen with a couple of short portages. You can then paddle up a small stream into Ören. Paddle to the
western shore of Ören for a 1.2 km to the large lake Sommen. Paddle along the northern shore of Sommen to
Malexander.
Malexander - Bokholm 43 km One 7 km portage
From Malexander paddle either north or south of the large island, Torpön and on to Blåvik. Paddle north
from Blåvik up the eastern branch of the lake and take your canoe out of the water at the head of the lake.
There is now a 7 km portage to Boxholm as you cannot canoe on the upper section of the Svartån.
Boxholm - Roxen 75 km 7 portages, 0.1-0.8 km
Follow the Svartån to lake Roxen as described in the Svartån tour.
Roxen - Linköping 7 km No portages
Follow the south shore of Roxen to enter the Kinda Kanal at Linköping.
Linkoping - Horn 97 km 8 short portages
Paddle up the Kinda Kanal as described in the Kinda Kanal tour. From Åsunden you must decide how to get
back to your starting point. I decided to continue down to Horn and to paddle a little way up the Stångån.
Horn - Gullringen 25 km 2 short portages
Paddle back up the Stångån as far as the road bridge over the Stångån NE of Gullringen.
Gullringen - Ydrefors 15 km By road
You are about 15 km by road from your starting point.
Alternative start: If you miss out the section from Ydrefors to Råsabro on Åsunden you could do a circular
tour of Sommen, Åsunden and Kinda Kanal which is about 300 km. You could start this tour anywhere on the
route.
Alternative finishes: Once you get to lake Åsunden you could:
a) return by road toYdrefors from Råsabro.
b) paddle up the Kisaån or portage to Nedre Föllingen again and follow the route to Sommen and then paddle
down to the southern tip of Sommen at Norra Vi from where it is about 15 km by road to Ydrefors.
c) follow the Stångån as far as Vimmerby which is about 30 km by road from Ydrefors.
Route extension: You could paddle down to the SE corner of Åsunden where the island of Bjuggö provides a
good overnight stop. Then paddle round the eastern shore of the lake to Björkfors. You cold portage into
Björken to explore this lake before returning to Björkfors. Portage back into Åsunden and follow its northern
shore to Råsabro.
Direction of tour: It would be possible to paddle up the Svartån and down the Kinda Kanal, but paddling up
the Svartån would be more difficult than paddling up the Kinda Kanal so clockwise is my preferred direction.
It would not be so easy paddling upstream up the upper sections of the Stångån.
Information:
Malexander Turism & Fritid
Prästgårdvägen 3 Malexander
90 14 Boxholm
Tel: +46(0)142-300 68
info@malexanderturism.se
http://www.malexanderturism.se
Canoe hire, canoe transport, maps and information
Stiftsgården Vårdnäs
SE- 590 41 Rimforsa
info@vardnas.com
Tel:+46 (0)13-36 85 00
http://www.vardnas.com
Hornåbergs Camping
Tel: 0494-303 57
http://www.kindaturism.se/hornaberg.html
Canoe hire
Rimforsa Camping
Tel: 0494-204 40
Canoe hire
AktivFritid
Tel: 070-5600433
magnus@aktivfritid.biz
http://www.aktivfritid.biz
Canoe hire
Kinda Kayak
Tel: +46 (0) 13 10 45 70
jon@kindakajak.se
http://www.kindakajak.se
Kayak hire
AB Kinda Kanal
Södra Stånggatan 1
Box 1017
581 10 Linköping
Phone. 013-12 68 80
info@kindakanal.se
http://www.kindakanal.se
There is a map detailing the locks on their website.
Route description (German)
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 4: Skandinavien
Route description for the Stångån and Kinda Kanal.
This tour follows explores the lakes and streams to the south of Linköping and connects the Kinda Kanal,
Stångån and Svartån which are described separately in this book.
Start: Ydrefors: Ydrefors is on a minor road NW of Vimmerby.
Finish: Gullringen: Gullringen is about 15 km by road from Ydrefors.
Portages: about 27 portages including several long ones. A canoe trolley is esential.
Distance: 420 km
Difficulty: Medium. There are a few awkward portages and there could be big waves on the lakes in windy
weather.
Map: There is a canoe map for this tour.
The route:
Ydrefors - Horn 96 km 6 portages 0.1-0.4 km
From Ydrefors follow the Stångån to Horn as described as a separate tour.
Horn - Råsabro 18 km No portages
Paddle into lake Åsunden up the lake to Råsabro, the bridge separating the southern half of Åsunden from
the northern half. From here you need to get to find a way to lake Sommen.
Råsabro - Malexander 43 km 4 portages, one about 2 hours
You could paddle further north and paddle upstream up the Kisaån to Kisa and Nedre Föllingen but I
suggest it is best to take out to the west of the Råsabro and do a 2 hour portage along the road to Kisa and on
to Nedre Föllingen . Paddle into Övre Föllingen and then
Örlågen with a couple of short portages. You can then paddle up a small stream into Ören. Paddle to the
western shore of Ören for a 1.2 km to the large lake Sommen. Paddle along the northern shore of Sommen to
Malexander.
Malexander - Bokholm 43 km One 7 km portage
From Malexander paddle either north or south of the large island, Torpön and on to Blåvik. Paddle north
from Blåvik up the eastern branch of the lake and take your canoe out of the water at the head of the lake.
There is now a 7 km portage to Boxholm as you cannot canoe on the upper section of the Svartån.
Boxholm - Roxen 75 km 7 portages, 0.1-0.8 km
Follow the Svartån to lake Roxen as described in the Svartån tour.
Roxen - Linköping 7 km No portages
Follow the south shore of Roxen to enter the Kinda Kanal at Linköping.
Linkoping - Horn 97 km 8 short portages
Paddle up the Kinda Kanal as described in the Kinda Kanal tour. From Åsunden you must decide how to get
back to your starting point. I decided to continue down to Horn and to paddle a little way up the Stångån.
Horn - Gullringen 25 km 2 short portages
Paddle back up the Stångån as far as the road bridge over the Stångån NE of Gullringen.
Gullringen - Ydrefors 15 km By road
You are about 15 km by road from your starting point.
Alternative start: If you miss out the section from Ydrefors to Råsabro on Åsunden you could do a circular
tour of Sommen, Åsunden and Kinda Kanal which is about 300 km. You could start this tour anywhere on the
route.
Alternative finishes: Once you get to lake Åsunden you could:
a) return by road toYdrefors from Råsabro.
b) paddle up the Kisaån or portage to Nedre Föllingen again and follow the route to Sommen and then paddle
down to the southern tip of Sommen at Norra Vi from where it is about 15 km by road to Ydrefors.
c) follow the Stångån as far as Vimmerby which is about 30 km by road from Ydrefors.
Route extension: You could paddle down to the SE corner of Åsunden where the island of Bjuggö provides a
good overnight stop. Then paddle round the eastern shore of the lake to Björkfors. You cold portage into
Björken to explore this lake before returning to Björkfors. Portage back into Åsunden and follow its northern
shore to Råsabro.
Direction of tour: It would be possible to paddle up the Svartån and down the Kinda Kanal, but paddling up
the Svartån would be more difficult than paddling up the Kinda Kanal so clockwise is my preferred direction.
It would not be so easy paddling upstream up the upper sections of the Stångån.
Information:
Malexander Turism & Fritid
Prästgårdvägen 3 Malexander
90 14 Boxholm
Tel: +46(0)142-300 68
info@malexanderturism.se
http://www.malexanderturism.se
Canoe hire, canoe transport, maps and information
Stiftsgården Vårdnäs
SE- 590 41 Rimforsa
info@vardnas.com
Tel:+46 (0)13-36 85 00
http://www.vardnas.com
Hornåbergs Camping
Tel: 0494-303 57
http://www.kindaturism.se/hornaberg.html
Canoe hire
Rimforsa Camping
Tel: 0494-204 40
Canoe hire
AktivFritid
Tel: 070-5600433
magnus@aktivfritid.biz
http://www.aktivfritid.biz
Canoe hire
Kinda Kayak
Tel: +46 (0) 13 10 45 70
jon@kindakajak.se
http://www.kindakajak.se
Kayak hire
AB Kinda Kanal
Södra Stånggatan 1
Box 1017
581 10 Linköping
Phone. 013-12 68 80
info@kindakanal.se
http://www.kindakanal.se
There is a map detailing the locks on their website.
Route description (German)
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 4: Skandinavien
Route description for the Stångån and Kinda Kanal.
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