Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - Helgeån
Canoe Tours in Skåne: Helgeån
I have only paddled this tour as for as Osby.
The Helge å is a small river with many easy small rapids and occasional portages. About 20% of the route is
on lakes. The river flows into the Baltic Sea near Åhus.
Start: Virestad. Virestad is about 15 km ENE of Älmhult which is on route 23 between Malmo and Växjö
Finish: The Helga å reaches the Baltic Sea at Yngsjö about 7 km south of Åhus.
Transport: by bus or a combination of bus and train.
Distance: 170 km
Maps: There are canoe maps and route descriptions available for this route.
Portages: 10-15 portages 0.1-1.9 km. As some of the portages are round rapids, the number of portages
depends on the water conditions and the expertise of the paddler.
Alternative start: You can start at Ryssby which is on the Route 25 about 15 km east of Ljungby. Paddling is
on lakes and a small river before reaching the north end of lake Mökeln after 20 km.
Alternative start: Launch into Granshultasjön at Armanäs just to the north of Virestad. Paddle NW before
exiting into the Helga å at the SW end of the lake. 12 km to Välje Badplats.
Alternative finish: Many canoeists end their tour at Osby after about 100 km
Difficulty: Medium.
Route extensions: You may want to explore lake Mökeln.
The route:
a) Virestadsjön - Ällnebro 10 km
Launch into Virestadsjön at Välje Badplats and campsite and head south to exit the lake at its SW corner.
Paddle down the narrow Helga å.
b) Ällnebro - Såganäsjön 16 km
The Helga å passes through 2 small lakes, Låkasjön and Steningen before arriving at lake Såganäsjön.
c) Mökeln 8 km
There is a portage at Dio into lake Mökeln. Head NW up this large lake then west across the lake to regain
the Helga å at Älvanäs. The route guide suggests a longer exploration of this large lake.
d) Älvanäs - Bergagården 12 km
The Helga å passes into the small lake Tornasjön and the larger Skeppshultsjön to reach Oshult where there
is a portage at a rapid.
e) Bergagården - Delary Badplats 12 km
There is a 1.9 km portage at the rapids at Gustafsfors.
f) Delary Badplats - Kornberga 9 km
There is a portage at Delary and then there are then several short portages round rapids dams and weirs as
the river drops 27m over 9 km.
g) Kornberga - Hästberga power station 13 km
This should be an easier than the previous section.
h) Hästberga power station - Osbysjön. 16 km
The Helga å crosses lake Skeingesjön and continues into lake Osbysjön.
i) Osbysjön - Knislinge 25 km
This is a difficult section with 7 portages up to 2 km. I haven’t paddled it so am not aware of the problems.
j) Knislinge - Åhus 55 km
This is an easy section with only one 800m portage. I haven’t paddled it so am not aware of the problems.
Information:
Sjöstugans Camping
BöhhultS-343 94 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-71600
Canoe hire and camping
Lagaåns kanot-och båtcharter
Delary Kiosk S-343 95 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-331-28
Canoe hire
Sjöfors Kanoter
Kölaboda S-343 95 Älmhult
Tel: 010-46-23-10
Canoe hire
Möckelns Camping
Möckeln S-343 37 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-130-03
Canoe hire and camping
Route description (German)
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 4: Skandinavien
I have only paddled this tour as for as Osby.
The Helge å is a small river with many easy small rapids and occasional portages. About 20% of the route is
on lakes. The river flows into the Baltic Sea near Åhus.
Start: Virestad. Virestad is about 15 km ENE of Älmhult which is on route 23 between Malmo and Växjö
Finish: The Helga å reaches the Baltic Sea at Yngsjö about 7 km south of Åhus.
Transport: by bus or a combination of bus and train.
Distance: 170 km
Maps: There are canoe maps and route descriptions available for this route.
Portages: 10-15 portages 0.1-1.9 km. As some of the portages are round rapids, the number of portages
depends on the water conditions and the expertise of the paddler.
Alternative start: You can start at Ryssby which is on the Route 25 about 15 km east of Ljungby. Paddling is
on lakes and a small river before reaching the north end of lake Mökeln after 20 km.
Alternative start: Launch into Granshultasjön at Armanäs just to the north of Virestad. Paddle NW before
exiting into the Helga å at the SW end of the lake. 12 km to Välje Badplats.
Alternative finish: Many canoeists end their tour at Osby after about 100 km
Difficulty: Medium.
Route extensions: You may want to explore lake Mökeln.
The route:
a) Virestadsjön - Ällnebro 10 km
Launch into Virestadsjön at Välje Badplats and campsite and head south to exit the lake at its SW corner.
Paddle down the narrow Helga å.
b) Ällnebro - Såganäsjön 16 km
The Helga å passes through 2 small lakes, Låkasjön and Steningen before arriving at lake Såganäsjön.
c) Mökeln 8 km
There is a portage at Dio into lake Mökeln. Head NW up this large lake then west across the lake to regain
the Helga å at Älvanäs. The route guide suggests a longer exploration of this large lake.
d) Älvanäs - Bergagården 12 km
The Helga å passes into the small lake Tornasjön and the larger Skeppshultsjön to reach Oshult where there
is a portage at a rapid.
e) Bergagården - Delary Badplats 12 km
There is a 1.9 km portage at the rapids at Gustafsfors.
f) Delary Badplats - Kornberga 9 km
There is a portage at Delary and then there are then several short portages round rapids dams and weirs as
the river drops 27m over 9 km.
g) Kornberga - Hästberga power station 13 km
This should be an easier than the previous section.
h) Hästberga power station - Osbysjön. 16 km
The Helga å crosses lake Skeingesjön and continues into lake Osbysjön.
i) Osbysjön - Knislinge 25 km
This is a difficult section with 7 portages up to 2 km. I haven’t paddled it so am not aware of the problems.
j) Knislinge - Åhus 55 km
This is an easy section with only one 800m portage. I haven’t paddled it so am not aware of the problems.
Information:
Sjöstugans Camping
BöhhultS-343 94 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-71600
Canoe hire and camping
Lagaåns kanot-och båtcharter
Delary Kiosk S-343 95 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-331-28
Canoe hire
Sjöfors Kanoter
Kölaboda S-343 95 Älmhult
Tel: 010-46-23-10
Canoe hire
Möckelns Camping
Möckeln S-343 37 Älmhult
Tel: 0476-130-03
Canoe hire and camping
Route description (German)
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 4: Skandinavien
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