Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - Rastälven/Järleån/Arbogaån
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Canoe Tours in Västmanland: Rastälven/Järleån/Arbogaån
I have not canoed this route.
The Rastälven is known as the Bornsälven between Fåsjön and Noräsjön and then the Järleån as it leaves
Noräsjön. They are tributaries of the Arbogaån which we join from Varingen to lake Mälaren. This route is a
mixture of small lakes and narrow stream with the occasional bit of white-water.
Start: Mögsjön, on highway 63 about 10 km east of Hällefors.
Finish: Kungsör on lake Mälaren.
Alternative Finish: Nora or Frövi.
Alternative start: You could start at Lindesberg and paddle the Arbogaån down to Frövi.
Portages: Mögsjö - Nora 10 portages 0.1 - 3.0 km
Nora - Varingen 4 portages 0.1 - 5.0 km
Varingen - Kungsör 3 portages 0.3 - 2.5 km
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 126 km
Route extension: The “official” route of the Rastälven includes a diversion from lake Fåsjön, portaging
1.5 km into lake Usken which has campsite and bathing beaches. If you paddle up to Mårdshyttan it adds 12
km to the tour. There are good canoe maps for this route.
Alternative finish: From the Arbogaån, east of Arboga, you can paddle 29 km down the Hjälmare Kanal
to lake Hjälmaren.
The route:
Mögsjön - Grängshyttan 12 km
Grängshyttan - Gammelhyttan 11 km
Gammelhyttan - Nora 20 km
Launch into Mögsjön at the Sundet rest-place. Leave Mögsjön at its S tip. There is a 200m portage into
Kvisseln and then a 500m portage between Kvisseln and Hjulsjö. Paddle down the Rastälven into Stora
Grängen and Lilla Grängen. At the bottom of the lake you will need a 3 km portage to Sången and another
100m portage at Björborn out of this lake. There is a 750 m portage at Nyhyttan, on leaving lake Björborn,
and then paddle down the Rastälven into Lindedbysjön. There are 4 portages in the next section of the
Rastälven down to lake Fåsjön. Leave Fåsjön at its southern tip and enter the Rastälven and the final
portage before arriving into Noräsjön. Nora is on the western shore of the lake.
Nora - Varingen 32 km
Leave Noräsjön down the Järleån, but you will soon need to portage 5 km as the Järleån drops 36 m in
the next 5 km through a nature reserve. Once you relaunch into the Järleån there are 3 more short
portages as you paddle down the river to lake Varingen. Frövi is on the lake’s northern shore.
Varingen - Kungsör 51 km
Leave Varingen down the Arbogaån. There are 3 portages before you reach Arboga and then there is
easy paddling down to Mälaren at Kungsör.
Information:
Naturarvskompaniet
Handelsbobacken 2
Kloten
714 91 Kopparberg
Phone: +46 (0)580 31007
http://www.naturarvskompaniet.se/eng/index.html
Mikael.Nilsson@naturarvskompaniet.se
Canoe hire, transport, maps and information
The website has downloadable maps and details of this route and other canoe tours in Västmanland.
Nora Tourist Bureau
Tel: 0587-105 74
I have not canoed this route.
The Rastälven is known as the Bornsälven between Fåsjön and Noräsjön and then the Järleån as it leaves
Noräsjön. They are tributaries of the Arbogaån which we join from Varingen to lake Mälaren. This route is a
mixture of small lakes and narrow stream with the occasional bit of white-water.
Start: Mögsjön, on highway 63 about 10 km east of Hällefors.
Finish: Kungsör on lake Mälaren.
Alternative Finish: Nora or Frövi.
Alternative start: You could start at Lindesberg and paddle the Arbogaån down to Frövi.
Portages: Mögsjö - Nora 10 portages 0.1 - 3.0 km
Nora - Varingen 4 portages 0.1 - 5.0 km
Varingen - Kungsör 3 portages 0.3 - 2.5 km
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 126 km
Route extension: The “official” route of the Rastälven includes a diversion from lake Fåsjön, portaging
1.5 km into lake Usken which has campsite and bathing beaches. If you paddle up to Mårdshyttan it adds 12
km to the tour. There are good canoe maps for this route.
Alternative finish: From the Arbogaån, east of Arboga, you can paddle 29 km down the Hjälmare Kanal
to lake Hjälmaren.
The route:
Mögsjön - Grängshyttan 12 km
Grängshyttan - Gammelhyttan 11 km
Gammelhyttan - Nora 20 km
Launch into Mögsjön at the Sundet rest-place. Leave Mögsjön at its S tip. There is a 200m portage into
Kvisseln and then a 500m portage between Kvisseln and Hjulsjö. Paddle down the Rastälven into Stora
Grängen and Lilla Grängen. At the bottom of the lake you will need a 3 km portage to Sången and another
100m portage at Björborn out of this lake. There is a 750 m portage at Nyhyttan, on leaving lake Björborn,
and then paddle down the Rastälven into Lindedbysjön. There are 4 portages in the next section of the
Rastälven down to lake Fåsjön. Leave Fåsjön at its southern tip and enter the Rastälven and the final
portage before arriving into Noräsjön. Nora is on the western shore of the lake.
Nora - Varingen 32 km
Leave Noräsjön down the Järleån, but you will soon need to portage 5 km as the Järleån drops 36 m in
the next 5 km through a nature reserve. Once you relaunch into the Järleån there are 3 more short
portages as you paddle down the river to lake Varingen. Frövi is on the lake’s northern shore.
Varingen - Kungsör 51 km
Leave Varingen down the Arbogaån. There are 3 portages before you reach Arboga and then there is
easy paddling down to Mälaren at Kungsör.
Information:
Naturarvskompaniet
Handelsbobacken 2
Kloten
714 91 Kopparberg
Phone: +46 (0)580 31007
http://www.naturarvskompaniet.se/eng/index.html
Mikael.Nilsson@naturarvskompaniet.se
Canoe hire, transport, maps and information
The website has downloadable maps and details of this route and other canoe tours in Västmanland.
Nora Tourist Bureau
Tel: 0587-105 74