Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Guide Book - Svartälven/ Letälven
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Canoe Tours in Västmanland: Svartälven/ Letälven
This is a popular river well served by canoe hire companies and there are plenty of facilities for canoists,
despite being a wilderness paddle. You will be paddling down a winding river with many small and large lakes. The
Letälven is the name given to the Svartälven from Karlskoga to the inland sea Vänern. I haven’t canoed the
Letälven section of this route.
Start: Tyfors: Tyfors is on the junction of highway 64 and highway 245 60 km west of Ludvika.
Alternative start: Some of the canoe hire firms start their tours at Älvsjöhyttan.
Finish: The Svartälven finishes at Karlskoga and the Letälven at Gullspång on highway 64 on the western side
of Vänern.
Alternative Finish: Karlsdal. This avoids some difficult portages between Karlsdal and Karlskoga.
Portages: 12 portages, 0.1 - 1.8 km on Svartälven and 2 portages, 2 portages, 0.5-1.3 km on Letälven
Difficulty: Medium (Easy if you finish the tour at Karlsdal)
Distance: 120 km to Karlskoga. 174 km to Gullspång.
Alternative route for Svartälven Norra: Follow the Svartälven as far as Södra Torrvarpen, then head north
past Grythyttan into Sör-Älgen to Hällefors and into Norr-Älgen to end the tour at Sävsjön. Tyfors - Sävsjön is
100 km
Route extension: I have paddled this river as part of the long circular tour known as Le Grand Expedition.
Route extension: From Karlskoga You could paddle down lake Möckeln to Östervik and portage 5 km into
lake Ölen to canoe the Svartån to Örebro.
The route:
Tyfors - Gustavsström 11 km
Paddle down a narrow linear lake to Gustavsström.
Gustavsström - Älvsjöhyttan 10 km
Portage into Älvsjön, another narrow linear lake and paddle down the lake and reach Älvsjöhyttan.
Älvsjöhyttan - Nya Örlingsdammen 18 km
Portage 300m past the dam to enter the Svartälven. Follow the river, passing through a few small lakes to
reach Örlingsdammen at the south of lake Flaxen.
Nya Örlingsdammen - Hällefors 15 km
There is a 100m portage before you enter lake Örlingen. There is a 200m portage at the bottom of this lake to
re-enter the Svartälven which you follow as it becomes a lake as you reach Hällefors.
Hällefors - Älvestorp 20 km
There is a 900m portage at Hällefors and then follow the Svartälven to another 100m portage at Hammarn.
The character of the route changes as you now enter lake Torrvarpen, the first of the bigger lakes. Continue to
Älvestorp at the southern tip of Södra Torrvarpen.
Älvestorp - Rockesholm 13 km
There is a 300m portage at the dam and paddle down Halvasnoren to Rockesholm.
Rockesholm - Karlsdal 17 km
There is a 150m portage at the dam to enter Skärjen. This is left by a 250m portage at Blankenfors and
another 350m portage into Malmlangen. Paddle down this lake to Karlsdal.
Karlsdal - Karlskoga 16 km
Continue down the narrow lake to Brattforsen power station. There is now a 1800m portage. Re-enter the
Svartälven and continue to Skramforsenn power station with a 600m portage and on down to Karåforsen power
station with a 1200m portage. It is fairly shallow where you launch back into the Svartälven. (When I paddled
this route upstream I had to pull my canoe through the shallows, but it should be easier downstream). Once the
river deepens you paddle easily down to to Valåsens Canoe Centre on the outskirts of Karlskoga.
Karlskoga - Gullspång 54 km
From Karlskoga paddle down lake Möckeln to enter the Letälven. There is a 1300m round the dam and
Industrial area at Degerfors and a 500m portage at the dam at Ätorp before entering the large lake Skagern.
This is paddled to Gullspång. The Letälven flows north out of Gullspång into lake Vänern, but I have no canoeing
details.
Information:
BLS Valåsens Kanotuthyrning HB
Box 5018
691 05 KARLSKOGA
Sweden
Visit address: Nedre Älvgårdsvägen
Phone : +46-586 - 72 82 20
info@valasenkanot.se
http://www.valasenkanot.se/eng/index.htm
Canoe hire, transport, maps and information
Hällefors Vandrarhem & Kanotcenter älghornet
Sico Els & Yoni Dob
Saxhyttevägen 2
712 34 Hällefors
Sverige
Telephone: +46 (0)591 13000
Email: info@halleforsvandrarhem.com
http://www.halleforsvandrarhem.com/english/index.html
Canoe hire, canoe transport, information and accomodation
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 the Svartälven and other canoe tours in Västmanland.
This is a popular river well served by canoe hire companies and there are plenty of facilities for canoists,
despite being a wilderness paddle. You will be paddling down a winding river with many small and large lakes. The
Letälven is the name given to the Svartälven from Karlskoga to the inland sea Vänern. I haven’t canoed the
Letälven section of this route.
Start: Tyfors: Tyfors is on the junction of highway 64 and highway 245 60 km west of Ludvika.
Alternative start: Some of the canoe hire firms start their tours at Älvsjöhyttan.
Finish: The Svartälven finishes at Karlskoga and the Letälven at Gullspång on highway 64 on the western side
of Vänern.
Alternative Finish: Karlsdal. This avoids some difficult portages between Karlsdal and Karlskoga.
Portages: 12 portages, 0.1 - 1.8 km on Svartälven and 2 portages, 2 portages, 0.5-1.3 km on Letälven
Difficulty: Medium (Easy if you finish the tour at Karlsdal)
Distance: 120 km to Karlskoga. 174 km to Gullspång.
Alternative route for Svartälven Norra: Follow the Svartälven as far as Södra Torrvarpen, then head north
past Grythyttan into Sör-Älgen to Hällefors and into Norr-Älgen to end the tour at Sävsjön. Tyfors - Sävsjön is
100 km
Route extension: I have paddled this river as part of the long circular tour known as Le Grand Expedition.
Route extension: From Karlskoga You could paddle down lake Möckeln to Östervik and portage 5 km into
lake Ölen to canoe the Svartån to Örebro.
The route:
Tyfors - Gustavsström 11 km
Paddle down a narrow linear lake to Gustavsström.
Gustavsström - Älvsjöhyttan 10 km
Portage into Älvsjön, another narrow linear lake and paddle down the lake and reach Älvsjöhyttan.
Älvsjöhyttan - Nya Örlingsdammen 18 km
Portage 300m past the dam to enter the Svartälven. Follow the river, passing through a few small lakes to
reach Örlingsdammen at the south of lake Flaxen.
Nya Örlingsdammen - Hällefors 15 km
There is a 100m portage before you enter lake Örlingen. There is a 200m portage at the bottom of this lake to
re-enter the Svartälven which you follow as it becomes a lake as you reach Hällefors.
Hällefors - Älvestorp 20 km
There is a 900m portage at Hällefors and then follow the Svartälven to another 100m portage at Hammarn.
The character of the route changes as you now enter lake Torrvarpen, the first of the bigger lakes. Continue to
Älvestorp at the southern tip of Södra Torrvarpen.
Älvestorp - Rockesholm 13 km
There is a 300m portage at the dam and paddle down Halvasnoren to Rockesholm.
Rockesholm - Karlsdal 17 km
There is a 150m portage at the dam to enter Skärjen. This is left by a 250m portage at Blankenfors and
another 350m portage into Malmlangen. Paddle down this lake to Karlsdal.
Karlsdal - Karlskoga 16 km
Continue down the narrow lake to Brattforsen power station. There is now a 1800m portage. Re-enter the
Svartälven and continue to Skramforsenn power station with a 600m portage and on down to Karåforsen power
station with a 1200m portage. It is fairly shallow where you launch back into the Svartälven. (When I paddled
this route upstream I had to pull my canoe through the shallows, but it should be easier downstream). Once the
river deepens you paddle easily down to to Valåsens Canoe Centre on the outskirts of Karlskoga.
Karlskoga - Gullspång 54 km
From Karlskoga paddle down lake Möckeln to enter the Letälven. There is a 1300m round the dam and
Industrial area at Degerfors and a 500m portage at the dam at Ätorp before entering the large lake Skagern.
This is paddled to Gullspång. The Letälven flows north out of Gullspång into lake Vänern, but I have no canoeing
details.
Information:
BLS Valåsens Kanotuthyrning HB
Box 5018
691 05 KARLSKOGA
Sweden
Visit address: Nedre Älvgårdsvägen
Phone : +46-586 - 72 82 20
info@valasenkanot.se
http://www.valasenkanot.se/eng/index.htm
Canoe hire, transport, maps and information
Hällefors Vandrarhem & Kanotcenter älghornet
Sico Els & Yoni Dob
Saxhyttevägen 2
712 34 Hällefors
Sverige
Telephone: +46 (0)591 13000
Email: info@halleforsvandrarhem.com
http://www.halleforsvandrarhem.com/english/index.html
Canoe hire, canoe transport, information and accomodation
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 the Svartälven and other canoe tours in Västmanland.