For those who want to enjoy beautiful nature, well-preserved historical environments and fine cycling opportunities, the area around Strömsholm's canal is the perfect destination. Ekomuseum Bergslagen is a museum without walls that can be found in lots of fantastic places. Sweden by Bike asked Malin Andersson, who is responsible for operations at the museum, to share her best tips regarding all sights.
You are responsible for operations at Ekomuseum and have a good grasp of places to visit and history. What are your best tips when it comes to cycling and Strömsholm's canal?
The most "visible" thing about the canal is the locks and it is interesting and exciting to see a lock, so there are 26 nice, historical excursion destinations that can all be reached by bike. There are several extra beautiful places you can cycle to along the canal. One is Seglingsberg, where there is a narrow headland with water on both sides which is really nice! In the Västanfors area there are locks, an old power plant, the beautiful church, the homestead with very nice cottages, plantations, a shop and a coffee house. The manor wing is open from time to time in the summer. The mansion itself, however, is gone. It was demolished so that the canal would go right there, so the canal runs close by. If you want to step on a very nice little country road in a beautiful cultural landscape with the lakes nearby, you should cycle between Söderbärke and Smedjebacken on the east side of the water. It could not be summerier and nicer.
You are involved in arranging many events, for example Iron Route Week. In what way has it been different as a result of the pandemic?
In fact, there has not been much difference. Most of Ekomuseum Bergslagen's environments are "spacious" in nature, so there is plenty of space for everyone. The whole area is a museum and the places are the stands that you can sometimes even enter. In guided tours, the size of the groups has been adapted to the prevailing restrictions and each place has been adapted how visitors can move and how coffee tables or benches to sit on has been placed - and so the obligatory hand alcohol has been well available.
Ekomuseum Bergslagen has a total of 68 places to visit. Do you have a favorite that is especially suitable for a family with children?
In fact, families with children usually appreciate all the places. There is room for those with running legs to move, there are streams to splash in, forests to explore and strangely different buildings that stimulate the imagination. To be more specific, the children usually like Nya Lapphyttan in Norberg. There you can go into the nice log houses and fantasize about what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. There are so-called technology parks at Färna, Skantzen and Västanfors hembygdsgård, among others. There the children can play and learn about the story. And so everyone probably thinks it's exciting with castles, so Strömsholm's castle with its green shimmering oak groves is appreciated - plus the canal runs close by!