Kolforsen: River Landscape, Paddling and Village History

Several different travel interests come together in Kolforsen: unusual hydrotopography at Stormyran, fishing spots along the Testeboån, paddling opportunities and traces of the village’s history. If you are looking for a hotel, you can assess the area according to whether you are particularly interested in the waterscape, paddling or local history. The local points of interest range from a single rapid to a canoe route in the surrounding area.

River Landscape and Fishing Spots

Stormyran, with its unusual hydrotopography, is located near Kolforsen. The Testeboån flows through Kolforsen, and there are fishing spots along it for pike, perch and whitefish. Catch opportunities and seasonal conditions can change. Kolforsströmmen is a stretch of rapids with flowing water over a stony bed. The water is oxygen-rich and the bed is clean; these characteristics may vary seasonally. The fishing spots and the characteristics of the water are therefore among the area’s different connections to the water.

Paddling and Orientation

The Kolforsen rapid is short and easy to paddle; its characteristics can change with water levels. At normal water levels, the rest and launch area in Kolforsen has a sandy bed and is 50 metres from the loading area and car park. Shore conditions and access to the area can change. Therefore, check the conditions at the launch site before setting off. The two details refer to different things: “short” describes the rapid, while the 50 metres is the distance from the rest and launch area to the loading area and car park. The distance therefore describes the location of the area, not the length of the paddling section itself.

In the surrounding area of Kolforsen, a well-developed canoe route runs along the Testeboån between Ockelbo and Smörnäs. The rapid and the canoe route represent different scales of planning: one is a single paddling section, while the other is defined by its course between two places. When planning your trips, it is therefore useful to distinguish whether you want to make a particular section or the route in the wider area your starting point.

Historical Traces in the Village

As part of the 2025 project, permanent information boards were installed for the historical village walk in Kolforsen. This means the walk can also be done after the event. It is therefore a specific point of interest if you would also like to explore local history during your stay.

The Swedish National Heritage Board previously considered Kolforsen’s railway station worth preserving; the station building no longer exists. A summer pasture hut associated with summer pasture life in Kolforsen in 1901 has been preserved in a converted form. The dates refer to different things: 2025 is the year of the village walk project, while 1901 is the date associated with the summer pasture hut and summer pasture life.

Accommodation in Kolforsen

Discover more destinations: Jädraås, Åmotsbruk, Ockelbo

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