Storfors: Cycling Routes, Water and Culture

Storfors offers visitors a variety of ways to explore: cycling routes, water activities and cultural and historic sites. Options range from a red-marked route in the built-up area to a one- or two-day paddling trip and excursions to locks and historic buildings.

Cycling routes in Storfors

Storfors has almost 50 kilometres of cycling routes across three circuits, quality-assured by Biking Värmland. One specifically named route is the Stegelviksrundan: it is 3.3 kilometres long, marked in red and runs through the built-up area of Storfors. The two figures describe different distances: 3.3 kilometres refers to this individual route, while almost 50 kilometres covers the cycling routes across all three circuits. When planning, you can therefore choose between a clearly identified route in the town and the wider selection of routes.

Waterways, paddling and swimming

The 65-kilometre Bergslagskanalen runs through Storfors Municipality and includes lakes, rivers, locks and man-made canals. By water, you can travel by boat from Karlskoga via Storfors to Filipstad. Storfors is therefore part of a longer boating route that connects different types of waterways.

For a paddling trip, consider the route along the Hättälven: it passes a natural whirlpool area on the way to Riddarön and is suitable for a one- or two-day trip starting at Badsta Camping. The stated duration gives you a clear timeframe for planning. From Badsta, the trip focuses on paddling and the route to the island.

Badsta Camping has a sandy beach with bathing jetties, a restaurant, a kiosk, toilets, a playground and canoe hire. The beach and jetties complement the other facilities listed; canoe hire is a separate option for guests interested in exploring the waterways.

Facilities for boating and canoeing visitors in Storfors also include a guest harbour with free access to water and electricity, as well as a slipway. For those planning a trip in their own boat, the harbour and the slipway are both named as practical stopping points.

Cinema, museum and church architecture

Storfors biograf has a large auditorium with 210 seats and uses a 4K projector. These details cover two aspects of the cinema: the size of the auditorium and the projection technology used. Spruthuset in Storfors houses the Värmlands brandhistoriska museum. Its collections come from across the entire Värmland region, extending their focus beyond the town to the wider region.

Storfors kyrka was completed in 1959 to plans by architect Tor Engloo. Its exterior walls are clad in Glava slate. The year of construction, the design and the material offer three specific ways to understand the church and its architecture: when it was completed, Engloo’s design and the slate on its exterior walls.

Koltorpshagen in Storfors also offers a connection to the town’s older history: the building dates back to the 17th century. Visitors interested in historic buildings can contrast its early origins with the later church, completed in 1959, without assigning the two buildings to the same period of construction.

Locks and industrial history

At the nearby Bjurbäckens slussar, there are three lock chambers in Bjurbäcken and an open level lock at Källsfallet. The difference in elevation is about 11 metres. The combination of several chambers and an open lock describes the layout of the site; the elevation figure is approximate. The former lock keeper’s house by the locks now contains a café and a small museum.

The nearby Bjurbäckens Bruksområde includes a mill and a mill stable; there is also a forge with roots in the 18th century. A guided tour focusing on the historic site is available. As no regular dates are listed, check tour times in advance if you would like to include this visit in your plans.

For the wider travel overview: Värmland.