Gästrikland offers many nice paddle waters, not least Färnebofjärden National park. The possibilities to unique paddle routes are endless. To make the choice slightly easier for you we have brought together a few suggested tours/routes.
Fika tour
Begin this tour at our Ista starting point in Färnebofjärden National park. Once on the water start heading east past Isön, Käringön and on into Vedfjärden. Enjoy the feeling of vegetation on both sides as you pass between the islands before continuing south through Idstenssundet. Soon you will pass Bårbyhällan which has a wind shelter and fireplace to use. We suggest this place only for those who feel confident with slightly more difficult landings (stones and rocks).
For those looking for an easier landing and the possibility to enjoy a dip from a sandy beach the tour continues west towards Hamre. Here along the ridge you will find beaches on both sides, the beaches to the west being slightly sandier. When the water level in the Dalälven river is high you can paddle underneath Dragsbron bridge to the other side, if not the walk over isn’t far either. Enjoy a refreshing dip and a tasty fika (afternoon coffee with a snack). If you don’t have time to prepare your own food and drink you can order our fika package at the latest 12:00pm the day before.
After an enjoyable pause you continue on to the final stretch back north to the starting point by Ista.
Over night tour, 24-32 hours
Day 1: This paddle suggestion starts by Edsviken beach/Tegelbruket in Färnebofjärden National parks nor-western corner. When you have packed your equipment the journey south begins following the western side of the islands Uddfinnora and Hästholmen. Here the reeds grow dense creating a calm fond against the river water. By the island Karlholm you will pass a wind shelter before you turn east along the creek between the islands Rosön and Ramjeön. Follow Ramjeön southwards into Vedfjärden and then continue out again south of Käringön. Take aim towards Dragsbron bridge by Hamre where you will find nice beaches suitable to rest on.
After a well deserved break you continue around the large peninsula of Hemön and south towards Sandön. On Sandön island you will find wind shelters, fire places, long drop toilets and tent sites and beautiful sandy beaches. Choose if you want to set camp where you can enjoy the sunset and enjoy a sleep in the next morning or if you would rather be up early when the whole world is quiet and watch the first sun rays rising up. If you don’t have your own camping gear or if you need to add just a few items we offer full camping packages as well as the possibility of renting individual camping items.
Day 2: After you have finished your breakfast and packed up the journey continues eastwards. At Skekarsbo you will find a lookout tower where you take in the view and see some of the areas you have paddled past earlier.
Follow the coast in a nor-western arch and you will eventually reach Bårbyhällan where you can find a wind shelter and a fireplace.
After a break you continue eastwards until you reach Idstenssundet which you follow northwards. Continue on to Aggerån and the keep a nor-western direction passing the island Rosön, Dåmön, Hästholmen and finally Uddfinnora where you will see Edsvikens beach/Tegelbruket showing up as a nice finish line.
Over night tour, 48 hours
Day 1: This tour/route is for those wanting to be out paddling and spending two nights in Färnebofjärden National park. This route is based on starting before noon of day 1 and arriving back again before noon of day 3 ie. two long days paddling followed by a much shorter one. If you want to start your tour in the afternoon instead we recommend you do the opposite route of the description. The route has several opportunities of shortening or lengthening to accommodate different kinds of weather and plan B’s, C’s and so on.
Start the tour before noon of day 1 by the Ista starting point and then paddle east past the islans Isön, Käringön and on into Vedfjärden. Enjoy the feeling of having land close by on both sides and then follow Idstenssundet south. Soon you will pass point Bårbyhällan which has a wind shelter and fireplace where you may wish to have the first pause of the day.
After your pause continue on southeast among the group of islands Gräsholmarna and Åsmansholmarna and head to Skekarsbo with its lookout tower. After admiring the view from the lookout tower the tour continues on westwards past Spjutholmen and Sissuddana before turning south past the islands Djupviksholmen and Skarvholmen.
In the area there are often bird sanctuaries for a part of the summer, always double check what applies before setting out on your tour. Having past the two islands you take aim of the straight between the islands Braskarön and Kalvön and then continue on southwest towards the Östa peninsulas northern tip. Now you will have been still in the kayak/canoe for a long time, take the time for a stop along one of the beaches along the peninsula.
After a final paddle stretch southwards past all beaches along the Östa peninsula you will reach the aim of the evening at Sjöbergets wind shelter and tent site, beautifully located between Kolhusviken inlet and Ingboviken inlet. Pitch your tent and enjoy camp life after a long day paddling. If you don’t have your own camping gear or if you need to add just a few items we offer full camping packages as well as the possibility of renting individual camping items.
If you want to extend the first and/or second days paddle you have the option of paddling up Storån creek. When the water level is high you can paddle all the way to where Storån becomes Lillån and on to the wind shelter and tent site at the edge of the National park. However the beavers in the creek have a tendency to fell trees over Lillån creek and when the water level is low rocks start appearing here and there. The final strech of Lillån is beautiful but flows through a relatively dense forest which doesn’t allow much sunlight or wind coming through. The final stretch of Lillån is therefor best suited for paddling early or late in the season when the water level is usually higher. Check with us before you go.
Day 2: When the camp is packed up you start heading north again, follow the shore past Aspängarna meadows and on into Östaviken bay. Keep heading north past Tinäset and then westwards towards Ängsön island, choose which side you want to paddle on and then aim for the “boat ramp” by Tyttbo/Stadarna. Here it’s easy to get ashore and stretch your legs. Take a short walk upstream along the river and watch the rapids before you continue on your tour.
After the pause at Tyttbo you continue on north, here by the wet meadows you will often find cows grazing to keep the meadows open, this is one of few interventions made in the National park so as to keep the area looking the way it has for the past hundreds of years. Before the river bends around Torrön island there is small creek called Bärreksån you can head into, on a calm sunny day at the height of summer you will often find hundreds of dragonflies practicing there acrobatics in the still air.
After circumnavigating Torrön you will eventually reach Göksnäset, North Sweden’s southern most point. Just before the actual point you will find one of the National parks open huts as well as a fire place looking out over the water which makes for a nice pause.
Afterwards you continue on past Oxdjupet bay and then northeast aiming for Sandön. Once you reach Sandön you have the opportunity of tenting or staying in a wind shelter, here you will also find a long-drop toilet and several fireplaces.
Day 3: After a refreshing morning dip and having packed up camp you start the days paddling by heading around to the other side of Sandön and aiming past the islands Korpholmen and Killholmen. Paddle on nothwest towards the peninsula Ön and then past Kvarnöudden before heading to Dragsbron bridge at Hamre. When the water level is high you can paddle under the bridge, when the water level is slightly to low to make paddle through you can get out and push your kayak/canoe through. If the water level is really low and you don’t wish to carry the kayak/canoe you can take the eastern route from Sandön where you follow Hemön and Utön north towards Hamre. Ask us about the water levels before setting off.
From Hamre you have the final push north before reaching Ista. After emptying and cleaning your kayak/canoe and traveling home all that remains for you to do is process all the impressions from your trip and start planing your next adventure.
Bird sanctuaries may cause certain changes to the route, please double check with us before setting out.
Approximate distances:
0 km Ista
3,5 km Bårby
7,3 km Skekarsbo
13,8 km First beach by Östa
17,5 km Sjöberget
22 km Tinäset
27,5 km Tyttbo
34 km Göksnäset
37 km Sandön
42 km Hamre (Dragsbron bridge)
44 km Ista