Österbybruk's trails - hiking in a Walloon ironworks setting

ÖSTERBYBRUK'S TRAILS - Nature trails in a thousand-year-old cultural environment. Iron handling in Österbybruk dates back to the Middle Ages. The ore from Dannemora was to be processed into iron, and the natural conditions existed here at the Österby and Käbbo farms. Furnaces and forges were established where the power of the water could be tamed and used. The waters were dammed to provide more power, which could be regulated as needed. Österbybruk's beautiful ponds came into being. On marked trails you walk around three of these ponds. Signs along the trails tell of places and activities that once were. Today's ruins, your imagination and a varied natural setting can complement your picture of Österbybruk's history. The nature trails around the ponds in Österbybruk are marked in Naturkartan. AROUND KARMDAMMEN - 2 km A two-kilometre, easy-to-walk path around the pond. The path passes places with traces of historic iron handling, the revolutionary power transmission in the so-called "konstgång" (rod line) and the Dannemora health spring with the Spring House. AROUND HARVIKADAMMEN - 6 km A round loop that was used as an inspection path for the pond from the late 1600s. The path runs on the dam crest, which gives a fine view over the pond and the surrounding marshes and pools. THE CULTURE PATH ÖSTERBYBRUK - 6 km The culture path is a 6 km loop in direct connection with Österbybruk. The path runs on dam crests past ponds laid out during the 1500s and 1600s. A dam crest is an embankment of earth, stone and slag to keep the water in the pond. The path passes many culturally and historically interesting places with traces of early iron handling in the district. The ponds that were created provided the water power needed for processing the Dannemora ore into world-famous bar iron. Suitable starting points are Simbadets Camping, the heritage farmstead or the bathhouse. There is parking at all the locations. See Naturkartan for the route. UPPLANDSLEDEN LOOP 12:1 - 6 km. This short loop offers both ironworks history, services and nature. It is an easy-to-walk stretch of 6 kilometres that begins inside the town of Österbybruk, and through wooded sections finishes along the shore of Stordammen. The walk takes a little over two hours. A tip is to make a detour to Aspbo, where there is a barbecue spot, toilets and a bathing spot by the shore of Stordammen.