Holiday apartment in Bengtsfors – lakes, canal and culture

Bengtsfors combines an exceptional waterscape with vibrant culture and varied trails. The municipality has 399 lakes. The Dalsland Canal also characterizes the region: it is 253 kilometres long, and a large part of its route runs through the municipality of Bengtsfors. In Bengtsfors, there are shores and locks, historic buildings, and art.

Culture and history

At Majberget in Bengtsfors, Halmens Hus presents a permanent exhibition about the importance of straw in Dalsland. There are also temporary exhibitions and courses, primarily on straw, but also on materials such as birch bark, willow, and reeds. Thus, Halmens Hus focuses not only on a single material, but also on the traditional craft of working with various natural materials.

Also located on Majberget is the open-air museum Gammelgården. Visitors can move freely among the historic buildings. The museum comprises more than 20 buildings, including the home of a large-scale farmer, a crofter’s cottage, a soldier’s cottage, a miller’s room, and various workshops and farm buildings.

In the centre of Bengtsfors, by Lake Bengtsbrohöljen, lies EKA-Miljörum, also known as EKA-Parken. It is considered Sweden’s first environmental park. The exhibitions cover the industrial history of the EKA area and the remediation project that transformed the contaminated site into the park it is today. For children, there is a stone labyrinth, a water play area, and a stream garden with stepping stones.

Another cultural highlight is located directly in the centre: a graffiti wall created by Carolina Falkholt.

Water and nature

Bengtsfors’s waterfront promenade runs along the shores of Lelång, Bengtsbrohöljen, and the Dalsland Canal. Along this promenade, there are bathing spots, boat traffic, attractive lock areas, green spaces, and parks. At the northern tip of Bengtsbrohöljen lies the Bengtsfors lock. It is a double lock at the entrance to the Dalsland Canal in Bengtsfors.

The many bodies of water offer various ways to enjoy the water. In Bengtsfors, recreational fishing is available on hundreds of lakes and in several fisheries management areas. In addition, nearly 400 bodies of water invite visitors to go canoeing or kayaking, either with a rented boat or their own. Dalslands Camping & Kanotcentral rents canoes and canoeing equipment, as well as bicycles for exploring along the canal.

Cultural Route No. 5 passes through the northern parts of the Dalsland Canal, makes a detour to Lakes Östra Silen and Västra Silen as branches of the canal, and continues to Bengtsfors. DANO offers organized campsites along the waterway. There, visitors can paddle between islands and camp in an environmentally conscious way. The Höljerudsforsarna show another side of nature: they are part of the Höljerudsforsarna nature reserve and are known for trout and white-throated dippers. The area also offers good berry- and mushroom-picking grounds.

Trails and activities

The trails around Bengtsfors range from short walks to multi-day tours. The municipality has hiking trails and walking areas with short walks of around one hour, as well as longer tours lasting several days. Vänerleden is listed in Bengtsfors’s tourism offering as a signposted tourist cycle route.

One specific hiking trail is Brända Berget. It is 9 or 11 kilometres long and starts at Vandrarhemmet Gammelgården in Bengtsfors. For longer distances, the Unionsleden is also listed. This cycle route is 350 kilometres long and extends from Moss in Norway to Karlstad in Sweden.

The 50-kilometre Dressin route of the DVVJ can be travelled between Bengtsfors and Kyrkerud near Årjäng. Train services are also possible on the DVVJ route between Bengtsfors and Mellerud; Y1 railcars from the 1980s are used.

Outside Dals Långed, at Steneby gård, is Dalslands Aktiviteter. The adventure centre offers more than 50 activities, including a high ropes course, zip lines, and pole vaulting. Horse-riding excursions are also available, as well as a wheelchair- and pram-friendly walkway along the Stenebyälven.

Bengtsfors, Billingsfors, Bäckefors, Dals Långed, Ödskölt, Gustavsfors

Other destinations: Töreboda, Hjo

To the main travel overview: Västra Götaland.