GULLSPÅNG – Eastern Vänern
The salmon ladder – a gleeful jump for the Gullspång salmon!
The salmon ladder in Gullspång is a nice tourist attraction all year round, but especially in the autumn, when there are great opportunities to see the salmon jump up the ladder to get up to the spawning grounds in the Gullspång river.
Now there is also a hiking trail adjacent to the river area.
The Gullspång River is home to the unique Gullspång salmon that only spawn naturally in one place in the world. The river flows through Gullspång’s community and connects the lakes Skagern and Vänern with each other.
The Gullspång salmon is described as the world’s largest freshwater salmon. It is born in the water near the power plant in Gullspång and then migrates to Lake Vänern.
When the power plant dam was built in Gullspång in the early 20th century, the Gullspång salmon’s natural path to the spawning grounds in Skagern was blocked. Therefore, the artificial salmon ladder was built in 2004 which has made it easier for the Gullspång salmon.
Nevertheless, the Gullspång salmon is considered endangered, and therefore new regulations, which came into force on the 1st of October last year, have been developed that make salmon and trout more protected in
Lake Vänern. This means that there is a total ban on fishing for salmon and trout in an area outside Gullspång that corresponds to as much as 8 (eight) percent of
Lake Vänern’s area, and the ban applies to both commercial and recreational fishermen.
Experts have also been able to map the salmon’s path out into Lake Vänern, which is of great importance to be able to save the salmon.
-We have received very clear results that half of the young salmon, smolts, go via the artificial canal when the power plant is being run, says Anna Hagelin, project manager at the county administrative board.
The fact that there is a ban on fishing for salmon and trout in a large area in Lake Vänern has naturally caused irritation among fishermen, but the authorities’ experts believe that the Gullspång salmon is so unique that it must be saved.
Now there is also a hiking trail adjacent to the river area.
The Gullspång River is home to the unique Gullspång salmon that only spawn naturally in one place in the world. The river flows through Gullspång’s community and connects the lakes Skagern and Vänern with each other.
The Gullspång salmon is described as the world’s largest freshwater salmon. It is born in the water near the power plant in Gullspång and then migrates to Lake Vänern.
When the power plant dam was built in Gullspång in the early 20th century, the Gullspång salmon’s natural path to the spawning grounds in Skagern was blocked. Therefore, the artificial salmon ladder was built in 2004 which has made it easier for the Gullspång salmon.
Nevertheless, the Gullspång salmon is considered endangered, and therefore new regulations, which came into force on the 1st of October last year, have been developed that make salmon and trout more protected in
Lake Vänern. This means that there is a total ban on fishing for salmon and trout in an area outside Gullspång that corresponds to as much as 8 (eight) percent of
Lake Vänern’s area, and the ban applies to both commercial and recreational fishermen.
Experts have also been able to map the salmon’s path out into Lake Vänern, which is of great importance to be able to save the salmon.
-We have received very clear results that half of the young salmon, smolts, go via the artificial canal when the power plant is being run, says Anna Hagelin, project manager at the county administrative board.
The fact that there is a ban on fishing for salmon and trout in a large area in Lake Vänern has naturally caused irritation among fishermen, but the authorities’ experts believe that the Gullspång salmon is so unique that it must be saved.
Live like Frans G Bengtsson – Play golf at Ribbingsfors
Ribbingsfors mansion sits on traditional cultivated land and around the mansion is a beautiful nine hole golf course with the fitting name Ribbingsfors Golf & Culture.
The course was completed in 1991 and was designed by course architect Janne Lundvall.
”It really is a pleasant and appreicated course in a lovely environment around lake Skagern,” says owner Thorsten Brandberg.
He and his wife Karin have also made sure that Ribbingsfors mansion was gently renovated. Ribbingsforst can be traced back to the 17th century and was named after the owner at the time, councilor of the realm Bo Ribbing.
The mansion is two stories and both the main building and the two wings have slate roofing. The cellar from the 17th century is partialy preserved.
Once a noble building the mansion saw both rise and fall before spending several years as a sleeping beauty until the Brandbergs brought it back to life. The feeling of ages past remain but is today mixed with the modern day need for comfort.
Pleasant nine hole course.
The golf course has nine holes and is suited to every type of player. The par of the course is 36 (72) and measures 3 110 (6 220 ) meters from white tee, 2 966 ( 5 932 ) from yellow tee and 2 525 ( 5 050 ) from red tee. You don’t need to book a start time, rather drop in queue is the rule. There is a driving range, chip and putting green as well as the possibility to rent a cart.
”It’s a well liked course with almost no queues” Thorsten Brandberg explaines.
There is also the possibility to rent space for morothome or caravan, this includes electricity and showers. But there is also the option to rent a room at the mansion.
Wrote The Longships at the mansion
For those with an interest in culture history it’s possible to rent a room in one of the wings, where the author, lyricist and translator Frans B Bengtsson lived out his last 15 years ( he died in Ribbingsfors in 1954 .) He is burried in Amnehärds graveyard in Gullspång. Frans B Bengtsson most well known book is The Longships, a novel set during the viking age.
There are also five rooms in what’s called The Dairy along with four suites in the main building.
”We have really tried to renovate in a way that preserves the history of the mansion”, says Thorsten Brandberg.
The mansion also offecrs food in inclusion to rooms and during the summer you can have lighter meals at Gerdas golf restaurant.
As a compliment to the golfing, it is possible to join a moose hunt, something mainly offered to German tourists.
The course was completed in 1991 and was designed by course architect Janne Lundvall.
”It really is a pleasant and appreicated course in a lovely environment around lake Skagern,” says owner Thorsten Brandberg.
He and his wife Karin have also made sure that Ribbingsfors mansion was gently renovated. Ribbingsforst can be traced back to the 17th century and was named after the owner at the time, councilor of the realm Bo Ribbing.
The mansion is two stories and both the main building and the two wings have slate roofing. The cellar from the 17th century is partialy preserved.
Once a noble building the mansion saw both rise and fall before spending several years as a sleeping beauty until the Brandbergs brought it back to life. The feeling of ages past remain but is today mixed with the modern day need for comfort.
Pleasant nine hole course.
The golf course has nine holes and is suited to every type of player. The par of the course is 36 (72) and measures 3 110 (6 220 ) meters from white tee, 2 966 ( 5 932 ) from yellow tee and 2 525 ( 5 050 ) from red tee. You don’t need to book a start time, rather drop in queue is the rule. There is a driving range, chip and putting green as well as the possibility to rent a cart.
”It’s a well liked course with almost no queues” Thorsten Brandberg explaines.
There is also the possibility to rent space for morothome or caravan, this includes electricity and showers. But there is also the option to rent a room at the mansion.
Wrote The Longships at the mansion
For those with an interest in culture history it’s possible to rent a room in one of the wings, where the author, lyricist and translator Frans B Bengtsson lived out his last 15 years ( he died in Ribbingsfors in 1954 .) He is burried in Amnehärds graveyard in Gullspång. Frans B Bengtsson most well known book is The Longships, a novel set during the viking age.
There are also five rooms in what’s called The Dairy along with four suites in the main building.
”We have really tried to renovate in a way that preserves the history of the mansion”, says Thorsten Brandberg.
The mansion also offecrs food in inclusion to rooms and during the summer you can have lighter meals at Gerdas golf restaurant.
As a compliment to the golfing, it is possible to join a moose hunt, something mainly offered to German tourists.
Knights, jesters and jousting – time for Riddarvecka!
The inhabitants of Hova all take to the streets during these exiting, action packed days and they are joined by many visitors. After a couple of years when the festival has been cancelled, for obvious reasons, it is now finally time again for the banners to sway and the knights to ride again.
On the 14th of June 1275 the real battle of Hova took place. The sons of Birger Jarl, Magnus and Erik, had grown tired of their incompetent brother Valdemar who had been elected king many years earlier but who wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Rebellious they built up an army of German and Danish warriors and rode north to force Valdemar off the throne. The king himself managed to gather some peasants for his own army but they didn’t stand a chance against the trained knights. At Hova, Magnus’ and Erik’s army attacked Valdemar’s peasant army and quickly beat them down. Valdemar himself fled to Norway and his brother Magnus seized the crown, adding Ladulås to his name.
These days knights and jacks and other mideval-dressed people can be found in Hova for a week every summer when Hova Riddarvecka (The Week of Knights) is held. This year it is held between the 9th and the 17th of July. During the Riddarvecka the City Guard patrole the streets and place disobedient citizens in stocks on the square and in the Knight’s Village anything can be sold and bought at the outdoor market.
The Knight Land with its castle is open to all children and jesters offer entertainment. Sweden’s largest procession of knights marches through Hova every day and on top of all that there is jousting with knights on horseback.
If all this medival fun makes you hungry you can for example go to Ladulås Barn for a bite to eat, some hearty cabbage soup with bread or some charred boar perhaps.
Welcome the Middle Ages!
On the 14th of June 1275 the real battle of Hova took place. The sons of Birger Jarl, Magnus and Erik, had grown tired of their incompetent brother Valdemar who had been elected king many years earlier but who wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Rebellious they built up an army of German and Danish warriors and rode north to force Valdemar off the throne. The king himself managed to gather some peasants for his own army but they didn’t stand a chance against the trained knights. At Hova, Magnus’ and Erik’s army attacked Valdemar’s peasant army and quickly beat them down. Valdemar himself fled to Norway and his brother Magnus seized the crown, adding Ladulås to his name.
These days knights and jacks and other mideval-dressed people can be found in Hova for a week every summer when Hova Riddarvecka (The Week of Knights) is held. This year it is held between the 9th and the 17th of July. During the Riddarvecka the City Guard patrole the streets and place disobedient citizens in stocks on the square and in the Knight’s Village anything can be sold and bought at the outdoor market.
The Knight Land with its castle is open to all children and jesters offer entertainment. Sweden’s largest procession of knights marches through Hova every day and on top of all that there is jousting with knights on horseback.
If all this medival fun makes you hungry you can for example go to Ladulås Barn for a bite to eat, some hearty cabbage soup with bread or some charred boar perhaps.
Welcome the Middle Ages!