Welcome

Hello my dear traveler. I was waiting for you to come. Now, when you’re finally here, let me tell you a story about this very place you are standing at, called “Water’s path to the mine”. Take a second to look around, what do you see? – trees, paths, houses, lakes. It might not look that remarkable from the outside, however, this place dates back far to the medieval times, the era of the kings and knights, Vikings and invasions, as well as the period of the brightest discoveries and developments within science and technology. Mining industry was not an exception. It experienced a rapid and steady growth in tools’ and machines’ development which led to an increased demand of water supplied to the Falun mine located about 5 kilometers east from this site. Mining needs water to make bear rock give up its valuable minerals. Just imagine, all the mined commodities we are using nowadays, starting from gold, coal and ending with exotic minerals used in pharmaceuticals and jewelry, a ll that would not be possible without the use of water in mining. So I am here today to tell you more about this place and how it operated back in times. The “Water’s path to the mine” is Sweden’s oldest surviving system of channels leading water to the mine, consisting of the lakes, ponds, canals and ditches in the hills north-west of the Falun Mine. Here you will see the sites of medieval smelting houses, beautiful farms of mine owners, dam houses and more in the surroundings of typical Nordic nature. Being a part of Falun World Heritage site it comprises numerous hiking trails of total more than 30 km long with informative signs and resting places along the way. Now, if you follow the route you will meet me at the next sign where I will tell you the story of a Puttbo miner’s estate.