A 17-metre-high waterfall and traces of the former industrial works shape Munkfors. Munkforsen is located in Bruksparken and is the highest natural waterfall on the Klarälven. On certain summer days, you can watch it from just a few metres away. Also in Bruksparken is a legal graffiti wall beside the ruins of a former cold-rolling mill. The mill operated from the beginning of the 20th century until 1964. The waterfall, industrial history and public art give the park several distinct perspectives.
Industrial history, museums and art
The museums at Gamla bruket trace the industrial history of a works site with origins in the 17th century. Historical models and scale installations tell the story of the development of the iron industry, including Sweden’s first open-hearth steelworks. Other collections focus on firefighting and tools: the Fire Museum features a splendid horse-drawn steam fire engine, while the Tool Museum houses a unique collection of iron stamps. The tour thus ranges from the iron industry to everyday tools and technology.
Lilla bruket also preserves different aspects of the area’s history. It has a model museum and a chapel furnished with items from the former Methodist church, described as Munkfors’s first church. Laxholmen Kulturhus, an art museum beside the Munkforsen waterfall, permanently displays sculptures by Bo Englund, an artist born in Munkfors. He donated the sculptures. The Fridolf Rhudin Museum is also located in the old industrial area, in a preserved setting. Its exhibition tells the story of Rhudin’s life and career.
Public art is also on display in two large murals in Munkfors. Two British artists painted them in the summer of 2017 as part of the Artscape Värmland – White Moose Project. Together with the graffiti wall in Bruksparken, the murals offer another way to experience local art, while the museums and industrial ruins bring the history of the works into focus.
Riverside scenery and trails
Hästskoholmen is a municipal nature reserve in Munkfors Municipality. Its landscape includes riverbanks, parkland, deciduous forest and pine heath, as well as a trail, a bathing area and barbecue areas. The variety of landscapes makes the area a natural counterpoint to the industrial traces in Bruksparken.
There are 17 hiking trails in Munkfors Municipality. They vary in terrain, length and difficulty. When choosing a hike, the trail conditions, as well as the distance, can help guide your decision. Klarälvsbanan offers a different kind of route: this car-free, paved nature trail is 90 kilometres long and runs from Karlstad in the south to Hagfors in the north. In the municipality, it passes east of the Klarälven and through, among other places, Ransäter, Blia, Centrum and Heden.
Activities for different interests
Munkis Sagostig is located in the Gamla bruket area of Munkfors. The accessible trail has activity signs and combines exercise with exploration; it is particularly suitable for younger children accompanied by an adult. For swimming, Forsnäsbadet offers swimming lessons, family recreation in heated water and pool training. The two attractions have different focuses: Sagostig combines a trail with activities, while Forsnäsbadet offers activities in the water.
The disc golf course in Munkfors is one kilometre long, runs through woodland and is located by the illuminated loop trail. At the start of the course, beside the car park at Munkfors Arena, there is an information board and a course map. Several fishing waters in the municipality are open to everyone with the appropriate fishing permit. In the Klarälven around Munkfors, you can fish for grayling, trout, perch and pike using natural bait, a fly or spinning tackle.
Nearby Ransäter adds another perspective on local history: Erlandergården includes a schoolhouse and a memorial homestead with an exhibition about Tage Erlander’s active life as a politician and prime minister. Thus, Munkfors itself focuses on industry, art and nature, while Ransäter offers its own historical perspective.
Discover more destinations: Munkfors, Ransäter, Sunne, Borgvik, Forshaga, Kil, Hagfors, Kristinehamn.
See the main travel overview: Värmland.
