Knivstigen

Knivstigen is mentioned in church documents as early as 1662, but is actually even older than that. Along the Knife Path there are small information boards here and there that tell you about the place you are passing. They tell you everything from the horrors that took place, to how the power of water was used, to old superstitions. Walking along the Knife Trail really gives you a perspective on life then and now.

Knivstigen is part of Dalkarlsvägen, the road that from the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century, people traveled from Dalarna down to Stockholm to seek seasonal work. They took service with "the rich gentlemen" and were then called "men's workers".

Most of Knivstigen is on well-trodden paths in sparse pine forests. Even if you walk shorter distances along a gravel road, you still get the feeling of moving quite far into the forest. It is quiet and it is unusual to encounter any other hikers. The longest climb comes just after you leave the gravel road from Kniva. Then the path goes over Klintasberget and it goes uphill for quite a while. Other than that, the trail is fairly easy to walk, with only minor bends.

Both Yngve's hut and Stenkumlet are nice resting places. Yngve's hut is a charcoal hut built on the same site as an original hut from the early 1900s. Stenkumlet is a collection of large boulders that are said to have come to the site with the ice. There are simple benches to sit on.

A good starting point is Stabergs bergsmansgård. From here it is signposted towards Knivstigen and there is good bus communication and large parking.

Between Staberg and the end of Knivstigen in Skålbo it is 11 kilometers one way. If you want to make a shorter trip along Knivstigen, Stenkumlet can be a suitable destination before turning back. The distance between Staberg and Stenkumlet is about six kilometers one way.