Svartberg - Korskälla, St Olav Rombo Way Stage 22

On this section you walk high along long ridges. Svartberg is a very old pasture, which is now privately owned.

In the forest, you encounter the "Balzer Maiden" – a life-sized doll. Tradition says a young girl died on her way to the pasture, and visitors leave coins in the doll's bag as part of this tradition.

This section is challenging and takes about 10 hours. The northern part has no trails, and you will rely solely on trail markers. Bring a map, compass, extra food, and overnight equipment. You will pass through Älvdalen's military training area; check forsvarsmakten.se for the latest information before starting out.

Read more about the stage

Along the path between the two chalets Svartberg and Balzer there is a mysterious sacrificial place, the Balzerjungfrun. In the past, the site was marked by a stump dressed in women's clothing. Now with a doll that represents the young woman who, according to legend, died in this place.

Walk in the footsteps of the pilgrims

Romboleden (Rombo Way) is a pilgrimage route that people began using in the 11th century. The Romboleden is Sweden’s longest pilgrimage route at 900 kilometres long. It starts in Köping in Västmanland and finishes in Trondheim on the Norwegian Atlantic coast. If you walk the entire trail, you will experience a beautiful and varied landscape. You will walk on old chalet paths, over mountains with magnificent vistas and along narrow country gravel roads. You will find easy one-day walks with cafés along the way, and long treks that take several days. The route often passes through small villages.

Would you like to walk with a Pilgrim’s Passport and collect stamps from each stage? The medieval Pilgrim’s Passport allowed a pilgrim to walk in the whole of Europe without being stopped by rules or boundaries. These days it is just a nice memento. The Pilgrim’s Passport can be collected at several stage starting points and from the web page of Rombo Way.

Thanks to the landowners – show consideration when hiking

St Olav Rombo Way runs mainly through actively cultivated forest and agricultural land. Thanks to the generosity of the landowners and the cooperation with non-profit organizations, you have the opportunity to hike through landscapes that would otherwise be inaccessible.

As a hiker, it is important to remember that you are walking on someone else's land. Show consideration by sticking to the trail, avoiding to disturb animals, crops and ongoing work. Leave nature as you found it - or even better.

Leave nothing but footprints along the trail.