The cottage is located in the province “Dalarna”, called “the heart of Sweden”. It is situated by the lake Barken, north of Söderbärke/Fagersta (200 km northwest of Stockholm), in rural surroundings. There is only a few neighbours, the two nearest at a distance of appr. 100 metres, separately situated. By the house there is a small “village road”, that is following the beach of the lake. A wonderful strand promenade! In the end (2,5 km) of it you will find an old, famous manor house (Vanbo Herrgård). There you can eat gourmet food or just drink a beer. The road is primarily used by the people that is living there, there is no heavy traffic.
The small village road one day in the autumn.
The lake Barken is the first part of the Strömsholms Canal (Swedish link), a 110 km long canal from Smedjebacken to the lake Mälaren. It was built to freight iron from the different mills in Bergslagen to Stockholm. The water is so clean in Barken that, they say, you can nearly drink it.
The nearest society is the village Söderbärke (3 km). There you will find e.g. a food shop (open every day, post service), a petrol station, pizzeria (take away, savoury), a railway station, a kiosk and a shoe shop which is famous for selling very old (unused) shoes.
Smedjebacken (10 km) is a bit larger than Söderbärke. There you can find more shops. For example supermarket (open everyday), post office, banks, chemist´s shop, Systembolaget (liquor), banks, cash dispensers (ATM), Smedjebacken Harbour (nice outdoor restaurant in summertime). In the harbour you can rent bicycles, canoes etc. In the summertime the Tourist Office is open in Smedjebacken. The rest of the year you can contact Tourist Offices in Fagersta and in Ludvika.