The best traffic-free bike rides around Köping

This is a beautiful section of the canal. This double lock section is just set in the most beautiful, serene setting, with lush green trees lining each side of the canal bank and a permanent 'leak' gushing through the lock gates.

Lockmora Outdoor Recreation Centre is located south of Kungsör. You can top up your fresh water supplies here. There is a barbecue area and it is the starting point for walking trails.

Strömsholm Slott is, a royal palace, which sits beside the Strömsholm Canal. Cycle its towpaths, enjoying waterside views. The palace grounds offer historical sights and gardens. It's a scenic destination, blending culture with outdoor exploration, a perfect rest stop on your ride.

Comfy beds, a friendly staff, and a huge breakfast spread—this place has everything you could hope for in a cycling hotel. Bonus: they let us keep our bikes in our rooms.

Hjälmare dock was designed by Johan Edström in 1820. Many different types of boats have been manufactured in it. It is still used as a winter storage place and for repairs, mainly of leisure boats. The doll's special flora attracts some unusual butterfly species. The yard magazine was added in connection with the dock being built in the 1820s. There was a similar building next door but it is now demolished. Today, part of the shipyard warehouse is used as a café. There are plans to establish a visitor center in the other part of the building. Shipyard construction: The shipyard was closed in 1963. During the last decade, many road ferries were manufactured here. Part of this shipyard building today functions as an exhibition space for Hjälmare Docka's Shipyard History Collection. A service facility with WC and shower is currently being built in the rear regions of the building. The forge t.v. and the model workshop t.h. both were connected with the shipyard operations. Two of the canal's shipbuilders were Carl Jacob Stenström and his son Hugo David Stenström. Hundreds of boat drawings from the shipyard at Hjälmare dock are preserved in the Västerås City Archives. Worker's housing Next to the dock there are two rows that previously housed three or four worker's apartments each. Now there is a channel office here. Nearby was the trading booth that was run by the Handelsföreningen Enighet Ger Styrka in the years 1905-1960. To the south of Slätgärdet was the poor house. These houses are today private residences. The clapboard bridge at Hjälmare dock There used to be a floating bridge here that the area's youth used as a meeting point and dance floor. The raft bridge was eventually replaced by a Dutch bascule bridge. The old road barrier with its crank mechanism is manufactured in Örebro.

Kolbäcks ån part of Strömsholm canal

The Götlunda Glass outlet is located behind Värdshus at a rest area on the road from the E18 to Arboga. It is a simply decorated cafe with nice service. Götlunda ice cream was served at the Nobel Prize ceremony and also tastes good to many vintage cars, which you can see right away in the parking lot. Address: Holmsätter Fårtallen 213, 732 97 Arboga, Sweden https://gotlundaglass.se/

Arboga has been mentioned since the 13th century and has its beautiful historic town center on both sides of the Arbogaån river bank. Many houses and the striking church bear witness to great wealth, which probably arose from the processing of iron.