The story goes that Kolarbyn has been used as a site for charcoal burning by locals for over 400 years. Here, forest workers built small rustic huts to sleep in during their Winter work with logging and burning charcoal for iron production. At least we know that there have been several generations of huts here throughout the centuries and although the huts we use now are only 20 years or so, they are still constructed in the same traditional style as our ancestors once built them.

The birth of an eco-lodge

Kolarbyn, as we see it today, was reestablished in the Winter of 1996 as enthusiastic villagers from Skinnskatteberg decided to build a collection of traditional forest huts by the shore of lake Skärsjön. The idea was to create conditions for people interested in charcoal burning to practice their techniques in the way it had been practiced in the region for centuries.

What is charcoal burning?

Charcoal burning is a traditional method for producing charcoal which was used in the former Swedish iron industry, often referred to as the foundation of the present Swedish economic welfare. The genuine Kolarbyn charcoal site would enable practical knowledge as well as it´s belonging cultural traditions and folklore to be passed on to future generations.

Thousands of visitors from over 75 countries

In the late summer of 2004 the daily operation of Kolarbyn was passed on to Marcus Eldh who soon reopened Kolarbyn for the public in cooperation with the Swedish Tourist Association (STF). Since then Kolarbyn and the nearby village Skinnskatteberg has seen thousands of visitors from over 70 countries, such as Uganda, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Uruguay although most visitors are Swedish or from nearby European countries. Kolarbyn has rapidly gained a reputation abroad and has been featured in travel magazines and newspapers all over the World and seen by millions of people on TV and travel websites. In 2010 Kolarbyn was passed on to the new manager Andreas Ahlsén and the company Svea Adventure.