Located at the northern shores of Lake Råsvalen is the small locality of Storå. Once a transport center for ore from the surrounding mines, it is today a tranquil area with nature close by. Storå is today a part of Örebro County but is historically a part of the province of Västmanland. This is, however, Bergslagen – the mining district in central Sweden with its own cultural past.
A Short History of Storå
The mining in the area is central to the history of the locality. Known mines existed in nearby Stråssa and Guldsmedshyttan already in the 15th century. Stråssa had mostly iron, while Guldsmedshyttan had silver.
Storå has mainly been the railway junction for transport from the mines. The station was opened in 1873 with goods traffic from Guldsmedshyttan. The additional line to Stråssa opened in 1914. Both these lines have now been closed and there is instead passenger traffic along Berglsagsbanan, which was originally opened in 1877 between Kil and Ställdalen, with a stop at the station in Storå. It was, however first in 2005 that the line opened for passenger trains.
A new area with minerals was found outside of Storå in 1985, The Lovisa Mine was opened, but the mining of ore has been problematic. The mine mostly have led and zinc, which global prices have been too low to sustain the mining.
Things to Do and See
With a lake and a river, nature will be close by when visiting Storå. It will, however, require a few excursions to see the main sights of the surrounding area.
Lake Råsvalen
Lake Råsvalen is a lake directly south of Storå. Along its shores, you can find good swimming spots and other activities.
Storå River
The river that flows through the locality has its origins in a lake, Sörsjön, a bit to the north. For visitors of Storå, the river is accessible via two bridges across it in the center of the locality.
Stripa Mine
Stripa Mine is located in nearby Guldsmedshyttan and is a listed building in Sweden. It is mainly a mining area from the 20th century, but with remains of a much longer history. It is one of the best-preserved mines in the area
Stråssa Mine
Stråssa Mine is located in nearby Stråssa and includes many remains from the former mining here.
How to Get to Storå
- Flights: The closest airport is Örebro Airport (ORB), 71 kilometers away, which has mostly charter and domestic flights. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, located 216 kilometers away with international flights.
- Car: Storå is located along Road 50 between Lindesberg and Kopparberg.
- Bus: Local and regional buses from Länstrafiken Örebro connect Storå with the surrounding region.
- Train: TiB/SJ has trains to Storå from several towns, such as Borlänge, Gävle, Hallsberg, and Örebro.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 214 kilometers (2h 44min)
- Gothenburg – 340 kilometers (4h 21min)
- Malmö – 564 kilometers (6h 10min)
- Linköping – 182 kilometers (2h 28min)
- Kiruna – 1258 kilometers (14h 49min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
