Our sites and facilities: Svinryggen

A narrow ridge between two rows of old mine pits from 17th century


Opening times:
Self-guided tour. Well signposted.
For more information please contact the tourist office +46 (0)223-291 30.
Information: Norberg tourism.

Walking-path, Nature, Pits, Ore

In the Norberg district, the iron ore deposits used to be easily accessible. The plentiful resource of good quality ore meant that there was never any need to make the mines very deep.
Until the 17th century the average depth was not more than six metres. When the mines became flooded by water or it was too difficult to get the ore up out of the mine, the mine was abandoned and a new pit was sunk alongside the old one.

Svinryggen is a narrow shelf of rock, left between two rows of old mine holes. Altogether there are no less than eighteen mine holes on each side of the path. Not until the late 18th century were technical aids introduced such as horse drawn winches and water pumps. Polhem’s wheel, which is situated only a few hundred metres from Svinryggen, is what remains of an extensive system of water wheels and a power transmission construction made from wood - ”stånggång”. It used to operate pumping stations at the Mossgruvefält mines, of which Svinryggen is a part.

In the very old days, ore was extracted during the winter. During the four to six weeks following Christmas, the mine was drained. The water was ladled by hand into wooden tubs which were then carried up out of the mine. Then the ore was extracted using the fire-setting method. The ore was then brought to the surface in special barrows. If the mine holes were long, horse and sled could be used for transportation as long as the track was suitable and the ground was frozen.