Our cottage (sommarstuga) is in Orsa and every year we travel from Avesta to Rättvik and then to Mora before reaching Orsa.But this time, we spent more time in Avesta and then visited Styggforsen.The journey from Styggforsen to Orsa was very beautiful.Let me tell you why we went to Styggforsen.This nature reserve has always fascinated me and there are many reasons for that.
Visiting Styggforsen
Styggforsen is a special and interesting place to visit. It is a nature reserve with a waterfall near Rättvik. For a long time the strong water here was used to run mills and power plants. You can still see many old remains near the water. The moist air and the calcium-rich soil help many rare plants and fungi grow here. But the most amazing thing is the waterfall itself, Styggforsen, which was formed by a meteorite impact and a glacier river.
The Meteorite Story
377 million years ago, a large meteorite about four kilometers wide and traveling at 100,000 kilometers per hour hit this place. It created a huge crater over 50 kilometers wide. The impact pushed the rocks down and then as the ground rose again, a dome of granite formed in the middle while the rocks around the crater’s edges sank. Near Styggforsen, these rock layers have turned almost 90 degrees. After the glacier river slowly carved out a deep valley, you can now see the marks of the meteorite deep in the valley.
Legends of Styggforsen
Styggforsen has always been a place of legends. The old name "Styggmannen" meant the devil, and local legends say that elves, trolls and other mystical creatures have always lived here. You can walk around the waterfall and down into the valley to see what makes this place different from others.
The area is easy to explore and there’s a café open in the summer.