The adventure mine in Tuna Hästberg - 80 metres underground in Dalarna

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Writer: Helena Bergström

The adventure mine in Tuna Hästberg is found just outside Borlänge in Dalarna. Here you can go 80 metres underground on a real adventure. How about via ferrata, suspension bridges, crystal clear water and an underground zipline? Down in the mine there is even a large stage, where you can experience opera or a rock concert.

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Adventure mine in Tuna Hästberg

The adventure mine in Tuna Hästberg lives up to its name. This is a mine that offers exciting adventures. There's certainly an easier tour - where you climb stairs and the guide focuses on exciting stories - but it's still adventure that the mine is best known for. Via ferrata, diving and zipline... yes, this is a real adventure mine!

Äventyrsgruvan, or Adventuremine as it is also known, is located in Idkerberget, 25 kilometres south of central Borlänge, in Dalarna.

The Adventure Mine - a former iron ore mine

Tuna Hästberg mine is a now defunct iron ore mine. Operations began sometime in the 1400s and continued until 1968. After the mine was closed down, it was left abandoned for a long time.

The site was eventually explored by some curious 16-year-olds and instead of just scolding the teenagers for their endeavours, they chose to listen. Could the old mine be developed into something interesting?

Visiting the Adventure Mine in Tuna Hästberg

Today, guided tourist activities are run in the mine, by an association. We booked a tour called "Adventure tour", which takes about four hours and includes via ferrata, suspension bridge, zipline, underground lakes, two guides and coffee during the tour.

The tour started with one of our knowledgeable guides telling us about the history of the mine and other things that are good to know - for example, that you should knock on the rock when you go down to stay in good company with the miner's wife. We also learnt that the miner's wife can appear in a light form (in which case she means well) or in a dark form (which doesn't bode well)...

After the introduction, it was time for safety briefing and practice. We learnt how to use the carabiners in the equipment safely, and we practiced on a wire rope and an above ground ladder.

80 metres down the mine

Now it was time to go down the mine! Wow, we're going down there? Yes, apparently! I (Helena) am afraid of heights, but what's not to do for a report?

We descended steeply, step by step, until we were down to a depth of 20 metres, then 40 metres and finally 80 metres.

The mine is actually even deeper, but 80 metres is the deepest dry part. At the deeper levels, the mine is filled with water.

When it's steep, there are steps and ropes, where you strap yourself in according to instructions. The climb is not excessively difficult, as long as you take it all in stride.

What you need is normal mobility and fitness, and there's also a requirement to weigh between 36 and 120 kilograms, which is a prerequisite for the safety equipment to work. If you're afraid of heights, like me, it might be a bit more challenging, but it went well!

Lots to discover underground

The underground environment is unlike anything we've seen before, even though we visited a whole bunch of caves and mines in Europe. Deep shafts plunge straight down into the subsoil, and various towns spread out to the sides.

Much of the mine has been explored and mapped, but there is always something new to discover. Our dedicated guides told us that the biggest staff perk is that in their spare time - always in pairs of course - they get to explore the mine. Now they had found new spaces again, and they were already making plans for their explorations.

It's not just the mining history that's interesting. It's also exciting to see all the formations in the rock and ice.

Guided tour of the Adventure Mine

Every now and then our guides stopped to tell us about the mine and its history. Both Nichlas and Sara are experienced guides who are passionate about the mine. During this tour, they were also joined by Linnea, who joined as part of her training as a mine guide.

There are many remnants of the mining days in some places, and with the help of artefacts and imagination you can try to imagine what it was like back then.

Crystal clear water in the mine - for divers

The water in Äventyrsgruvan in Tuna Hästberg is shimmering green and crystal clear. The quality of the water is so good that it is perfectly drinkable.

Just looking at the water is fantastic, but it's also possible to dive here, for those with Padi Advanced Water Diver level or equivalent.

Apparently, diving here is so special that some people travel all over the world just to enjoy the experience.

Zipline underground

What about the zipline? Well, our tour actually included the zipline as an exciting ending. The ride is not very long, but goes over green-coloured water in a landscape that looks like it comes from another planet. I (Helena) skipped it, but Peter and the rest of the gang went, and everyone looked happy after the ride!

Several types of tours in the Adventure Mine

The "Adventure tour" took almost four hours in total, and halfway through we had a break in a heated room, with coffee, sandwiches, chocolate balls and the opportunity to use the toilet in a water closet. There are also other tours to choose from such as the "Family Mine Tour" (2 hours, walking on stairs, with coffee) and the "Mine Wife's Sauna Ritual" (3.5 hours with sauna ritual and cheese and charcuterie tray).

In addition, various concerts (!) are organised from time to time on the delicious stage down in the mine and various events, such as Lucia celebrations. If you are a slightly larger group, you can also book various tailor-made tours, according to your wishes and interests.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Not far from the Adventure Mine in Tuna Hästberg, you can check out the Östra Silvberg mine. And of course there is more to see and experience in Borlänge. If you like mines you might also like to visit Falu mine, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Have you visited the Adventure Mine in Tuna Hästberg?

Have you visited the Adventure Mine in Tuna Hästberg? If so, how was your experience? And if not - had you heard of it?

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