A Swedish Family Canoe Adventure: Unplugged and United
In the heart of Sweden's wild landscapes, a family of five went on a five-day canoeing escapade.
The Castle of Lady Agunda: Agundaborg
Agundaborg is connected to the Helge Å water system, a communication route that starts in Åhus on the baltic shores.
It is believed that the Agundaborg farm was established on Brånanäset during the second half of the 1200s. The layout of the courtyard forms an architectural whole, revealing a deliberate plan that should mean that the farm was built at the same time.
The "open" layout means that Agundaborg does not resemble the typical image of a medieval castle. The farm more closely resembles the 13th century palaces Alsnö house and the palace in Vadstena. These sites had no defensive devices to speak of, but above all constituted unfortified royal residences (Lovén 1996:104ff).
The most remarkable thing about Agundaborg is the presence of a building that was probably a courtyard chapel.
Agundaborg is located in a lake that is part of Helgeå's water system. In this area there are two more castles, Vedåsa and Rönnäs, which are located 400 meters apart on both sides of Helgeå a couple of kilometers south of Agundaborg. All four of these "castles" are located along the communication route that ran along Helgeå. The communication route started in Åhus and Vä and continued over Möckeln and Agunnaryd to Ryssby before continuing towards Berga and Rydaholm. In particular, the facilities at Vedåsa and Rönnäs, but also Källarholmen have been located so that they have been able to directly control transports on the water. Sources from the late Middle Ages and the 16th century indicate that this road was primarily important as a an important winter road.
Agundaborg is the oldest settlement in the parish.
The 'saga', story regarding Agundaborg goes as follows:
A very long time ago, Lady Agunda lived in her castle by the lake Agunnaryd. She was a Christian and built the first church in the area. Heathen knights threatened to attack her. However she was saved by a miracle.
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The 'A' from Agunnaryd
The "A" in IKEA refers to Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. The name is an acronym formed from the initials of the founder's name, Ingvar Kamprad.
Agundaborg is connected to a 368 hectare nature reserve
The 368-hectare Vedåsa nature reserve consists mostly of water environments, deciduous forests and pastures. Helge å, Agunnarydssjön and the northern part of lake Möckeln are included in the reserve. Vedåsa's water areas are of great importance for wildlife.
The canoe trail as well as cycling and walking trails are showing you the amazing diverse forest with many different species of trees and a rich birdlife.