Experiences & Activities

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We are open all year round and offer you the opportunity to experience peace and quiet in a historic environment. All seasons here have their own charm, and you are exposed to incredibly beautiful things in nature where silence reigns and the wild animals of the forest roam freely around you.  

Sleeping in a collier’s hut in winter with the wind howling outside is an experience out of this world. In a diffrent era long ago the colliers spent autumn and early winter in the woods, working hard every day to have their charcoal ready by Christmas, sleeping in their hut every night. 

Choose your own package      

We offer a multitude of activities, and you can freely choose the components you prefer and create your own memorable experience to cherish for a long time to come.    

We offer:

You can also:

• Throw horseshoes
• Play wood block game
• Build or spot birdhouses
• Enjoy our Annual Charcoal Weekend       

 

Barbecue & food 

When you stay overnight at Malmbacka, you have the opportunity to use the barbecue facilities free of charge. Here you can grill and prepare food over an open fire, experience the warmth and crackling glow of the campfire, unwind and enjoy.

We have one barbecue area under the open sky and one in the grill house Thelma. You operate the grill by chopping small pieces of wood and setting up the fire yourself. Primitive cooking equipment; pots, pans, etc. are available to borrow in the grill house. Be careful to contain the fire so that it does not spread.

You can also book a barbecue with your friends, co-workers, family, etc.   

If you wish, you can buy charcoal on site for cooking.

The nearest grocery stores are in the towns of Ekenäs and Karis.

Make sure that the fire is fully extinguished before you leave the barbecue area.

Price:

• 10 € / adult / 2 hours.
  • 5 € / child, 1-17 years / 2 hours.
• max 15 people in the Thelma grill house.
  • No restrictions at the outdoor barbecue site.

Sauna-Anna, sessions

When you stay overnight at Malmbacka, you can use the sauna free of charge.

You can also choose to book only the sauna for a nice evening with family, friends, colleagues, girls’ night out, bachelorette party, bachelor party, Christmas sauna or why not Sauna-AfterWork etc. You chop the wood and heat the sauna yourself. Water is available at the sauna and afterwards you fill up the water and wood in the sauna for the next visitors. Our sauna experience is especially pleasant because of the excellent supply of fresh air while bathing.            

You will agree that a traditional wood-heated sauna is the best. Our sauna can accommodate up to 6 people.

Afterwards when cooling off outside, you may be lucky to spot moose or deer as they pass along one of their paths nearby.

Price: 35 € / 2 h, max 6 people.

Sauna sessions

We also schedule preheated sauna sessions throughout the year.  On these occasions the sauna is warm and ready to receive you when you arrive. The schedule is posted on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Gift voucher

Surprise a friend with a personal gift voucher to Malmbacka, maybe a wedding gift, birthday present, graduation gift, parting gift, Christmas present, etc. An experience your friend won’t forget in a hurry.                                                              

You can choose from one or more options from our services, and we’ll add them to the gift voucher. This way you can create a personal gift for the recipient, which is sure to be appreciated and provide a nice memory for life. The gift voucher is valid for 1 year. 

We are open  year round and the recipient should hand over the gift voucher to us when ckecking in.   

Charcoal for sale

The charcoal that we produce during our Annual Charcoal Weekend is for sale on site throughout the year. It is the best charcoal available in our country, with a high energy value. You should carefully watch your first sausage and steak when grilling with Malmbacka charcoal so you don’t burn them. Once you get used to using our fine charcoal, you can continue to grill and you and your diners are sure to be satisfied.

The wood for the charcoal comes from local certified forests.   

Price: 

• Large sack 20 €
• Small sack 10 € 

Exhibitions

Our exhibition presents information about traditional charcoal making. Three genuine historical sites for charcoal making are located at our property, one of which we have restored to use at our Annual Charcoal Weekend in early September to produce charcoal the traditional way. The local iron mills used charcoal in the old days in the extraction of iron from ore. Those iron mills laid the foundation for Finland’s industrial revolution.        

Our enthusiasm for researching about traditional charcoal making and the life style of those involved has brought forward multitudes of information and interesting material that we want to share with you through guided tours and exhibitions.  

We have prepared several exhibitions with pictures and descriptions about local charcoal making over the past centuries for you to study and enjoy.

This also includes traditional tools that we use at our Annual Charcoal Weekend. But best of all, on our guided tour we will re-enact the olden days for you as told by the Charcoal Man and his wife.

Guided tours

Our guided tour features the Charcoal Man and his wife who will take you back in time to the 1500s and 1600s.

This is a vivid description of life in the region in olden days through the eyes of the people who were involved in charcoal making. We will also tell you how we got hooked on this topic, why a charcoal stack under production is always named after a woman, and about local mythology among the forest people. During the tour we will show you the remnants of three old charcoal pits, recreated charcoal worker’s buildings, exhibitions with pictures and descriptions, and much more.

The guided tour takes about 1-2 hours depending on your preferences. Please see booking options below.

The tours are conducted in Swedish and Finnish. For other languages, please provide your own translation / interpretation services.

Please book you tour no later than 7 days in advance. The tour fee can be paid with MobilePay or in cash on site.

Price:

1. Guided tour 5 € / person.

2. Guided tour + traditional coffee (unfiltered)  and pastry 10 € / person.

3. Guided tour + traditional coffee (unfiltered), Charcoal bun with lingonberry jam, traditional non-alcoholic brew 20 € / person. 

4. Guided tour + traditional food; Charcoal bun with lingonberry jam, traditional non-alcoholic brew + traditional coffee (unfiltered) with pastry 25 € /person.

Options: 3 and 4, minimum group size 5 people.

Lectures and classes

If you would like to attend a lecture on charcoal making and its history, please contact us for contents and schedule.

Guided tours at Malmbacka including refreshments are ideal for individual visitors, companies, groups, schools, kindergartens, etc.

We are happy to involve  you in the charcoal making process at our Annual Charcoal Weekend. You will work with us building the stack, supervising the charring process, demolishing the stack, bagging the charcoal etc. The instruction is provided in Swedish and Finnish. Please contact us for more information.

Dedicated evening by the campfire

During the week after our Annual Charcoal Weekend, we will gather on an evening to be announced between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to discuss the topic: Traditional Charcoal Making in our Region.

A lot of information from those days has been lost to posterity, and we hope that you may have information and anecdotes for us to document and preserve for future generations. The discussion will be held in Finnish and Swedish.

Coffee and pastries = voluntary contribution that goes in full to arrange the Charcoal Weekend.

Advance registration.

Nature Trail & Picnic Spots

The trail is a child-friendly themed trail that touches on animals and nature as well as the history of traditionl charcoal making. Along the trail you can breathe fresh air, gather strength, enjoy the silence and the beautiful nature with us. As you walk along, you will find decorations related to the theme, and by the red balls you will find pictures and questions you can try to solve, and also the correct answers. We update the trail every year and it is fun for both children and adults. This is an excellent  program item for various groups such as school classes, work friends, afterwork etc. The only limit is your imagination.

Please book the nature trail in advance. It is subject to a fee and the use of the picnic site is included. You may also book the picnic site separately.

Price:

• 1 – 10 persons = 10 € / group.

• 11 – 20 people = 20 € / group.

• 21 – 30 people = 30 € / group. 

More information about the current theme and schedule of the Nature Trail is available under Current Events and on our Facebook and Instagram.

The nature trail with the benefit of hindsight

You also have the option to do the nature trail as an activity for your group by writing down your answers and then checking them. We will provide pens, paper, and clipboards.

Please book no later than 7 days in advance.

Price:

A material fee of 10 € / group.

More information about the current theme and schedule of the Nature Trail is available under Current Events and on our Facebook and Instagram.

Classes

We have a great and broad interest in culture and we cherish traditions, crafts, professions, tools, machines and much, much more. We offer a multitude of activities, and we feel that is important that old skills and history are highlighted, preserved and given the opportunity to live on. And since our charcoal village is located in a historic area, it is especially suitable to arrange various lectures and classes here.

The classes are held in Swedish and Finnish.

Sap tapping

Join us for sap tapping – an old technique, and an energy boost in the spring.

During the spring, you can book to participate in sap tapping.

Your booking includes information about sap tapping, tools and tips, overnight stay in a collier’s hut or cottage, use of the sauna, a guided tour of Malmbacka with the Charcoal Man and his wife, coffee, juice + pastry.   

Unfortunately, we cannot provide special diets. Please bring your own containers for the sap. You can prepare your meals by the campfire.

Maximum: 12 people / group / advance booking.

Price:

• Materials, sap tapping, overnight stay in a collier’s hut, guided tour = 70 € / person.

• Sap tapping, overnight stay in a collier’s cottage, guided tour = 170 € / for 2 persons.

Dowsing for water

In the past, people often used a dowsing rod when searching for water in nature. You can try this technique in the charcoal forest in the company of the Charcoal Man and his wife. Not everyone is successful in finding water, we don’t know why, but it’s still fun to try.

Come along and try it out.

Maximum: 25 people divided into two groups / advance booking.

Time: 1 – 2 h.

Price: 10 € / person.

Make your own sauna whisk          

Come and make your own sauna whick  with the Charcoal Lady who will also tell you why sauna whisks were used in the old days. Feel free to bring your own carving knife or small pruning scissors.

Maximum: 10 – 15 persons / group / advance booking.

Time: 3 h.

Price: 20 € / person.

Incl. material + juice, coffee and bun. The bun is baked with low lactose milk, unfortunately we cannot accommodate special diets.

Drawing and painting in the charcoal forest

We offer drawing sessions in the charcoal  forest for children and adults. We draw with real charcoal from our own charcoal kiln. The sessions begin with a presentation of the charcoal forest at the barbecue house Thelma. Then you get to pick your perfect spot for drawing. You don’t have to be good at drawing, just let your imagination run wild and you will enjoy yourself.

Drawing with charcoal is somewhat messy, so please dress accordingly.

Dates and times will be announced later. Please contact us for more information, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Maximum: 25 people / group / advance booking.

Time: 1/2 – 2 h.

Price: 10 € / person.

Includes materials + juice, coffee and bun. The bun is baked with low lactose milk, unfortunately we cannot accommodate special diets.

Carding and spinning wool

We are planning another course  in carding and spinning, where you will learn how to card and spin wool. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram to read about upcoming events.

Trail riding with Icelandic horses

Trail riding with Icelandic horses to Malmbacka is a unique experience. The tours are arranged by Talli Solfari. Please book a tour directly with the owner of the stables Jaana Huttunen. She will plan your tour package according to your wishes.

The package includes the trail riding, an overnight stay in a cozy collier’s hut, sleeping on a cot covered with sheepskins, traditional food = charcoal bun, traditional (unfiltered) coffee with cake, a sauna session, a guided tour, breakfast, and fun company. Jaana is very pleasant and experienced. Please book at http://www.tallisolfari.com.

Organic hairdresser Älva

We collaborate with Älva, an organic hairdressing service owned by Katarina Backas. Älva’s treatments are carried out at Malmbacka, by the campfire or at any other spot that you wish. You have the opportunity to relax and fully enjoy nature’s fresh air while Älva fulfills your hairdressing wishes. You can choose between various options as you wish, and for a full experience of relaxation and harmony,  we recommend an additional sauna bath in our wood-heated sauna Anna and an overnight stay in a spartan collier’s hut or cottage  where you can enjoy the crackling fire of the stove and a good night’s sleep on a cot coverered with sheepskins. In the morning you can prepare your breakfast over an open fire at one of our barbecue areas.

Please contact us with questions and for further information. You can book treatments directly with Älva and lodging with us. We can tailor a package to fulfill your individual wishes. The packages are suitable for various groups, after-work, bachelorette parties, birthdays, etc.

Wilderness guide Regina

We also collaborate with wilderness guide Regina Kalenius and her company TrailFun. This is the woman who goes out into nature in all kinds of weather on new exciting adventures in southern Finland. She also holds various courses and you can follow her on social media and see what she’s up to. We warmly recommend her services. Feel free to contact us if tou want to know more, she is certainly unique for the region.   

Throwing horseshoes

While you are enjoying your stay at Malmbacka, you can take the opportunity to try your luck with the old horseshoes that the collier left behind. His horse is no longer here, but some horseshoes have been saved and you can enjoy trying your luck with them. It’s not that easy, but a fun game to try.

The game is suitable for everyone age 3 and over.

Participation is free of charge.

Wood block game

You can borrow our wood blocks for the game.

Participation is free of charge.

Build or spot birdhouses in the charcoal forest

There is a rich bird life in the charcoal forest. There are several bird houses in the trees to help the birds find a nesting place. But more bird houses are needed, and if you want to make a new birdhouse to be installed in the forest, we provide the materials for you. Within the framework of the Holken Project, we also provide traditional tools for your use.  

For more information, please visit us on site.

Suitable for children and adults.

Participation is free of charge.

Time to kick that habit

Many exciting things can happen in the Charcoal Forest. Those of you who are big kids now but still have that one annoying habit that you want to kick, can see what will happen if you decide to make that change while walking in the forest. You can drop off that one item, either physical or mental, in the forest and hopefully never have it bother you again. There is a special dumping area dedicated for this purpose. 

Groups

Many people choose to make a booking with us for one or more days for group meetings, school camps, after-work, sauna evenings, etc. If this is something that you or your group of friends, business or company  are considering, we are happy to provide more information and answer your questions.

Something extra in the charcoal forest

Come and experience something completely different to remember for life.

With us, you can, for example, arrange a surprise for your partner, birthday, New Year’s, after-work, or exchange rings on a starry night.

We also organise various events in the forest that can be booked in advance or are open to the public with free admission. Some examples of events include pancake feasts by the campfire, Christmas atmosphere with Christmas porridge, gingerbread cookies and mulled wine, or enjoy our special product: forest goodies with splashes of Christmas spices, Traditional Charcoal Weekend, the Dark Weekend  (at Halloween time). Please follow us on social media to find out what we have in store.

If there is snow, your can go sledding in the charcoal forest. The slopes are short, but if there’s snow, its still fun. Just pack your gear and come and experience nature and silence in all four seasons.

Weddings & baptisms  

If you are planning your wedding and want to get married in a different place, under the open sky and in the middle of the beautiful nature, well, then Malmbacka’s charcoal forest is the right place. We offer a cultural-historical place for your wedding in the middle of nature, with seating on stumps and benches for 80 – 100 people or more if desired.

Overnight stays can also be booked with us, please consult our price list. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.                    

Star gazing 

It is expecially wonderful to spend a night in the charcoal village when the moon is shining and the stars are twinkling. We have a great view of the starry sky above Malmbacka. With a little fire in the grill, it is incredibly cozy to enjoy a starry night.

It is a good idea to bring a star map or book to be able to identify the stars you see.

We recommend to book several nights in a row, since the weather is always uncertain.

Christmas and New Year’s atmosphere in the forest           

Take the opportunity to unwind from the Christmas stress, enjoy a Christmas sauna and Christmas atmosphere by the campfire with Christmas porridge, gingerbread cookies and enjoy hot mulled wine before it’s time to go to bed and enjoy a good night’s sleep in the collier’s hut with the heat radiating from the crackling fire in the stove. Or why not experience a New Year’s Eve in the charcoal forest with your loved one and exchange rings during a starry night.