The Halden Canal, part of the Halden watercourse, is one of Norway’s only two man-made canals. Stretching some 80km from Tistedal in the south to the little village of Skulerud in the north, it consists of a series of large lakes connected by short rivers or sounds. The canal, designed by ingenior Engebret Soot, was historically used to float timber, but the last log was lifted out of Lake Femsjøen in 1982, when a 600-year-old tradition came to an end. Today it is used by leisure boats and kayakers, and exploring the area from the water is great fun.
You can buy a map at the Halden tourist office and explore the canal at your leisure, or join an organised tour. Built in 1887, the steamship D/S Turisten, which used to ply these waters but was sinked in 1967 because it no longer was profitable, was hauled up after lying for 30 years at the bottom of LakeFemsjøen. It has since then been completely restored, and a trip on this old-fashioned vessel is quite a special experience. It runs every Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun from Strømsfoss til Tistedal until 11 July, thereafter sister ship M/S Strømsfoss takes over until 22 Aug. Departure at 11am. Price: 290Kr (M/S Strømsfoss)/450Kr (D/S Turisten) return, children under 15 free. See www.turisten.no for more info (Norwegian only).
One of the highlights of a trip along the canal is going through the Brekke Locks, Scandinavia’s highest. See www.elusivemoose.eu/2010/04/brekke-locks-halden/ for more information.