The Haldenkanalen is a 75-kilometre waterway running from Tistedal near Halden up to the Swedish border at Ørje. It was built between 1852 and 1877 to transport timber from the forests along the border down to the sawmills and export harbour at Halden.
The chief engineer was Engebret Soot, a self-taught blacksmith and carpenter who designed the entire canal system without formal engineering education. He died in 1859, midway through the project, and others completed his work. Timber was floated through the canal until 1982.
The highlight is Brekke locks, Northern Europe's highest consecutive lock system. Four lock chambers raise or lower boats 26.6 metres in total. The lock gates are still operated by hand, cranked open and closed manually by the lockkeepers, exactly as they were in the 1800s. Watching a boat go through all four chambers takes about 30 minutes.
In summer, the tourist boat MS Strømsfoss runs scheduled trips through the canal. It is also possible to rent canoes or kayaks and paddle sections of the waterway. The canal passes through quiet forest and farmland, far from any major road.
The locks operate roughly from mid-May to mid-September. Outside that period, the area is still pleasant for a walk along the towpath.
The chief engineer was Engebret Soot, a self-taught blacksmith and carpenter who designed the entire canal system without formal engineering education. He died in 1859, midway through the project, and others completed his work. Timber was floated through the canal until 1982.
The highlight is Brekke locks, Northern Europe's highest consecutive lock system. Four lock chambers raise or lower boats 26.6 metres in total. The lock gates are still operated by hand, cranked open and closed manually by the lockkeepers, exactly as they were in the 1800s. Watching a boat go through all four chambers takes about 30 minutes.
In summer, the tourist boat MS Strømsfoss runs scheduled trips through the canal. It is also possible to rent canoes or kayaks and paddle sections of the waterway. The canal passes through quiet forest and farmland, far from any major road.
The locks operate roughly from mid-May to mid-September. Outside that period, the area is still pleasant for a walk along the towpath.