The three lock chambers at Ørje lift boats 10 metres between Øymarksjøen and Rødenesjøen, and they still work exactly as they did when canal builder Engebret Soot completed them in 1860. The gates are cranked open and closed by hand, the water fills and drains by gravity, and watching a boat pass through all three chambers takes about 30 minutes. A memorial stone at the top lock honours Soot, a self-taught engineer who also planned the oldest part of the Telemark Canal.
Right beside the locks, the old Ørje Brug pulp mill has been converted into the Halden Canal Museum. The company bought the mill in 1913, mainly for its hydroelectric rights, and it processed timber until it closed. The museum now traces the full journey of a log: from forest, through rivers and lakes, through the canal locks, to the sawmill and pulp factory. Ørje itself grew up around this industry in the 1880s.
The locks operate from roughly mid-May to mid-September. In summer, the steamship DS Hans offers mini canal trips through the Ørje locks. Outside the season, the towpath and surroundings are still worth a walk.
Right beside the locks, the old Ørje Brug pulp mill has been converted into the Halden Canal Museum. The company bought the mill in 1913, mainly for its hydroelectric rights, and it processed timber until it closed. The museum now traces the full journey of a log: from forest, through rivers and lakes, through the canal locks, to the sawmill and pulp factory. Ørje itself grew up around this industry in the 1880s.
The locks operate from roughly mid-May to mid-September. In summer, the steamship DS Hans offers mini canal trips through the Ørje locks. Outside the season, the towpath and surroundings are still worth a walk.
