Telemark Canal

The Telemark Canal was built in two stages, the Norsjo-Skien section in the 1850s and the Bandak-Norsjo section between 1887 and 1892, using around five hundred workers with hand tools and blasting powder to cut locks and channels through rock; it lifts boats 72 metres over 105 kilometres through eighteen lock chambers. It was built for timber and freight, and it was called the eighth wonder of the world in the enthusiasm of its opening. Two historic passenger boats, Victoria of 1882 and Henrik Ibsen of 1907, run the route in summer, taking about eleven hours end to end. The Vrangfoss locks, five chambers in a flight, are the largest and are free to visit by road.

What you actually see

• The Vrangfoss locks - a flight of five chambers, the canal's largest.
• The historic boats - Victoria of 1882 and Henrik Ibsen of 1907 in service.
• The hand-cut channels - rock cuttings made with hand tools and powder.
• The lock stations - working sites with cafes and interpretation.

When to go

May to September, when the boats run and the locks operate; the season is short and sailings are limited, so booking is needed. The full journey takes most of a day in one direction.

Honest expectations

The full trip is eleven hours one way, which requires planning return transport. Boats are slow by design and the pace suits some travellers more than others. Outside the season the locks are closed and the boats laid up.

Nearby

Dalen and its 1894 hotel are at the inland end; Skien and Notodden lie at the coastal end.