Telemark Canal
About 105 Km Of Lakes, Rivers And 18 Locks From Skien To Dalen, Completed In 1892; Historic Passenger Boats Run In Summer · Ulefoss, Telemark
The Telemark Canal links the sea at Skien with Dalen in the mountains of inner Telemark, a journey of about 105 km through rivers, long lakes and 18 locks that together lift boats about 72 m. Its lower section to Norsjo opened in 1861 and the full route to Dalen in 1892, and the locks are still worked largely by hand, with lock keepers turning the gates as they did well over a century ago. In summer historic passenger boats - among them M/S Victoria, in service since 1882, and M/S Henrik Ibsen - carry passengers the whole way, a slow day of forested shores, farm villages and the great staircase of five locks at Vrangfoss. People come for that nostalgic boat day, for cycling and canoeing beside the water, and to end at the dragon-style Dalen Hotel. The honest caveat: it is slow by design - the full trip takes most of a day one way, the boats run only in summer, and outside roughly June to August there is little to see beyond still water and closed locks.
Telemark Canal from Skien to Dalen; the Ulefoss and Vrangfoss lock flights are the main stops, Ulefoss, Telemark, Norway
The canal itself can be seen all year, but the passenger boats and staffed locks run only in summer, roughly from June to late August, with a shorter shoulder season on parts of the route - confirm the current timetable. The boats usually sail one way per day between Skien and Dalen, with stops such as Ulefoss, Lunde and Kviteseid; you return by bus, bike or car. Skien has trains from Oslo via Porsgrunn (about 2.5-3 hours, check Entur and Vy). Book the boats ahead in July, and bikes on board if needed.