Cycling the Göta Canal
The Göta Canal stretches from Sjötorp on Lake Vänern to the west, to Mem on the Baltic Sea to the east. The canal is 190 km long and mostly flat – being a canal with the hedgerows beside the cycle path forming a natural windbreak. So with few hills, and little wind to hold you back, it makes for a very leisurely bike ride.
As the canal is so long, you’ll have already guessed that there are many things to see and do along its course. For instance there’s the flora and fauna of this unique waterway and the small towns and hamlets you can visit along the way. One of them is Sjötorp, at the start of the canal, and here you can hire bicycles, or arrange package deals including bicycles and accommodation, and combine these with sightseeing tours and boat rides along the canal.
If you are reasonably fit you can ride the entire length of the canal in a week and still have plenty of time for other activities. One of which should be to visit Berg’s Locks, a system of seven locks where vessels are raised or lowered some 19 metres. It’s quite an impressive sight and there are cafés, restaurants, a hostel and family activities dotted around it for you to enjoy.
Sites of interest along the canal include the town of Karlsborg, Kolmården Zoo and Berg’s Locks. The canal is open between May and September.