Canoeing

Paddle through beautiful natures

Here we have summarised practical information, useful if you are planning to go canoeing on the Göta Canal.

There is no canal fee for canoeing on the Göta Canal. However, during high season, the canal is a busy fairway with many pleasure boats and several passenger boats.
For your own safety, we do not allow canoes to pass through locks on the Göta Canal, meaning that you will have to carry your canoe past the locks. This can be a bit of a nuisance, as the canoe will have to be dragged up onto the canal bank that is often high and consists of uneven rocks. There are also no particular facilities for canoes at the locks. We therefore recommend that you choose shorter sections of the canal, where there are fewer locks. Several providers along the Göta Canal offer complete canoeing packages including accommodation and they can recommend good canoeing stretches.

Practical information

Canoeing friendly sections

Borensberg-Ljungsbro/Malfors Guest Harbour, 20 km
A long section without locks, with seven bridges.

Norsholm-Brådtom-Asplången, 6 km (2 locks)
On the way to Brådtom, there are no locks but two bridges. After Brådtom Lock you will have 3 km of canal to Lake Asplången, where you carry your canoe past the Hulta Lock to get out on the lake.

Söderköping-Mem, 6 km (1 lock)
This section has one lock where you will have to carry your canoe, Tegelbruket Lock.

Töreboda-Hajstorp, 5 km
A section without locks, with two bridges.

Töreboda-Tåtorp-Lake Viken, 17 km (1 lock)
Long section without locks, with four bridges. You can reach the pleasant canoeing areas of Lake Viken if you carry your canoe past the Tåtorp lock.

Karlsborg-Forsvik, 7.5 km + Lake Viken, approx. 23 km
A section mostly covering lakes and short stretches of canal. One lock at Forsvik. After Lake Viken you will reach the Tåtorp Lock - Töreboda canal section.

Staying overnight

If you are canoeing on your own we recommend a stay at a campsite, hostel or other accommodation provider along the Göta Canal. Camping is permitted at rest stops where there are also dry toilets. Camping at locks, bridges or in our guest harbours is prohibited. In Västergötland there are a number of rest stops with wind shelters and campfire sites and on the Östergötland side there is one rest stop with a wind shelter as well as several rest stops with campfire sites. Most rest stops are marked out on the Göta Canal Map, available at the tourist information offices along the canal.