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ITINERARY
Motala - Söderköping, 2 days
Day 1
11.30 Dep. Motala
As Baltzar von Platen had intended, Motala developed into a town. An engineering works, Motala Werkstad,
was
established here to
serve the Göta Canal and was considered the cradle
of Swedish industry. We visit Motala Motor
museum, which has an
exhibition of antique cars and motorcycles in
authentic surroundings, a collection of radios,
toys, household
appliances and more. Visit a museum. Walk to von
Platen’s grave, 1km walk (left side of the canal).
Overnight stop.
12.10-12.50 Borenshult
Lock stairway of five locks where you can hear the nightingale sing.
12.50-13.50 Lake Boren
73 meters above sea level.
13.50-14.00 Borensberg
There is a hand-operated lock here, after which we see the well-known Göta
Hotel from 1908. Farther on in the
Västanå Bend, known as
the "mate's dread", there is a summer pavilion that
was featured on a stamp in 2003.
14.20 Kungs Norrby, aqueduct
Two more recent aqueducts have been built to carry the canal, one at Kungs
Norrby built in 1993 as part of the
national route 36.
17.00 Ljungsbro, aqueduct
The Ljungsbro aqueduct was built in 1970 to reduce traffic into the
community.
17.20 Berg (Heda)
Here we pass through a system of 15 locks. It is possible to walk along
the canal to Vreta Kloster. The convent of
Vreta Kloster dates from
about 1100 and was the first nunnery in Sweden. Its
importance was later superseded by
the convent founded by Saint
Birgitta in Vadstena. The church at Vreta Kloster is
one of Sweden's most interesting,
offering many medieval
treasures. Today, it is used as a parish church and
it is therefore not always open to visitors.
18.30-19.15 Berg (Carl-Johan)
The Carl-Johan lock stairway is the longest in the canal with seven
connected locks. We dock here for the evening,
arriving around 19.15.It
is possible to walk along the canal to the Vreta
Kloster ruins and church or to take an evening
dip in Lake Roxen.
Day 2
07.45-09.30 Lake Roxen, 33 meters above sea level.
09.30-11.00 Runstorp
Runstorp is a manor house from Sweden's period of greatness. Among the
sights is a portrait of an earlier owner killed
in 1761 during the war
against Pomerania. The musket ball that killed him
can be seen set into the picture frame.
11.15 Norsholm lock
Here the canal crosses the main railway line between Stockholm and Malmö.
12.40-13.10 Lake Asplången, 27 meters above sea level.
14.40-15.30 Carlsborg-Mariehov-Dufkullen
In the short distance of around two kilometers
there are nine locks. You can walk the whole way on
the right side of
the canal, starboard of the
ship. Or you can walk a shorter distance, such as
between two locks.
16.00 Arr. Söderköping
The idyllic town Söderköping was founded in the early 1200s and was very
important during the Hansa period. It also
has a long and and very
interesting history as a spa.
Subject to changes. All times stated are approximate.
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