Lunde

Lunde’s locks are a defining feature of this town on the Telemark Canal: during the high season, canal boats meet here. If you’d like to linger a little longer, you can watch boats being raised and lowered through the lock chamber at Lunde Slusekro. The restaurant also serves dishes made with local ingredients. This brings together the special activity on the canal, a glimpse of how the locks work and regional cuisine.

Lock Park, culture and time outdoors

Lunde Slusepark offers more than a view of the canal. The park grounds feature cultural heritage sites, play areas, seating, barbecue areas, a short walking path and a guest harbour. Depending on the day’s plans, families can make time for play, a walk or a break outdoors. The guest harbour is set up for leisure boats and has electricity and water connections.

Events are also part of what the Slusepark offers. Concerts are held every year in the amphitheatre and at the lock café. Other events held there include the pike festival on the Telemark Canal, a duck race, the Fristil dog competition and a lock market. The programme ranges from music to special events on the canal; check specific dates separately when planning your trip.

Choose walking trails and cycling tours

The Folkestien starts at Lunde lock and is considered easily accessible; it is suitable for people of all ages. The path runs along the Telemark Canal on gravel and is mostly flat. Note that there is a flight of steps on the easternmost loop. Apart from this section, the path is suitable for pushchairs. If you’re looking for a walk that fits easily into a stay by the canal, it offers a different kind of activity from the longer cycling routes.

There are various options for cyclists. The challenging Motbakken cycling route starts at Lunde lock and is 62 kilometres long. Another cycling tour from Lunde is about 21 kilometres long and offers plenty of opportunities to swim along the way. At First Camp Lunde – Telemark, you can rent bicycles, canoes and kayaks. They also have suggested routes, maps and mini-guides for activities on the Telemark Canal; the suggested routes are tailored to different levels.

Skarravegen is a cultural walking route that follows quiet gravel roads near the Telemark Canal from Ulefoss to Lunde. This adds another option for anyone who would like to include a longer walk in their trip. The routes mentioned vary in type and length, from the mostly flat Folkestien to the challenging 62-kilometre Motbakken cycling route. When planning your days, you can therefore choose whether short walks, cycling with opportunities to swim, or a longer cultural walk best suits your preferences.

Getting here and choosing where to stay

Lunde railway station is on the Sørlandsbanen. Trains from there run towards Stavanger, Kristiansand, Arendal and Oslo S. At the lock, bus connections serve the canal boats heading east, north and west. These connections can help you plan your journey by train or consider including a trip on the canal boats.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Lunde, the main consideration is what you want your stay to include: the locks and events, paths along the canal, or an active day cycling or canoeing. The town offers different ways to enjoy your stay, without making any one type of holiday the focus of your visit. Think about which activities matter to you, and choose Lunde as your holiday destination based on whether culture, water and activity offer the mix you’re looking for.

For the broader travel overview: Nome.