Holiday in the borderland
Ørje sluices on the Halden watercourse have three sluice gates and a height difference of 10 metres. They are over 150 years old and are still operated manually.
On the border with Sweden, where the E18 crosses the Halden watercourse, you can meet with traces of our recent history and have a memorable experience of nature and culture.
The Halden watercourse is a 75 km long canal running parallel to the Swedish border and in close connection with the Dalsland Canal. Here everything is organised for nature experiences such as canoeing, hunting, fishing and bathing. It is possible to take a tour on the watercourse with the old steamboat DS Engebret Soot or with M/S Turisten. The only sluices in the watercourse which are still operated manually are found at Ørje.
The Halden Watercourse Canal Museum offers exciting experiences for the whole family. Animal and bird life, the history of forestry, timber floating and wood conversion are presented here.
www.dsengebretsoot.no Tel.: 908 30 597
www.kanalmuseet.no Tel.: 69 81 10 21
Ceramics and handicrafts
Still in the borderland but further south-west, you can pay a visit to Lannem Keramikk, on road no. Rv22 between Rakkestad and Mysen. You are guaranteed a great bargain, and can watch the fascinating process of ceramic making, from clay to finished product. There is a gift shop full of ceramics, a weaving room and a great factory sale with a wide range of Norwegian products all at low prices. Then you can relax with a cup of coffee in the "Østfoldstua" while you enjoy the breathtaking views of the centre's cultural landscape.
Aquapark
Right in the centre of Askim town is the Østfold aquapark, with an incredible range of fun facilities. It has five pools, diving boards, huge slides, a wave machine and current canal. For the adults, the centre has jacuzzis, therapeutic pools with over 34 degrees in the water and both dry and steam saunas. There are sunbeds for relaxing and climbing walls for adventure. After trying out all the facilities, you'll be ready for a delicious meal at Spiseri Neptun. Open every day.
The Østfoldbadet Water Park is situated in downtown Askim and is easy to find. If you are driving on the E18 highway from Oslo vy Vinterbo, take the “Askim vest” turn at the roundabout before the motorway starts. On RV 128, you will see a large sign with directions to Østfoldbadet at the roundabout near the windmill. Continue through towards the city centre. After a few metres you will see a Statoil petrol station, and Østfoldbadet is straight behind here. An enormous car park is situated between the petrol station, the AskimTorget shopping mall and Østfoldbadet. The entrance is around 100m after the petrol station, adjacent to the shopping mall.
Tel.: 69 81 99 00
Fax: 69 81 99 10
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