Håverud: Aqueduct, Canal History and Nature

The Håverud Aqueduct carries water and boats across the rapids in a long trough. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Håverud, start by deciding what you want to focus on during your trip: would you like to explore the canal engineering, visit the exhibitions, or include trails and nature reserves? These different themes offer concrete ideas to help you plan.

Aqueduct and Canal Construction

The Håverud Aqueduct was completed in 1868. Its long trough carries water and boats across the rapids. The metal trough is assembled from 33,000 rivets. At Håverud, both a road bridge and a railway bridge cross the aqueduct. The waterway and both bridges are thus directly connected to the same structure—an engaging focus for anyone interested in canal and engineering construction.

The route of the canal also shows how the waterway follows the river landscape: immediately after the sixth lock, the Dalsland Canal crosses the old river channel of the Upperudsälven on an aqueduct bridge, at the Håverud rapids. The aqueduct can therefore be viewed both as a structure and as part of a specific canal route.

Stories at the Canal Museum

The Canal Museum in Håverud tells the story of life along the Dalsland Canal, from 19th-century farming to today’s tourist waterway. The museum’s largest and oldest exhibition, From River to Canal, portrays the lives of people along the Upperudsälven before and after the canal was built.

The exhibition The Dream of a Canal traces the canal’s development from the 17th century to the present day and illustrates it with drawings. The two exhibitions have different focuses: one highlights life along the river, while the other follows the canal’s long history of development. The museum presentation may change.

Hiking Trails and Nature Reserves

Ramslökedalen Nature Reserve is in Håverud, beside the Dalsland Canal and Lake Åklången. There are hiking trails and constructed wooden stairways in the reserve. From the Håverud Aqueduct, you can hike toward Buterud Nature Reserve. The trail passes through deciduous forests scented with wild garlic and over ridges where pine and oak trees grow.

Buterud Nature Reserve offers views of Lake Åklången and the Dalsland Canal. The best way to reach it is by a trail from Håverud or by canoe on the Dalsland Canal. Ramslökedalen and Buterud thus offer different perspectives on the landscape: trails through forest and over ridges on the one hand, and views of the lake and waterway on the other.

Kanalrundan and Train Ride

All versions of the Kanalrundan include a scenic boat trip and a ride on a rail bus. The Stora Kanalrundan passes through 16 locks and by the Håverud Aqueduct. The route combines travel on the water with the sequence of locks and views of this striking structure. Tour options may change; check the current options before your trip.

A DVVJ train runs past the Håverud Aqueduct seasonally. Along the way, you can enjoy views of Nils Ericsson’s boat troughs and the locks. As the train runs seasonally, check the current operating dates in advance.

Getting Oriented Locally

The Visit Dalsland Center in Håverud offers visitors information and assistance. It presents experiences that can be booked locally, and also has a grocery store selling locally produced goods. The center complements the exhibitions, hiking trails and trips, providing another place to get information and find local products.

Discover more destinations: Köpmannebro, Mellerud, Dalskog, Åsensbruk.

Back to the main travel overview: Mellerud.