Sweden's stunning scenery is a trailer sailor’s paradise; just hitch up, book a ferry crossing – and go!
THE DALSLAND CANAL is open from June 1st to Aug 31st. It's never overcrowded but, avoids the Swedish holiday period - June 26th to Aug 1st. Almost everyone speaks English and the weather in summer is us¬ually excellent, with long sunny days and spectacular sunsets.

Each lake is different. You can launch in vast Lake Vanern, enter the Dalsland system at Koppmannebro, and, a few kilometers on, take the Snacke to wild and lonely lake Ammi¬nen, among the mountains. Another short canal takes you into lake Arr, where you can moor at the restored quay of the ruined mining community and visit Froskog's 18th Century timber church.
The main route takes you to Haverud, the only place in the country, maybe in the world, to boast an aqueduct, viaduct, road bridge and sluice!
Then, there's narrow Aklangen, which has rare flora and birds on its eastern shore, before the waterway opens up into lake Raverpen where you can tie up at Hogsbyns jetty. Don't miss the visit to the remarkable Bronze Age rock carvings.
Laxsjon lies further north, its shores scattered with impressive houses. The most famous is Baldernais; a gracious white mansion standing in English gardens, on a peninsula. Along the canalized section, flowers abound, as do giant bi-plane dragonflies. Mter the Blom¬stertop Sluss (Flower Cottage Lock), look out for the pool home to larks, trout, and numerous beavers. Further on, there's a dune of ice-age shells before you reach Bengstfors; another must visit place.
By Dalsland standards Bengstfors is a metropo¬lis; in reality it's a small town with a mini indus¬trial estate! Call at the tourist office and hire a railway pedalo - I won't say more and spoil the surprise - or head for Majberget hill. There you'll find traditional ancient houses and a cafe where you can enjoy delicious open sand¬wiches, while watching a panoramic sunset over Le¬lang. The Long Lake's scenery is grandiose - with bronze age cairns, prehistoric caves, simple churches and even more rock carvings. You can also turn off into Vastra Silen which, beyond a cluster of is¬lands, broadens out and is a great place to sail. At its head is AIjang which hosts many traditional festivals. To the east, Ostra Silen - a maze of creeks and islands - is stunning¬ly beautiful.
To pass into lake Foxen, which is linked to a series of small yet beautiful lakes, you must negoti¬ate another islet maze. Further north, a locked channel leads to lake Toxen, where Foxen's steep wooded slopes are replaced by rolling countryside. Sit quietly on deck in the evening and you may see a family of bears! Beyond Toxen, en route to lakes Tocken and Osten, there's the fun of negotiating old swing bridges, which leave the operator temporarily stranded in mid stream!
Finally, to the west of the main system, lies wild and wooded Stora Le - part in Sweden, part in Norway. This lake is up to 140 meters deep and many ice age specimens have been found here; there are also pre-historic island cairns to visit, an 8000 year old shell bank and botani¬cal rarities in abundance. As you make for the tourist resort at Ed, you may see a family of elks, watching you from the woods.
Where to stay
There are several guest harbours for live-aboards. The private ones charge around 50 kroner per night, municipal ones are usually free, but you can moor almost anywhere because - in Sweden - everyone has right of access to private land (but not to private grounds surrounding a house). That means you can not only moor on private land, but camp, and pick mushrooms and berries too. If you can't stay on the boat, there's accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets; offi¬cial campsites start at 50 kroners per day; 2 bedroom rented cottages from 150 kroner per day, quality hotels with lake views begin around 400 kroners per day for a double room. Youth hostels (you needn't be young) are clean and comfortable and cost around 70 kroner per day.