More than 2500
official permissions to send off canoes from Toerring city almost assures you a canoe adventure with start in
Toerring. Right on the spot in Toerring, at the local canoe hire service, kano-udlejning.dk
residing across the street from Toerring camp of tent, there will be available to you a locked up parking space.
Canoe trips on
Gudenaa river from Toerring to Fladbro
In most cases a more than one day canoe trip takes place with start
from Toerring. Right on the place where Toerring Camp of Tent and Canoe space riverside to day are situated a danish adventurer, author of travel books, journalist and
artist painter, named Hakon Mielche, in 1935 began a canoe trip on Gudenaa river. His canoeing became the start to a heavy recreative canoe adventureing
on the river as it is going on today. As a reminder of his initiation a monument has been founded at the gate of Toerring camp of tent having the inscription
from the Gudenaa source to the expiration in Randers inlet. Randers is Denmarks fifth larges city situated side by side with Fladbro.
14 years later, in 1949, a canoe rental company "Toerring Kanofart" (translates to Toerring Canoe Speed was founded by Arne Falentin Olesen. He drew
his canoe rental company in sixty years till the year of 2009. Toerring Kanofart is now continuated under a new name "Toerring Kano-udlejning & Kanofart".
This canoe rental company are situated across the street diagonally from Toerring camp of tent. The majority of canoe trips on Gudenaa river starts in Toerring and
normally ends in Fladbro. Though, it is possible to continue into Randers inlet. Look up Fladbro and Randers on map of Gudenaa river.
Snips of Gudenaas history
About 8 km north west of Toerring city in Tinnet thicket is found the source of Gudenaas origination. Out
there in Tinnet a route for wanderes leads up to the source. All the way to the outflow
in Randers inlet Gudenaa runs a stretch of about 165 km (100 miles).
Hydro power from the river
The water of Gudenaa has been exploited in producing hydro power ever since the monks at Foer Monastery for about 800
years ago excavated a channel of lenght about 1300 meter having their watermill running. Corn from country men in the
areas around the monastery then had it grained. Later on the hydro power was also exploited in production of electricity.
On a stretch of less than 50 km. from Tinnet thicket was build 6 watermills, two cardboard factorys, one knitwear factory
and one hydro power station. An alike figur took place along the other stretch of the river. The biggest hydro power
station in dk. "Gudenaa Power plant" at Tange is still running.
The bargemen
Gudenaa has been an importen way of transportation. Many towns were created along the river. One of them ,Silkeborg, a town
in a region with many lakes and forests, had huge quantities of lumber rafted down-streams. In 1861 it was decided to bring
"Hjejlen", a paddle steamer, into motorizing the traffic on the Silkeborg lakes. The paddle steamer was too deep going by
the river. Så it was brought to the lakes by dragging it over land. It showed up at once that Hjejlen was not as effective
as the existing barges. So Hjejlen was taken out of intended operation. Instead, it became a tour-boat. Today it is running
as a tourism attraction on the lakes in the summer periode. The history reports barge transportation on the river earlier
than year 1400. The main goods of transportation by these barges was peat, later on bricks and marl. As the trade along the
river growed, also did the inns. It is been said that the bargemen, who had the dirty work of going on each side of the river
dragging the barges upstreams, had the old saying; Up with the barge and down with the nip.
Transportation by barges culminated around 1870 with about 200 barges in operation.
The railroad took over
In 1871 a railroad were extended reaching Silkeborg. From then on transportation by the river began to cease. Though, brickyards and
marlpits industries continued using barges till year 1921. At that time an abrupt stoppage took place, as a big hydro power
plant called Tangevaerket was build at Tange. Also stoppage of salmon fishing in the river took place. Both events
caused a loss of income for thousands of families. Measured on preterite, Tangevaerket made an extensible electricity
production. Notable, Tangevaerket is still running. Though, its production of electricity is at present day a minimal part of
Denmarks use of electricity. On a canoe trip passing Tangevaerket, you will have to bear or pull the canoe over land a
short distance. This also is the case at another hydro power plant at Westbirk called Westbirk Power Station. The Association
of Canoe Rentals on Gudenaa has placed some carriages to help you at these points.
Fish in the river
The Gudenaa is a stream, where in the seventies of previour century became the first one selected for invironmental protection.
This pollution control has given a strong quality improvement of the river water. Workings on reestablishing the original physical
condition of the river are intensibly going on, så that fish in the river and birds living along it can have vital necessity.
As an example; spawning grounds are established and fry is put out. Salmon is back in the northern part of the river. The following
species of fish lives in the river: Pike-perch, Salmon, Brown-trout, Rainbow-trout, Bream, Perch, Pike, Roach,
Trout, Grayling, Eel.
The Fish page
