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Sunday April 3
17:30 Transfer by coach to České Budějovice, with a convenience stop en route.
20:15 arr Klika Hotel on the waterfront in the town centre. This is beside the site of a projected lock which would allow boats to reach the town centre. This idea, promoted by PVC s.p.o. (the Czech waterways association) and IWI has been adopted by the mayor and his deputy mayor for economic development. Evening meal in hotel (included in tour price). Informal meeting with the mayor and deputy mayor (see below) and representatives of the Bata Canal Foundation.
The hotel is on the far left in the picture below, on the smaller arm of the Vltava
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Monday April 4
9:00
Meeting with the Mayor Juraj Thoma, his Deputy for Strategic Development and Regional Planning Ivana Popelová, representatives of the Czech waterways administration Ředitelství vodních cest (ŘVC), the board of the Czech waterways association and representatives of the unique Bata canal (which unfortunately could not be included in this tour). The meeting will be in the fine baroque City Hall, in the right-hand (SW) corner of the vast central square. Planned presentations:
- welcome by Mayor Thoma,
- the Vltava navigation project by ŘVC,
- the Danube-Oder-Elbe Water Corridor project, by the Czech waterways association,
- the unique Bata Canal in Moravia,
- the city's project Město a voda (city & water),
- short address by the President of IWI
10:45
Press conference, continuing (with the journalists) to the site of the lock needed to give access to the town centre, followed by the boat moorings on the Vltava at Lannova loděnice, just downstream of the town.
11:40
Visit the newly built lock and adjacent boat harbour at České Vrbné
Snack lunch in restaurant on the island (dish of the day included).
13:00
See works just started on the lock at Hluboká nad Vltavou, where our hosts will also present the project for a large marina beside the splendid château, inspired by Windsor Castle, one of the most visited tourist attractions in Czechia.
14:00
Visit the existing Hněvkovice dam and lock, an impressive 20m high structure. Hněvkovice II lock (1500m downstream) will be the last to be built on the Vltava waterway, and work is expected to begin in spring 2011.
16:15 arr at Orlík dam, where ŘVC engineers will present the project for the ship lift (inclined plane) and also for the transverse inclined plane at Slapy (visualization) - guided tour inside the dam and power plant. See on the shop page another view of the trough beside the existing marine rail elevator of limited capacity. Working drawings for the caisson and counterweights will also be shown.
17:45 dep for Prague
19:30 arr Hotel Roma on the left bank (lesser town, or Malá Strana). 4-star hotel in a perfect location, very close to the Charles bridge and Smíchov lock, one of the busiest in the world!
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Tuesday April 5
09:00 Return up the Vltava valley to visit the other spectacular site, Slapy dam, with an engineer from ŘVC explaining the current project for an entrance lock (existing), short tunnel, waiting bay and transverse inclined plane on the right bank side of the 70m high dam! This is a unique combination which has never been implemented anywhere in the world, not even in China!
This picture shows the layout under one of the designs envisaged for Slapy. The final design has most of the features illustrated here: existing upstream lock, bridge, short tunnel at intermediate level and transverse inclined plane. The costly upstream basin has been removed in the latest project.
10:45 Return to Prague making photo stops at Štěchovice and Vrané nad Vltavou dams, to see the contrast (these are high-capacity locks).
13:00 Coach parks near Prague's main railway station (Hlavní nádraží). Free time for lunch, returning to pick up luggage from the coach at 15:30.
16:31 Train departs for Leipzig with a change at Dresden.
20:05 arr Leipzig, transfer by coach to Check Inn Merseburg
21:00 Dinner in hotel (included).
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Wednesday April 6
Meeting for promotion of Saale-Elster Kanal revival
09:00 Shuttle available for transfer to Merseburg centre if required. Otherwise walk to centre leaving by about 8:15, to discover en route the old high-capacity canal which the SEK association hopes to see restored, then Merseburg-Meuschau lock (photo by Dirk Becker).
09:30 Meeting in the Ständehaus (Guildhall) in the town centre, to promote the completion of the Saale-Elster Kanal from Merseburg to Leipzig.
Welcome speeches
Sachsen Land representative Frank Bannert
Merseburg mayor Jens Bühligen
Saale-Elster-Kanal Förderverein e.V.
10:00 Presentation by the Sachsen-Anhalt Ministry of Economics on Tourism in the Land overall and the potential of its Blue Strip - waterway tourism in Sachsen-Anhalt
10:20 Presentation by Dirk Becker (Saale-Elster-Kanal association) on plans for development of the waterway network in the area (see 5-point plan below)
11:00 Development of waterway tourism in the city of Leipzig and the 'New Lake District' (mainly south of the city), by Heiko Rosenthal Mayor of Leipzig
11:45 Lunch break
13:00 Scotland's Millennium Link and the Falkirk Wheel, Facts and Figures by Richard Millar, Marketing Manager, British Waterways Scotland
13:45 Experience and good practice examples observed by Inland Waterways International, by David Edwards-May, vice-president of IWI
14:30 Experience and expectations in waterway tourism by Dieter Sudmann, Vice-president of the Deutscher MotorYacht-Verband
15:00 Panel session, questions and answers, debate
16:00 Closing remarks by Mayor of Merseburg
Transfer by coach to the site of the uncompleted locks at Wüsteneutzsch: two locks overcoming a 22m difference in level, works left uncompleted after WWII. Events are held inside the locks during the summer. The project's promoters would like to see a single lift built at the site (on a route bypassing the historic lock chambers retained as heritage) to make it a visitor attraction in itself (inspired by the Falkirk Wheel). Continue by coach to the Geiseltalsee (former lignite extraction pit) seeing en route sites of key structures on the canal Sachsen-Anhalt proposes to build to open up recreational boating and reinforce the waterway tourism potential of the Saale and region (subject to time). This additional visit subject to time; it may have to be cancelled
Evening in Merseburg.
Optional debriefing and debate over dinner in the hotel.
What choice for Wüsteneutzsch? Staircase locks or boat lift?
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Thursday April 7
Leipzig rivers, canals and new lake district
8:30 Transfer by coach to discover the route of the Saale-Elster Canal and the approach to Leipzig
9:00 Arrival at the Lindenauer Harbour City of Leipzig. Welcome and introduction by Ms. Angela Zàbojnik, Dept of Urban Green Areas and Watercourses, City of Leipzig. See the site of the link to be cut with the Karl Heine Kanal. City planners will explain the overall project for development of the harbour and adjoining land. Continue on foot to the Karl Heine Kanal,
9:45 Coach transfer to the restaurant Stelzenhaus in Plagwitz.
10:00 Board two of the small open trip boats which operate during the season, kindly provided by our hosts Wasserstadt Leipzig. Discover aspects of Leipzig's industrial past and recent developments along the canal in Plagwitz. The trip continues on a short length of the broad Elster river before turning into the Elstermühlgraben.
11:00 Arrive at the new harbour (photo). Commentary on the site, its history, current status and projected development.
11:30 Continue on foot along the partially restored millstream (accessible to small craft only): the Elstermühlgraben. Commentary on principles and design of these recently completed projects. Continue on foot to the city centre.
12:15 Coach transfer to the Pleisse millstream.
12:25 Walk along the partially restored Pleiße millstream near the Federal Administrative Court
13:00 Buffet lunch at the City Hall (Rathaus).
13:30 Welcome by the Mayor Mr Heiko Rosenthal. and presentation of the city's plans on its rivers and millstreams.
14:30 Reboard coach for a tour of the New Lake District in the former open-cast mining area south of Leipzig, including preserved forest areas, new lock-cuts and locks opened to link up the lakes for navigation in vessels up to 12 by 4m.
15:00 Arrival at the viewpoint Zitzschen, Zwenkauer See. Commentary by
Ms. Franke (from the open mining company LMBV) on redevelopment and flooding the lake
15:30 Coach transfer to the harbour of Zwenkau.
15:45 Arrival at Zwenkau harbour, visit the new boat harbour and construction site (the boat harbour is high and dry, pending flooding of the lake).
17:00 Coach trip to the Markkleeberger See
17:30 Arrival at the Markkleeberg See and visit the spectacular whitewater centre, observing a training session for competition canoeists. Notes by Mr Kirsten, manager of the Canoe Park Markkleeberg.
18:30 Coach transfer to the Cospudener See. Dinner in the Seeterrasse restaurant on the lake (where the chef takes visitors on wild herb reconnaissance tours every Thursday afternoon!). Dinner is included.
Return to Merseburg.
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Friday April 8
9:00 Meeting point at carpark on the Cospudener See (Brückenstraße/S46) and bus transfer to Cospuden lock. Meeting with Mr. Werner, Dept. of Urban Green Areas and Watercourses, City of Leipzig.
9:10 Arrival at Cospuden lock. Notes by Mr. Werner.
9:40 Coach transfer to Connewitz lock.
10:00 Arrival at Schleußiger Weg, about 10 min walk to Connewitz lock.
10:10 Visit to the lock (commentary by Mr. Werner)
10:50 About 10 min walk back to coach at Schleußiger Weg
11:00 Departure by coach for Leipzig centre and station
Alternative (on your own) visit to city centre and major monuments such as St Thomas' church where Bach was organist and choirmaster from 1723 until his death in 1750.
12:00 Leipzig Hbf. End of pre-arranged tour. Trains to Berlin, Dresden or Prague (additional arrangements and visits Friday afternoon depending on participants' preferences).
7 group tickets available for return Leipzig to Prague. See small ad on <a xhref="http://www.andoo.de" title="Kleinanzeigen" target="_blank">Kleinanzeigen</a>
Plan for developing waterway tourism in Merseburg area
Wassertouristisches Nutzungskonzept Merseburg (WTNK-MER)
5-point plan to be presented and discussed at the meeting on April 6
1
Designation of the vestiges of the Wüsteneutzsch locks as a historic monument
2
Construction of the Saale-Elster-Kanal, including a newly-built boat lift of exceptional architecture, to act as a visitor attraction and thus cover its costs in economic impacts; works to include a cycle route starting on the southern bank in Kreypau, crossing to the northern bank after Güntherdorf, and continuing to Leipzig. Provision for camping and overnight parking for camping cars along the canal.
3
Provision of boat harbours offering full facilities at Merseburg and Kreypau, and in the lower waiting bay of the future boat lift, also with restaurant, fuelling point and siipway.
4
Provision of additional boat moorings in Schkopau, Merseburg, Leuna, Kreypau, Günthersdorf and Bad Dürrenberg.
5
Restoration of the high-capacity canal east of Merseburg (originally planned as part of the southern branch of the Mittellandkanal), including construction of Werder Lock.
