Hiking in the forests of the Coastal Land | The Costal Land in Denmark

The coastline at Stenhøj Beach and Staksrode Forest on the north side of Vejle Fjord in Destination Coastal Land

Are you familiar with the birds of the sky and the green trees of the forest?

Then you have found what makes life the most worthwhile. Poul Reichardt had already wondered more than 60 years ago how great an effect the nature of the forest can have on us humans. There is no better break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life than a walk in the green outdoors, and in that respect, the forest has a very special ability to influence us. The chirping of the birds, the rustling of the wind in the trees, the absence of engine noise, the smells.

The Coastal Land has a good combination of ancient forests and manor forests. From north to south and from east to west, there are beautiful, easily accessible hiking experiences under the treetops no matter where you are. We give you our best tips and help you plan your next trip.

Destination Kystlandet

Sondrup forest a Viewing point where you can see Horsens Fjord

Sondrup Bakker

Melissa Villumsen

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Staksrode Forest - Dramatic slopes towards Vejle Fjord

Photo: Michael Sand

Staksrode Forest - Dramatic slopes towards Vejle Fjord

You will find one of Denmark’s most beautiful forests between Juelsminde and Vejle located right on the coast. Here there are very high slopes, where the trees lie higgledy-piggledy down towards the sea. In the forest, there are three signposted routes between 2.3 and 4.9 kilometres in length. You will find the ruins of an old castle, and there are three nature campsites - including a uniquely located shelter at the top of the slope. Parking in the car park at the end of Staksrodevej.

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Sondrup Plantation

View of Horsens Fjord from Blakshøj in Sondrup Hills

Photo: Destination Coastal Land

Sondrup Plantation

Beautiful hilly forest in the area by Sondrup and Uldrup Hills. The forest offers several beautiful viewpoints - including Blakshøj at an altitude of 74 metres, from where the view of Horsens Fjord is impressive. There are signposted routes that lead around Sondrup Hills (4.4 km) and Uldrup Hills (5.4 km). The two routes are in extension of each other, so you can combine them.

Parking in the car park on Sondrupvej.

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Hansted Forest

Photo: Simon Winther

Hansted Forest

This forest is well hidden in the landscape at Egebjerg north of Horsens. Egebjerg Lake is located at the bottom of a beautiful valley, and from here there are good opportunities for hiking in the hilly forest along Hansted River. There is a popular shelter site by the lake. There are good conditions for walks in the forest or hiking between Hansted and Egebjerg along the river. Parking by Egebjerg Lake/Skovvej.

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Bjerre Forest

Photo: Jens Kjær

Bjerre Forest

Between Horsens and Juelsminde lies this large forest by Bjerrelide hill ridge. There are many hills in the forest, which is best known for having one of Denmark’s best mountain bike trails. However, cyclists should not deter you - there is more than enough space for hikers. We recommend that you take the 2 kilometre long round trip on the yellow route in the natural forest at Søholt Marsh. You can also look past Lake Elverdam, and continue the trip to the meadow area of Bjerre Engsø, where there is a lovely view of the open country. On Bjerre Skovvej, there are four numbered parking spaces.

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Åbjerg Forest by Bygholm Lake

Photo: Gitte Vinum

Åbjerg Forest by Bygholm Lake

The trip around Bygholm Lake is loved by the locals in Horsens. A large part of the route goes through Åbjerg Forest, all the way down to the lake shore. In the forest there is room for hiking trails, horse riding trails and mountain bike trails on the south side of the lake. By the forest there is, among other things, the old graveyard Grønhøj. You can either go for a walk on the forest trails or take the 7 kilometre long route around the lake. On the north side of the lake, you can also walk through the slightly smaller forest of Ulvedalen. There is parking at the car park on Åbjergskovvej at the eastern end of the forest.

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Klokkedal

Photo: Hanne Nielsen

Klokkedal

An elongated forest through a meltwater valley known to far too few. At the bottom of the valley runs a stream and a trail right next to it. The forest towers up steep hills on both sides of the trail. On the trip you are quite close to the city limits to Horsens, but you do not notice it along the way, where you are embraced by nature. A round trip through Klokkedal is about six kilometres long. About a kilometre north of Klokkedal is Boller Forest and Castle. You can advantageously combine the two forests if you want a slightly longer trip. You can park at both ends of the forest with a driveway from Bollervej in the north and Klokkedalsvej in the south.

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The big watershed

Man standing by the source of Gudenåen river in Tinnet Krat

Photo: Gert Skærlund

The big watershed

The big watershed is more than just the place where the rivers Gudenåen and Skjernåen have their sources. Here there is fantastic nature with forest, meadow and open landscape. In the protected landscape at Tinnet Krat there are several signposted routes. From the car park on Vandskellet road you can follow the red route (4 km) past the springs and through Koutrup Forest, where there are shelters and tent sites. At the large watershed you can also find two of the country’s major hiking routes - Hærvejen and Gudenåstien, which start right here.

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Stensballe forests

A couple of cyclists on the Odder-Horsens railway trail

Photo: Melissa Villumsen

Stensballe forests

On the northeastern outskirts of Horsens are the Stensballe forests that invite you to go hiking. A trail runs through the forests along the coast of Horsens Fjord. The trail is part of the Fjordmino and the Horsens-Odder railway trail. You can walk about six kilometres along the coast through the forests and take a trail back, which goes inland. Along the way, you should look past the small peninsula of Troensø, where the coast breaks at 90 degrees. From here you have a stunning view of the fjord. There is also a dog forest out to the coast in Elbæk Forest. Parking at Husodde Beach or Stensballegaard Golf Club.

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Hike-friendly forests near the centre of the towns of the Coastal Land

Near all the town’s of the Coastal Land are green zones located right on the door step. We guide you to walks in forests that are within walking distance to the town centre. Perfect for a Sunday trip. See the routes on the digital map below.

Odder: "Denmark's largest village" is surrounded by old manor forests, which are worth a visit on short walks. We recommend Vejl Forest and Rathlousdal Forest on the southern and southwestern outskirts of the town. If the two forests are combined, there are enough trails for 15 kilometres of hiking. Rathlousdal Forest is also called the animal park as there was previously a zoo here. Today you can still visit the the bear grotto (bjørnegrotten), swhich is a big hit among the smallest in the family. The forests are located about 1 kilometre from the centre.

Juelsminde: The beautiful holiday village of Tofteskoven is very close to the town’s life and stands in sharp contrast to the intense summer activity around the harbour. On the edge of the forest is Juelsminde Nature Play Park - the region’s largest playground. Hjertestien trail in Juelsminde runs through the town, along the coast and through Storskoven. The forest is located about 1 kilometre from the centre on the northwestern outskirts of the town.

Brædstrup: Only 500 metres east of the town square is Ring Forest. Follow Horsens-Silkeborg Nature Trail from the square - from here there are several trails that lead into the forest. We recommend a round trip of about four kilometres. The forest is an extension of Folkeparken. If you want, you can combine the round trip in the forest with a trip around Ring Lake.

Hedensted/Løsning: The two towns of Hedensted and Løsning have almost grown together. Just between the towns (east of Løsning and north of Hedensted) is the lovely Sebberup Forest. The forest is divided into two - a southern and northern part. In the southern part you can go on a round trip of about 3 kilometres. In the Sebberup forests there is, among other things, a dog forest and a nice shelter site.

Hou: 1 kilometre south of the harbour in the small ferry town is a beautiful old forest out to the coast. Ravn Forest is, as the name suggests, one of the country’s few breeding grounds for ravens. You can go on an approximately three kilometre long trip in the forest. Follow Strandgade from the harbour and continue straight along the footpath when the road bends. It is possible in several places in the forest to go down to the peaceful pebble beach and enjoy the view and tranquillity.

Snaptun: A little further south is another small ferry town with a beautiful old forest on the coast. Tønballe Forest Forest offers several beautiful viewpoints over the fjord, a lookout tower, old fortifications, a shelter site, dog forest and a forest gym, etc. From the harbour you can follow the signs for the Snaptun-Juelsminde Coastal Trail through the forests or follow one of our other route suggestions for round trips.

Horsens: There are many forests on the outskirts of Horsens. But Horsens is a big town, so there is a long way out to most of them from the centre. However, some of them are quite easily accessible from the town centre. About 1 kilometre from the railway station through Bygholm Park is Åbjerg Forest on the west side of Bygholm Lake. On the other side of the lake is also Ulvedalen, which is less known but well worth seeing. About 1.5 kilometres north of the pedestrian street is Nørrestrand game reserve. The trails on the south side of the lake follow the northern edge of town through wooded terrain.

200 forests in the Coastal Land on a map

Could you not find your town on the list? Or are you not holding your holiday in the town? Don’t worry - on our digital map you can find many more forests and follow the routes in the countryside via GPS.

Hanne Nielsen

Digital map with routes in the forests of the Coastal Land

Where can I find the largest concentration of forests?

Would you like to go on longer walks through wooded areas? In some places in the Coastal Land, the forests lie like pearls on a string.

Vejle Fjord: On the north side of Vejle Fjord between Juelsminde and Daugård, one forest after another lies out to the coast. Staksrode Forest is the best known of these, but you can also go on walks in Grund Forest, Stouby Forest, Barrit Sønderskov and the many smaller forests by Rosenvold. There is no interconnected route that connects the forests, but you can combine them as it suits you.

Søhøjlandet: The southern part of Søhøjlandet north of Brædstrup is in a very hilly terrain with a large concentration of lakes. However, here there are also a number of larger forests at villages such as Sdr. Vissing, Tønning, Voervadsbro and Addit. See the map above for inspiration.

Bjerrelide: On the south side of Horsens Fjord is the area of Bjerrelide with many interesting forests. Klokkedal, Bjerre Forest and Boller Forest have already been mentioned, but there are even more forests in the area that can be combined for a longer trip.

A family taking a walk in the forest with the dog

Fedja Salihbasic

Take your dog in the forests. See the area’s dog forests here

When you are in the forests

There are an awful lot of rules for when you are in the forests, and it can seem like a bit of a jungle to find your way around. However, when it comes down to it, it’s pretty simple. If you stick to forest trails in daylight, then you are on the safe side.

Where and when can I go in the forest?

You can go in public forests around the clock and in privately owned forests from 6 in the morning until sunset.

In private forests, you have to stick to paths, while you can go anywhere in public forests.

Signs will be posted at the forests’ entrances and car parks, indicating whether the forest is private or public. It will also indicate if there are any special rules you need to be aware of.

Can I spend the night in the forest?

You may not sleep anywhere in the Danish forests, and you are welcome to stay overnight at nature campsites and shelters in the forests. However, please note that some of them need to be booked.

Furthermore, there are many forests in the area with free camping. You can get an overview of the possibilities for overnight stays in forests on our digital map.

Can my dog run free in the forest?

Whether it is a private or public forest, the dog must be kept on a lead.

However, there are many dog woods in the area where dogs are allowed to run free in a large fenced area.

Isn’t it very wet in the forest?

In July and August, the forests are usually dry, but you can expect the trails to be very muddy the rest of the year. Especially in areas with valleys, streams and meadows. After periods of heavy rain, it can be wet for a longer period. Luckily, it’s rarely impassable, and you certainly should not be put off from a hike in the woods, but you might not want to wear those brand new white trainers.

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