If you ask your good friend Google, you can get a bit confused. some sources say 149 kilometres - others 176... or 160. It all depends on what you refer to as the Gudenå. For example the first narrow stretch after the sources of the Gudenå and its outlet in Randers Fjord.

The strech that you can navigate in a canoe is 140 kilometres. And the one-way traffic stretch in the Coastal Land between Tørring and The Monastery Mill is 41 kilometres.

Tørring – Åstedbro: 14 km
Åstedbro – Bredstenbro: 6 km
Bredstenbro – Vestbirk Hydropower Plantrk: 7 km
Vestbirk Hydropower Plant – Voervadsbro: 7 km
Voervadsbro – The Monastery Mill/Lake Mossø: 6 km
The Monastery Mill/Lake Mossø – Ry: 10 km

If yo can not swim, then you should avoid the parts of the Gudenå where the water level is high. 

For those who can not swim or feel unsafe in the water, we recommend the stratch from Tørring to Åstedbro. Here the stream is narrow and the water level low. Often so low, that the canoe almost hits the bed. You can easily touch bottom on this whole stretch, and there are not many waves that can make the canoe tip. On the other hand, there are many turns which makes the route quite technical. It is quite fun to navigate around the winding stream - and then you forget the insecurity or hesitation.

Yes. You are not allowed to sail upstream from Klostermølle to Tørring. Therefore, you must follow Gudenåen northward. Sailing downstream is also a bit nicer. 

For this reason, during the summer holiday, you can get on The Gudenå Bus, which sails canoeists from Klostermølle to Tørring with several stops every day. The bus is your way to get back to the starting point. 

There is no single continuous cycling route along the Gudenå River. There is a hiking route, the Gudenå Trail, but this is not suitable for cycling. However, by combining two regional cycle routes, you can cycle all the way from the source of the Gudenå River to its outlet in Randers Fjord.

Regional Cycle Route 33 can be followed from Det Store Vandskel to Gl. Rye. From Gl. Rye, you can continue along Regional Cycle Route 30 all the way to Randers.

Read more on this page

The Gudenå Trail hiking route is 175 kilometres long and runs all the way from the source of the Gudenå River to Randers.

The Gudenå Trail is divided into 18 stages. In the southern part of the Gudenå River, the following stages are included:

Stage 1: From the source to Tørring: 12 km
Stage 2: Tørring to Rask Mølle: 12 km
Stage 3: Rask Mølle to Bredstenbro: 11 km
Stage 4: Bredstenbro to The Uncovered Bridge: 10 km
Stage 5: The Uncovered Bridge to Voervadsbro: 8 km
Stage 6: Voervadsbro to Klostermølle: 6 km

Fishing is not permitted everywhere along the Gudenå River, as fishing rights are managed by different angling associations across specific stretches of the river.

Horsens og Omegns Sportsfiskeforening holds the fishing rights to several sections. Some are reserved for members only, but there are also two stretches where you can purchase a fishing permit. Read more on this page.

Fishing permits for the Vestbirk Lakes are available at Vestbirk Camping.

At Klostermølle Campsite, fishing permits can be purchased from the site warden.

In addition, several accommodation providers offer free fishing in connection with an overnight stay. This applies to Tørring Camping, Gudenå Camping and Voervadsbro Campsite.

Please note that you must always hold a valid Danish national fishing licence when fishing in Denmark. This can be purchased for one day, one week or one year. It is available on this page. In some locations, you will therefore need both a national fishing licence and a local fishing permit in order to fish.

In Tinnet Krat, west of Tørring, a spring bubbles up from the ground. This is where the Gudenå River begins – Denmark’s longest river. Just a few hundred metres away, you will also find the source of Denmark’s most water-abundant river, the Skjern River.

From here, on the Jutland Ridge, the rivers flow in opposite directions – the Gudenå River to the east and the Skjern River to the west. This is why the area is known as Det Store Vandskel (The Great Watershed).

Tinnet Krat is Denmark’s largest area of oak scrub and a rare remnant of the original forest that once covered much of Jutland. The area features several waymarked circular walking routes and is well worth a visit. Det Store Vandskel is part of Denmark’s Nature Canon.

Whether you are travelling by canoe, kayak, SUP board or any other type of craft, it is only permitted to paddle on the southernmost stretch of the Gudenå River between Tørring and Klostermølle from 16 June to 31 December. On the rest of the Gudenå River, paddling is permitted all year round.