The Gudenå Trail South
The Gudenå Trail is a continuous 175-kilometre hiking route stretching from the source of the Gudenå River to Randers Fjord. This southernmost section takes you from the springs through Denmark’s largest wetland area and on to the hilly, forested landscapes of the southern Lakelands.
Hiking on the trail of Gudar
According to an old legend, the demigod Gudar abducted the beautiful Else from her father’s home in Tinnet Krat. During his escape, he steered his horses in sharp turns to confuse his pursuers and in doing so, he created the Gudenå River valley, its meanders, and its name.
In this divine valley, a waymarked hiking route leads you through open scrub and wetland landscapes as well as jungle-like forest. The full Gudenå Trail is 175 kilometres long, while this southern section covers just over 58 km from the source of the Gudenå to Klostermølle.
The stages of the Gudenå Trail
There are 18 stages in total along the Gudenå Trail. The six southernmost stages are described here. You can find information about the remaining stages at oplevgudenaa.dk.
A beautiful, signposted hiking route through the Gudenå Valley leading to the source of the River Gudenå. This stage forms part of the 175-kilometre-long Gudenå Trail.
Planning a hike on the Gudenå Trail? Get an overview of stage 2 with info on the route, nature, towns, transport and accommodation.
Hiking the Gudenå Trail? Stage 3 (11 km) passes through open landscapes, quiet country roads and protected agricultural areas. Get to know the route.
Stage 4 of the Gudenå Trail (10 km) follows country roads, forest and one of Denmark’s most impressive burial mounds. Get an overview here.
Stage 5 is about 8 km long, with traffic-free paths and quiet country roads through hilly, open fields. Find info on transport, accommodation, etc.
Explore a 6 km route with forest, lakes and hills. Take in the scenery of Søhøjlandet and a former monastery along the way. Read more about the route.
Nature experiences along the route
The Uncovered Bridge (Den Genfundne Bro)
Brædstrup, South Jutland
The Monastery Mill (Klostermølle)
Gudenå, South Jutland
Can the Gudenå Trail be flooded?
Parts of the Gudenå Trail may, during periods of heavy rainfall, become wet – or even flooded. In the southernmost section of the trail, stage 1 is the area most at risk of flooding, and more rarely there may be water on the trail during stage 2. Stages 3–6 are not at risk of flooding.
Would you like to know the current flood conditions? On OplevGudenå’s Gudenå map, you can check the local flood status.
If you are planning to walk the entire Gudenå Trail, or large sections of it in one go, we recommend bringing suitable footwear for the conditions.
Accommodation along the route
Large camping site with excellent facilities placed beautifully in nature and surrounded by the river Gudenå and lakes. A place for the whole family.
Enjoy a wonderful holiday by the banks of the Gudenå River at this small, peaceful campsite near Brædstrup. Here, you can rent a canoe or simply relax amidst beautiful nature.
Stay overnight in a cosy apartment in Uldum with excellent amenities. This bed & breakfast is beautifully situated by Uldum Marsh and Uldum Mill Museum, offering picturesque surroundings.
Transportation along the route
What is the Gudenå Bus?
The Gudenå Bus (Modstrømsbussen) is a free service for visitors to the Gudenå River. During the school summer holidays, as well as on weekends in August, the Upstream Bus runs once daily in the late afternoon from Ry to Tørring. The bus stops at campsites and shelter sites in the area:
Kvickly Ry, Klostermølle, Voervadsbro Campsite, Vestbirk Camping, Gudenå Camping, Åstedbro Campsite, Åle Campsite and Tørring Camping.
You can read more about the Gudenå Bus and view the timetable on this page.
Can I use regional buses along the Gudenå Trail?
The southern section of the Gudenå Trail runs through peaceful, nature-rich landscapes, where you will pass through small villages along the way. These villages are often connected by regional bus services, but these typically do not run along the Gudenå River. Instead, they run across the area towards larger towns such as Horsens, Vejle, Silkeborg or Skanderborg. This means that regional buses can often be used to reach and leave the route, but rarely to return to your car at the starting point.
Here you can see key connections from towns along the route:
Tørring:
Bus 114 and 220 – Horsens–Tørring
Bus 115: Jelling–Tørring
Bus 117: Give–Tørring
Bus 215: Vejle–Silkeborg
Rask Mølle:
Bus 114 and 220: Horsens–Tørring
Brestenbro and Nim:
Bus 110: Horsens–Silkeborg
Vestbirk and Østbirk:
Bus 112: Horsens–Vestbirk (Voervadsbro)
Voervadsbro:
Bus 112: Horsens–Vestbirk (some departures continue to Voervadsbro)
Bus 502: Skanderborg–Brædstrup
Use Rejseplanen (the Danish journey planner) to plan your journey.
Can I book flex transportation at the Gudenå Trail?
It is possible to travel between two points along the Gudenå Trail by booking a flex transport service. Flex transport is a flexible form of public transport that must be booked in advance. In practice, it is a hybrid between a bus and a taxi. A flex journey must be booked no later than two hours before departure. You will usually be picked up in a taxi, and other passengers may share the journey.
You can book a flex journey via Rejseplanen. Search for your journey, and if there is no bus connection between the two locations, a flex journey will be suggested. Rejseplanen will then redirect you to Midttrafik, where you can complete your booking.
Prices range between standard bus fares and taxi rates. You can reduce the cost by travelling from designated transport hubs (knudepunkt in Danish). To find these hubs, search in Rejseplanen using a location combined with “knudepunkt”. For example, “Rask Mølle (knudepunkt)”.
You can view a map of transport hubs on this page.
When booking, you can choose to pay by card or in cash in the vehicle.
Your digital companion on the journey
At Oplevgudenaa.dk, you can find inspiration for your hike and experiences along the way. On the Gudenå map, you can follow the route via GPS and see the location of attractions, places to eat, accommodation and more along the trail. Here, you can also check the current flood status on the Gudenå Trail.
More Gudenå
The beautiful nature of the highlands calls for an extended stay,
