Hiking in Denmark - The 7 best routes for your hiking vacation

The Hærvejen, in Dutch the Ossenpad, consists of several hundred kilometers of trails stretching like a backbone through Jutland. There are opportunities to experience the full spectrum of Danish landscapes and nature, ranging from moors, plantations, and coastal areas in the north to smaller valleys, forests, and hills in the south. The complete route from Viborg to Hamburg is about 500 kilometers. The route is divided from north to south into four smaller parts. Along the route, you'll find numerous accommodation options.

The route originated in the Middle Ages and was the main route through Jutland for the transportation of animals and goods but also for pilgrims, armies, and kings. The Danish part of the Camino de Santiago also follows the Hærvejen. The route remained important until railways were built. In 2010, the Hærvejen was designated as a European cultural route, and the tourist offices of the surrounding cities together created a special website with a detailed description of the route and points of interest along the route.

The Coast-to-Coast Trail is a marked hiking route created in collaboration between the municipalities of Varde, Vejen, Billund, and Vejle and a large number of private landowners. The route is marked with blue signs, and most of the route is for walkers only. Part of the route passes through private property, and landowners have voluntarily made their areas available.

Along the 136.5 kilometers of the route, you can overnight at campsites with fireplaces and access to water and bathrooms. For a short hiking vacation in Denmark, you can also park your car near the route and enjoy short nature walks where you can also safely take the children.

Bindeballestien near Vejle is a 36 km hiking and cycling route through the beautiful Vejle valley, where you can experience the ever-changing but always spectacular nature and numerous cultural heritage sites along the way. Expect dunes, rolling hills, and forests. Reconstructed Iron Age farms, 13th-century frescoes, the historic Hotel Haraldskær Hovedgård, the Iron Age museum, and the nature center are other attractions you can visit.

To make the most of your hiking vacation, it's a good idea to take a few days. The route ends in Billund, known for the legendary Legoland. A good combination if you're hiking with younger people.

Walking the Gendarmstien, it's easy to imagine how the gendarmes kept eyes and ears open as they patrolled on foot along steep cliffs, deep forests, and flat beaches. Their task was to catch smugglers carrying illegal goods in and out of the country to evade customs duties, which for centuries were one of Denmark's main sources of income.

All stages run along the coast over undulating terrain. There are no rules about where to start your hiking vacation. If you start in Padborg or Skovby depends on you, and if you want a fixed base for walking, it's also possible, as is often the case with hiking vacations, some planning and logistics are required. The route is also part of the European E6 law, and therefore you'll find plenty of accommodation options along the entire route.

From the UNESCO World Heritage site Stevns Klint in the east to the southern fjords in Præstø, Stege Bay, and Storstrømmen to Dybsø Fjord and Karrebæksminde Bay in the southwest, almost the entire way, you have sea views.

The name will surely make you think of the Kungsleden, the 443-kilometer trail through northern Sweden. Leden means Trail or Path. In addition to other highlights, in Sjællandsleden, there are three special hiking routes: Trampestien and Lagunestien and De Camøno. We're going to talk about the latter now.

The Camøno hiking route was established in 2016 and is now known to most hikers. The popular hiking route, part of the larger Sjællandsleden, is suitable for families, weekend getaways with friends, and for serious hikers who want to accumulate quite a few kilometers. It's no wonder that De Camøno has become so popular, as the varied route passes through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Denmark and is well-provided with numerous points of interest and accommodations along the way. It's called the friendliest hiking route in Denmark. The route stretches for 175 km through Møn, Bogø, and Nyord.

The title of the friendliest hiking route of De Camøno is not just a slogan but a fact according to the people taking care of the trail. The trail managers have taken into account that everyone should be able to participate and, among other things, have created a map for people with disabilities, especially suitable for wheelchair users. Family routes, dog-friendly trails, and tours are also included. There's a website to book accommodation along the route, but unfortunately, most of the information is in Danish. Our trekking experts will be happy to help if you need advice for De Camøno.

Both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Both are areas deserving their own blog post because the comparisons to the Danish mainland are naturally minimal. However, let's briefly talk about hiking in the Faroe Islands. Why, you might ask? Simple: the Faroe Islands are incredibly beautiful and, moreover, not far away. Forget what we said earlier about the lack of mountains in Denmark. If the Faroe Islands count, then they're definitely there.

But hiking in the Faroe Islands also comes with challenges. It's a wild place: many of the trails are confusing and sometimes nonexistent, and in popular places, there's friction with the local population. And then there's the weather. An archipelago in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, the only thing that never changes in this climate is that it constantly changes. Once we've visited the Faroe Islands, we'll come back with a detailed blog post.

Wild camping is not allowed in Denmark, unlike the northern neighboring countries, and this is especially enforced in the high season or the breeding season from March to August. In addition to some well-located campsites, there are many natural campsites and some forests where wild camping is generally allowed. You can find an overview of the forests on this map (Danish). With some preparation and common sense, it's no problem to find a suitable place for your tent.

The high season in Denmark runs from mid-June to mid-August. This can be advantageous for a walk along the coast and through Jutland because during this period, all ice cream, hot dog stalls, and others are open, and accommodation options, restaurants, and buses are widely available. Moreover, the weather is nice, so even a dip in the sea is possible after a long day of hiking. But, of course, it's also very crowded at this time.

Since some beaches are even open to cars, daylight saving time is not the best option. With proper preparation, you can also consider the low season: spring from mid-April to late May or late summer and/or autumn from mid-August to early October. Then it's still or again quiet, there's plenty of space everywhere, and with a bit of luck, it's mostly warm.