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Denmark’s National Route No. 1 - The West Coast route
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The West Coast route running from Rudbøl to Skagen offers some of Denmark’s most beautiful sights with its own impressive, tough and thought-provoking scenery. With the wind blowing in from south-west and the scent of seaweed and brine, you sense the changing landscape from the South West Jutland coastal mudflats (the Wadden Sea area) to the undulating dunes and broad sandy beaches following the route all the way to Skagen. You can feel and sense the grandeur and power of the sea all along the route and, if you visit one of the numerous local history museums, get an idea of how the inhabitants once struggled to secure the essentials in life and nature’s endless fight against the North Sea.
You can cycle in either direction, but due to the prevailing west or south-west wind you might prefer to go in the south-north direction.
The North Sea route is 550 km long, one-third of which is gravel or stone dust tracks. So you should take care not to use tyres that are too thin. The rest of the route is tarmacked. Large stretches of the route are running along own tracks where cars are not allowed to go. There are no ascents, and the route is charming and varied – truly a route for the whole family.
You need these country maps if you choose this route and want to cover it all: South Jutland, Ribe, Ringkjøbing, Viborg and North Jutland.
From Rudbøl to Esbjerg you will be going through the Danish part of the Wadden Sea (Vadehavet) – a very special landscape that is neither sea nor terra firma. The landscape is incredibly beautiful, and there is ample opportunity to see the special fauna and bird life.
Wadden Sea Centre and Mandøhuset offer fine exhibitions about the coastal mudflats and the marshland. Or you can observe nature close up by going on one of the guided tours with a Ranger. A trip to the coastal mudflats in your sea boots to the mussel beds with a Nature Guide will be a highly educational experience.
When you say the North Sea and sand beaches, you must also say amber. Amber is the gold of the sea and has a long history in Denmark. If you are lucky, you may find your own amber one morning after a good storm – otherwise you will just have to look at it in one of the marvellous amber museums in, for instance, Oksbøl, Sønderlev or Skagen.
From Blåvandshuk and all the way to Skagen – going along the entire west coast, you will see moors, dunes, plantations and broad sand beaches. This stretch is one of the preferred holiday areas in Denmark, but thanks to a diligent coast protection law in Denmark, you scarcely notice it. The holiday houses and camping sites lie snuggled up to the coast, at you will see no tower blocks or hotel-covered stretches à la Mallorca.
The trip along the North Jutland coast is a study in itself. The forces of the sea and the shifting of the sands can be observed at the scenic phenomena Rubjerg Knude, Svinkløve, Skallerup kirke and Råbjerg Mile. In the new Skagen Odde Nature Centre, whose buildings were designed by the famous architect Jørn Utzon, you can see an exhibition on sand, water, wind and light.
Meet the Vikings along National route no. 1. Ribe is where you will find Museet Ribes Vikinger and, if you go a little further than Ribe, you will find Ribe Vikingecenter, an open-air museum with working ”Vikings” in the summer period.
The history of the area may be explored in one of the many local history museums, several of which have been set up in old life saving stations, as for instance in Nymindegab. Visiting interesting places such as Abelines gård and Nørre Lyngvig fyr (a lighthouse) adds fine impressions and historic information to your impression of this particular part of Denmark.
Denmark’s most famous fine art originated in Skagen. Among the Skagen artists are the world-famous Anne and Michael Ancher and P.S. Krøyer. The pictures painted by the Skagen artists can be admired at Skagens Museum and in Anne og Michael Anchers Hus.
Holmsland Klit is a 40 km long tongue separating Ringkjøbing fjord from the North Sea. Here you can practically see water on both sides. Hvide Sande is the town where the fishing industry still flourishes, and the throbbing activity at the harbour and the newly caught fish is always worth stopping for.
A scenic fishing culture can still be seen further north in Vorupør, where the characteristic blue fishing boats are still drawn ashore and in Skagen, where the harbour and the fishing culture make Skagen one of the most known holiday towns in Denmark. To see the more active and modern fishing, you should go to Hirtshals and Hanstholm, where it is possible to go to a fishing auction.
The fauna of the sea can be seen several places along the route: in Jyllands Akvariet in Hvide Sande, Nordsøakvariet in Nørre Vorupør, Fisheries and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg and the North Sea Museum in Hirtshals.
National route no. 1 is a scenic tour full of interesting things to see and witness. And best of all – the sea is never too far to go for a quick swim.
Please use the search tool on this page to find your preferred accommodation.
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