A landscape between sea and land

Northeast of Kalundborg, where the west coast of Zealand meets Sejerø Bay, lies Saltbækvig — a vast, flat landscape that was once a shallow sea inlet. Today the area stands as one of Northern Europe's most remarkable natural sites, with a brackish lake surrounded by meadows, reed beds and dykes that keep the Great Belt at bay. The site is a privately run estate with a dramatic history of humankind's attempts to tame nature, storms that tore everything down, and a nature that ultimately prevailed.

The history of reclamation

The story of Saltbækvig begins in the 1860s, when entrepreneur H.C. Bagge from Ringkøbing took an interest in the shallow bay. Inspired by the great land reclamation projects of the era and driven by the motto that what is lost abroad must be gained at home — after Denmark's defeat in 1864 — he set about damming the bay and converting it into farmland. Between 1865 and 1868 the dykes were built, but as early as 1867 they collapsed. Fresh capital was invested, and master carpenter Unmack was hired to pump the bay dry. He succeeded in 1875, but the board refused to pay him, and Unmack went bankrupt. The soil was salty and poor, and in the years that followed the sea slowly refilled the bay.

Fish farming and storm disasters

In 1898 Saltbækvig was sold to a company that established fish ponds — around 150 hectares of carp, tench and trout farming. But on 24 October 1921, a hurricane-force storm known as the Ulvsund Storm struck. The dykes broke in two places and everything was washed away. Further storms followed in the days and weeks after, and several investors tried in vain to repair the damage. It was not until 1923 that Henriksen and Kähler managed to close the breaches with a professional crew of 125 men. By 1930 the lake was fresh again, and in 1935 Henriksen and Kähler took over the estate — primarily for hunting and leasing of grazing land.

Protected nature and bird paradise

Saltbækvig was designated a protected area in 1992 after 17 years of negotiations, and today it is classified as a Natura 2000 site, bird protection area and Ramsar site. The brackish lake and surrounding meadows attract thousands of migratory birds, making it one of the most important staging areas for waterfowl in all of Northern Europe. Red deer, hares and foxes inhabit the expansive terrain, and the vegetation alternates between salt marshes, reed beds and scrub-covered dykes. The estate is run today by A/S Saltbækvig with cattle farming, nature management and hunting as its main activities. There is no public access to the estate grounds themselves, but the landscape can be experienced from the surrounding roads and paths.

Experiences nearby

Saltbækvig is just a short drive from Kalundborg town with its iconic five-towered Church of Our Lady and medieval streets. To the south the landscape opens towards Lake Tissø, Zealand's fourth-largest lake, with ancient monuments and walking trails at Fugledegård. Along the coast, Røsnæs stretches out into the Great Belt with cliffs, heathland and panoramic views, and the many manor houses in the area — Lerchenborg, Birkendegaard and Vesterbygaard — bear witness to a region with deep roots in Danish estate history. The area offers excellent opportunities for hiking, cycling and birdwatching.

Find more experiences and inspiration for tours in West Zealand at destinationsjaelland.dk.