North Sea Trail: Løkken – Skagen

Arrive in the pleasant beach resort town of Løkken and take a stroll through its charming streets lined with small, yellow-washed houses, cafés and restaurants. Its beach is one of the most beautiful in Denmark and is popular with surfers. You can enjoy an ice cream on the pier while enjoying the fabulous sunset over the North Sea.

Overnight: Løkken

Distance: 15 km | Ascent: 105 m | Descent: 97 m | Time: 4 hrs approx.

You leave the town of Løkken by way of a ridge along the sand dunes. You will first have a view over the rooftops of the town, before reaching a viewing point over the beach, lined with numerous German WWII bunkers. After a short stretch along the wide sandy beach, you climb up some steps to a cliffside path leading to the village of Nørre Lyngby. You can stop to enjoy some lunch here in a dramatic clifftop setting before following the trail inland towards a small forest. You emerge from the forest at the foot of the large sand dunes which are home to the famous lighthouse of Rubjerg Knude. The lighthouse was moved 70 metres inland in October 2019, to prevent it from falling into the sea! You can climb to the top of the lighthouse to enjoy the wonderful views before following the coastal path into the charming fishing village of Lønstrup.

Overnight: Lønstrup

Distance: 20 km | Ascent: 108 m | Descent: 117 m | Time: 5 hrs approx.

Today’s walk begins with a raised sandy path at the foot of the high dunes along Lønstrup beach. The route then veers inland through an area of typical Danish summerhouses. Returning to the coast, you follow a sandy path along the dunes, parallel to the sea. After a couple of kilometres, you reach the banks of a small river – Liver Å – which leads you down to the beach. You turn inland once more, through the Tornby plantation, before a longer stretch along the beach after Nørre Tornby. Finally, you enter the port town of Hirtshals via its impressive clifftop lighthouse.

Overnight: Hirtshals

Distance: 18 km | Ascent: 82 m | Descent: 82 m | Time: 4½ hrs approx.

Today you will walk from east to west along the coast to the small and charming seaside village of Tversted. A large part of the route follows peaceful forest trails through the dune plantations of Lilleheden and Uggerby. After 14½ km you reach the Uggerby Å river, whose tranquil waters are popular for canoeing and trout fishing. Crossing the bridge, you then follow a raised boardwalk along the bank of the river which leads you to yet another pristine white sandy beach. You walk along the beach until you reach another stream – Tversted Å. Follow a sandy path upstream which will take you to the Café Fisk seafood restaurant in the centre of Tversted.

Overnight: Tversted

Distance: 22 km | Ascent: 93 m | Descent: 93 m | Time: 5½ hrs approx.

The first part of today’s route takes you through the beautiful dune plantation of Tversted Woods. You will pass some small idyllic forest lakes, followed by the thatched Østerklit mill – the last working roof mill in Denmark. Shortly after Skiveren campsite (where you can stop for lunch at the café), you descend from the high dunes onto the beach, via a wooden staircase. You follow the beach for almost 4 km, then turn inland onto a narrow sandy path amid heather and moorland. Gradually, the dazzling white sands of the drifting inland dunes of Råbjerg Mile come into view. You will cross the edge of the 40-metre high dunes before following more peaceful forest paths through the Bunken dune plantation to the sleepy hamlet of Hulsig.

Overnight: Hulsig/Skagen

Distance: 13 km | Ascent: 33 m | Descent: 42 m | Time: 3½ hrs approx.

A shorter stage today, as you make your way along the east coast of the sand spit known as Skagen Odde. A quiet tree-lined road takes you through the picturesque Hulsig Heath. This takes you to yet another idyllic beach, this time on Jutland’s more sheltered east coast, on the shores of the Kattegat (Baltic). After 4 km you turn inland toward the woods of the Skagen dune plantation. Here you will find another example of the spectacular forces of nature at work in this region: the picturesque whitewashed tower of Den Tilsandede Kirke, (sand-covered church). The tower is all that remains of what was once the region’s biggest church, the main part of the church having fallen victim to the relentless sand drift over the centuries.

You will have plenty of time to explore the town of Skagen on arrival. Denmark’s most northerly town is characterised by its distinctive yellow houses with white-picket fences. Skagen is also renowned for its wonderful natural light, which attracted and inspired the famous Skagen painters to make the town their home. There are numerous galleries and museums in the town, as well as some excellent seafood restaurants located in the harbour’s iconic red fish warehouses.

Overnight: Skagen

Distance: 15-21 km | Ascent: 44 m | Descent: 44 m | Time: 4-5 hrs approx.

Your final walk takes you to the northern tip of Denmark, where you can observe the waves of the Kattegat (part of the Baltic Sea) and Skagerrak (part of the North Sea) crashing into each other at the tip of the sand spit. You can even stand at the tip with a foot in each sea! You will pass numerous historic lighthouses and navigation markers, which were used over the centuries to guide ships between the two seas. Today’s walk can be shortened by taking a bus from Gammel Skagen (‘Old Skagen’, also known as Højen) after 15.5 km.

Overnight: Skagen

Your walking holiday along the North Sea Trail comes to an end after breakfast this morning. See the ‘Travel Info’ section for transport options from Skagen.