Varied hiking among dune plantations, heaths, wetlands, and long unspoilt stretches of coastline.
Take in the wild and beautiful landscapes while enjoying the fresh air and crisp sea breeze.
Enjoy spectacular coastal views from the lighthouses of Rubjerg Knude, Hirtshals and Skagen.
Excellent restaurants and cafes serving fresh fish and seafood straight from the North Sea.
Try the local bjesk; a schnaps made from herbs, berries and plants collected from the nearby dunes.
Walk the North Sea Trail from Løkken to Skagen
Self-guided walking holiday with luggage transportation
On this week-long walking holiday, you will discover the wonderful varied landscapes of Denmark’s North Sea coast. Starting from the popular seaside resort of Løkken, you will make your way north to Skagen and finish at the very northern tip of Denmark, where the North Sea meets the Baltic. You will discover an unspoilt landscape of sand dunes, heathland, forests, lakes, fishing villages and of course lots of pristine white sand beaches. The beaches are sometimes dotted with unusual concrete structures. These are old German bunkers from the Second World War; a reminder of the historically strategic importance of this region as a gateway between the two seas.
Exhilarating coastal trails alternate with tranquil forest trails among the characteristic dune plantations which cover a large part of the region. These plantations were established to prevent sand drift but were only partly successful. Evidence of this formidable natural phenomenon can still be found in such dramatic sights as the Sand-Covered Church and the mini-desert of Råbjerg Mile, with its towering inland dunes. Of course, coastal erosion is another significant natural phenomenon on Denmark’s exposed west coast. The famous lighthouse of Rubjerg Knude was recently moved 70 metres inland to prevent it from falling into the North Sea and being lost forever!
As you hike along the North Sea Trail and feel the exhilarating sea breeze, you will really get a sense of the awesome power of nature at work in this wild and unspoilt corner of Denmark.
The North Sea Trail is signposted with a white ‘N’ shaped like a wave on a blue background.
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS | From €899 per person sharing*
*Discounts available for groups of 4 or more. Please enquire for info. |
||||||||||||||
ACCOMMODATION |
You will stay in selected B&B’s, inns and hotels.
You can book additional night(s) at any of the accommodations along the way. |
||||||||||||||
AVAILABILITY | You can start on any day of the week, subject to availability, between April 15th and October 16th. | ||||||||||||||
INCLUDED |
|
||||||||||||||
NOT INCLUDED |
|
||||||||||||||
OPTIONAL EXTRAS |
|
Day 1: Arrival in Løkken
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
Day 2: Walk from Løkken to Lønstrup
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
Day 3: Walk from Lønstrup to Hirtshals
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
Day 4: Walk from Hirtshals to Tversted
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
Day 5: Walk from Tversted to Hulsig
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
Day 6: Walk from Hulsig to 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
Day 7: Loop walk via Grenen and Gammel 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
Day 8: Departure
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.
Tour Reviews
Unsere Wanderungen von Lökken nach Skagen war ein unvergessliches Naturerlebnis. Auf der Strecke von Lökken nach Tversted haben wir die vorgeschlagenen Route weitgehendst verlassen und sind auf Grund des wunderbaren Wetters stets am Meer entlang gewandert. So konnten wir zwischendurch in der wellenbewegten Nordsee baden. Herrlich!
We had a stupendous experience hiking the North Sea Trail! The unspoiled natural scenery was unforgettable, including miles of pristine white sand beaches and stunning dune moorland. The accommodations were quaint with friendly and entertaining owners who took pride in welcoming us to their country and its traditions. The highlight was standing at Grenen with feet in both seas but equally moving was the scenery on the way to Rabjerg Mile, where the trail ran along the spine of some high dunes with views of the North Sea on one side and crystal blue lakes on the other. Niall was easy to reach and answered all questions effectively. We will treasure our memories of this hiking adventure and hope to do more in the future!
Leave a Review