Filed underHærvejen (Ox Road)

In 2021 I walked the Ox Road (Hærvejen) from Frederikshavn to Padborg. In 2022 I plan to take the last part, from Hirtshals to Aars.

Hærvejen is probably the best known hiking route in Denmark and it offers both beautiful nature, part of Denmark’s history and many interesting sights. Hærvejen is Denmark’s answer to Spain’s Camino, and a walk along Hærvejen provides ample opportunity for beautiful nature experiences.

Hærvejen has not only been one road, but has followed many different routes in the landscape along the Jutland ridge. The road has been used for army, trade and freight routes, but also as a pilgrimage route.

With the advent of the railway in the 19th century, however, Hærvejen went into oblivion until it was rediscovered in the twentieth century, and Hærvejen has within the last few years been revived as a pilgrimage route.

See the pictures from my journey (and the text for my own memory).

Day 42: Løgstør to Aars

Day 42, the last day of my Danish Pilgrimage that has taken me across much of Denmark since I started out walking from Helsingør to Hillerød nback in 2020. It’s been great to see Denmark on foot, visiting many places that I otherwise would never have come. My last day was a 28km walk following…

Day 41: Slettestrand to Løgstør

After a terrible night following a potential food poisoning, I woke up feeling OK. I had a very light breakfast and set off first along the coast and then inland via Fjerritslev to Løgstør, 35 km. The first 6km were in the dunes along the coast, passing Svinkløv Hotel, renovated following a fire in 2016,…

Day 40: Hune to Slettestrand

Today was going to be another long day – I recalled it was a 30km day, but actually it was 38km, and I didn’t get to the hotel until past 6pm. But it was a beautiful trip, as I hope the pictures below illustrate. It was also a day of a big surprise. As I…

Day 39: Bøglum to Hune

I was the only person staying at the B&B, and replenished after a nice breakfast, I set off on what would be 30 km walk, initially through the countryside and later along fairly quiet roads on my way to Hune. It was a mostly sunny throughout the day and for the first many kilometers, the…

Day 38: Hirtshals to Børglum

Seven months after the previous leg of my Danish pilgrimage, I start out on the final five legs that will take me along the west coast of Jutland from Hirtshals and back to Aars. I’d taken the Monday evening train from Copenhagen to Hirtshals, changing in Aalborg, arriving just before midnight. I managed to get…

Day 37: Byrsted to Aars

Theoretically I would today complete my walk along the Ox road, Hærvejen, as with the 22km from Bysted to Aars, I will have walked from Frederikshavn in the north, to Padborg in the south. However, there is an arm of the Ox road to the west, from Hirtshals to Aars, which I need to walk…

Day 36: Aalborg to Byrsted

Yet another 30km day, as I left Aalborg and walked south towards Aars. I left Aalborg passing the hospital and Zoo as well as the suburbs of Hasseris and Sofiendal, with great views towards Limfjorden. I passed Drastrup forest, which was fairly hilly, and also with nice views. I continued onwards to Svenstrup church and…

Day 35: Aalborg to Klokkerholm

It was a beautiful sunny day when I left the hotel at 7.30 to walk across Aalborg to Vesterbro (West bridge) to catch bus 73 at 8.00. It didn’t come. I waited 20 minutes, slightly frustrated, and had no choice but to walk from Aalborg to Klokkerholm, rather than Klokkerholm to Aalborg. Seen as walking…

Day 34: Thorshøj to Klokkerholm

I was up early for an 8.03 bus back to Thorshøj, where I had ended yesterdays walk. The weather was fresh, but sunny. Today I head a deadline, 16.42 in Klokkerholm, 30km away, for a bus towards Aalborg. I had plenty of time, so I managed to take a picture of Frederikshavn Church and Krudttårnet,…

Day 33: Frederikshavn to Thorshøj

It is almost 3 weeks since I arrived at the German border. Today I am at the northern end of Jutland in the fishing port of Frederikshavn, ready to walk towards Aars, where I also visited on day 21, when I started my walk along the Ox road (Hærvejen). I expect to walk for 5…

Day 32: SønderJyllands Golf to Rønsdam

Day 32 on my Danish pilgrimage took me 21kms to Padborg. My wife and I had stayed in Vedsted and she drove me to the spot she picked me up yesterday and I continued south. The sun was shining and it was perfect walking weather for the short walk to the German border. I’d barely…

Day 31: Vedsted to SønderJyllands Golf Club

Today I walked pretty much direct south after spending the night at Slukefter Kroen i Vedsted. It was a grey start to the day as I walked along country paths towards the first attraction of the day. With 800 to 1000 cattle passing along the Ox road daily, it was important that there were bridge…

Day 30: Jels to Vedsted

Jels B&B was directly on the route, so I was on my may by 8.30. It was pleasant walking weather, and today I had to cover ca. 37km and meet my wife in Vedsted at around 16.00. She was driving from Copenhagen. The first eight or so kilometers were fairly uneventful, primarily along paths in…

Day 29: Skiberlund Krat to Jels

I spent the night at Skiberlund Krat. What I didn’t know, until I went for a walk after breakfast, was that Skibelund Krat is a monument park. It was built in 1865 after the loss of Sønderjylland, and functioned as a national meeting and party place. Today there are 22 memorial stones for Danish personalities,…

Day 28: Spjarup to Skibelund Krat

Two weeks after I arrived walking to Spjarup, I am on my way back, via a morning train from Copenhagen to Kolding and a bus ride to a bus stop close to Spjarup. I continue to walk south, today ca. 30km, to Vejen, where I ended in 2020 when I walked across Sjælland, Fyn and…

Day 27: Jelling to Spjarup

Todays 27kms, were not helped by the fact that my wife and I had eaten an eight course meal with accompanying wine menu, the evening before. I was feeling a bit heavy (no hangover) as my wife dropped me off in Jelling. Added to that it was raining and would rain off and on throughout…

Day 26: Gudenåen to Jelling

Gudenåen is the nearest Denmark comes to having a river. It is ca. 160km long and ends in Randers Fjord, originally used to transport agricultural goods and peat. It was another grey day, as my wife dropped me off at the spot I ended yesterday. Today would be fairly short, 24km, giving me time to…

Day 25: Sepstrup to Gudenåens source

We drove from Horsens back to Sepstrup and I was on my way by 9.30. It was gray and damp as I started of on what would end up being 31kms with a chaotic end at Gudenåens (Denmarks longest river) source. But more about that later. Today I continued north passing farms, forest and moors…

Day 24: Nørre Knudstrup to Sepstrup (and the uncovered bridge)

I spent my last night at the hotel in Viborg, so today I would be carrying a full backpack – so far I had walked with a day bag as I returned to the hotel each evening. I caught a bus to Hald Ege school at 7.30, and had to take another bus to get…

Day 23: Viborg to Nørre Knudstrup

I was up early and already on the road at the same time as the kids were on their way to start school (before 8am), It was a sunny morning, but it still felt a bit cold. The first part todays trip was fairly uninspiring, but the area around Hald and Dollerup were spectacular. I…