Vester Sømarken is a well-established holiday home area with numerous holiday homes. Green open spaces between existing holiday home areas help keep the areas separated by woodland distinct. Vester and Øster Sømark lie about 25 kilometres southeast of Rønne and, together with Dueodde, form a holiday home area on Bornholm.
Sømarken Beach and Coast
Near Vester Sømarken lies Sømarken Beach, which consists of Østre Sømark and Vestre Sømark. The sandy beach has extensive dune areas and a varied character. Compared with neighbouring Dueodde, the sand is coarser; the water also typically becomes deep quickly. At Sømarken Beach, older children in particular can use the large stones in the water for jumping.
There is also a specific landmark for anglers: a car park is located behind the dunes in Vester Sømarken. From there, it is only a short walk to an approximately 700-metre sea trout stretch at Gedebak Odde. There are also car parks and toilets on Baunevej near Sømarken Beach, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurant Kadeau. If you would like to eat there, check the opening hours in advance.
Raghammer: Heathland and Restricted Access
Nearby, between Boderne and Vester Sømarken, lies the open, protected Raghammer area. It is Bornholm’s largest dune heath and is home to many rare plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects. Some insect species are found nowhere else in Denmark. Raghammer Heath is considered the safest place on the island to spot the stonechat. In July 2024, DOF Bornholm reported that up to three breeding pairs had nested there in recent years.
The Raghammer firing range is used by the Army Operational Command as a training area; the sea off Raghammer Odde is also used for various exercises by the naval combat divers. You may enter the area on foot when the firing range and the headland are not being used for military purposes. The firing lanes, the explosives area on the headland, the hand-grenade range, and areas around Eskesgaard and other buildings that are closed for safety reasons are off limits. Check the displayed signal and safety instructions before entering. Cycling is permitted on marked routes under the same condition.
A recommended walk leads from the public car park at the end of Vestre Sømarksvej, past Hullebækken and out to the tip of Raghammer Odde. Remains of two fortifications can be seen there. Three Bronze Age burial mounds also lie on the northern edge of the Raghammer firing range, west of Tyskegård. There is a Neolithic long barrow in the area, right next to a stone bearing Bronze Age cup marks.
At the very tip of Raghammer Odde is Raghammer Battery: a curved wall about 20 metres long and approximately 1.50 to 2 metres high. The stonework is partly preserved; the wall is covered with windblown sand and overgrown with grass and marram grass.
Slusegård, Geology and Other Traces
A walk through Østre Sømarken leads to the Slusegård area and the geographical intersection. There, a granite stone in the dunes marks the intersection of the 55th parallel north and the 15th meridian east, which is described as the reference point for Danish standard time.
The Slusegård area is a coastal plain with low dunes; a large burial ground stood there during the Iron Age. A well-preserved watermill with dams dating from around 1800 stands in the river valley. A trout house in the valley was formerly used to catch spawning trout. The area is protected to preserve the watermill complex and ensure public access to the mill and the beach.
The nearby Øle Å offers a different landscape: the river flows through a shale gorge where impressions of small animals such as graptolites can be seen. Around Vester Sømarken, the coast and dunes thus meet geological features, traces of prehistoric times and a landscape where access to Raghammer depends on military use.
Discover more destinations: Nyker, Årsdale, Tejn, Gudhjem, Muleby, Bodilsker, Nylars, Kås
For the main travel overview: Bornholm.
