In Kongensbro, trails along the Gudenå meet a long history of crossing the river. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between the different routes: alongside the 70-kilometre Trækstien hiking trail, there is the 21.1-kilometre Krominoen and a seven-kilometre section of the northern canoe route.

Hiking between Silkeborg and Kongensbro

The Trækstien runs close to the Gudenå between Silkeborg and Randers, passing through varied natural landscapes. On the section between Silkeborg and Kongensbro, the trail is expected to be dry and walkable for around ten months of the year. This is a seasonal estimate; conditions may vary. The 70 kilometres refers to the full route, not the section near Kongensbro.

The Krominoen offers a different scale: this hiking experience covers 21.1 kilometres from Silkeborg to Kongensbro. The Krominoen day hike includes breakfast and lunch, as well as a draft beer or a non-alcoholic drink. After the hike, coffee and cake are also served at Kongensbro Kro. The included food and drinks may change.

A 2019 route description describes the Trækstien as having no steps or stairs, including along a long raised wooden walkway, and as suitable for pushchairs, bicycles, wheelchairs and walking frames. Local conditions may change. Cycling is not permitted on the section between Kongensbro and Randers because the path is designated as a walking trail in a protected area. Follow the signs there in case the rules change in the future.

On the Gudenå by canoe

Kongensbro is also a destination on the water: the northern canoe route on the Gudenå includes a seven-kilometre section from Tvilum Bro to Kongensbro. There, the route passes under the road between Århus and Viborg. The hiking trails and water route can therefore be seen as different ways to experience the river landscape, without treating their distances or stages as equivalent.

River history and landscape

Kongensbro was a transport hub on the Gudenå for a long time. Travellers crossed the river here and could eat at the inn. The history of the riverside inn dates back to 1663, when King Frederik III granted Ebbe Gyldenstierne the right to run an inn there. The important road between Århus and Viborg also crossed the Gudenå at Kongensbro—a historic connection.

The landscape also tells the story of how the river was used. An 800-metre-long dam between Kongensbro and Tange held back the Gudenå, creating Lake Tange. A description published in 2020 reports that Æ Swot could be seen south of Kongensbro and had recently been restored and put back in place with new signage. The tarred post has an iron roller attached to it. Boat haulers used it with a rope to steer barges around the river bends.

Staying by the river

Advance booking is required to stay in the shelters at Kongensbro; this requirement may change. The campsite is right on the Gudenå and is intended as an overnight stop for travellers with canoes or kayaks. It is available seasonally. Facilities include a toilet block, water, fire pits, tables and benches, and electricity. Facilities may change.

A detour to the ship stones

From the Kongensbro campsite, follow the Trækstien north under the bridge. After about one kilometre, you will reach a bench and an information board. Another 150 metres to the east is a clearing in a coniferous forest. There, Stævnstenen and the Rælingssteine form Denmark’s second-largest ship setting. The clearing is in a private forest; check the local access information before making the detour.

Discover more destinations: Funder, Ry, Fårvang, Bording, Svostrup, Virklund, Silkeborg, Lemming.

See the overview of the wider area: Silkeborg Municipality.