Four marked hiking routes start at Sæby Harbour; the North Sea Trail also passes through the harbour. This makes it a clear starting point for discovering Sæby on foot: the routes offer different impressions of the town, forest and coast. You can use these themes to plan your trip without combining the individual trails into a single tour.
Hiking routes with different highlights
The green Kløverstierne route is 2.5 kilometres long. It passes Sæby Watermill, runs through Sæby’s oldest district and returns to the harbour. The blue route is twice as long, at five kilometres, and leads through Sæbygård Forest. Another marked route is the 3.5-kilometre trail in Gybels Plantation, which has Heart Trail status. The routes can be distinguished by their specific features: the green Kløverstierne route links the mill, old town and harbour, while the blue route runs through the forest; their lengths also differ.
At Sæby North Beach, the promenade stretches for several kilometres north from the harbour and passes Sæby Sea Baths. South of Sæby, Professorens Plantation and the Kattegat coast form a landscape of forest and heath. The fish-rich coast by Solsbækken is also part of the area. The northern seafront promenade and the southern forest, heath and coastal landscape therefore offer different nature experiences.
Forest, views and green spaces
Sæbygård Forest is a privately managed beech forest with a diverse birdlife. Gedebjerget is located in the forest: the viewpoint is 85 metres above the water and offers views of the sea and the town. If you are interested in gardens, Nellemann’s Garden is home to the largest collection of ornamental apple trees north of the Danube. The garden features a covered picnic shelter, a nature playground, a shelter with a fire pit, a camping shelter site and a barbecue area. Sæby Town Park offers a different kind of green break: this park close to the town centre covers about 14,000 square metres and is located in the heart of Sæby.
Town history in museums, churches and buildings
Kystmuseet Sæby is housed in the half-timbered building Konsul Ørums gård. Its exhibitions cover the town’s development from the Middle Ages to the present day; the museum also offers guided tours, talks and activities for children. Sæby Church combines art and history: its fine early-16th-century frescoes depict the story of Mary’s parents. The church is also the last surviving part of a large four-winged Carmelite monastery, founded in Sæby around 1470 with the support of the Bishop of Børglum.
The buildings tell different stories, too. The Sæby Jernkilde building was constructed in 1887 in the Art Nouveau style, based on a design by Ulrik Plesner. Sæby Watermill is one of the few places in Denmark where you can trace the development of milling technology in the 1920s. Sæby’s art also includes “Fruen fra Havet”: this double-sided figurehead, made of white concrete, was created by Norwegian artist Marit Benthe Norheim.
Harbour activities and special discoveries
Canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing generally take place in the South Harbour. Swimming is permitted in the designated area in the southern part of the new harbour. Bat enthusiasts can visit the Flagermusspot by Sæby Å, where an information platform and a listening device make bats’ calls audible to the human ear.
Sæby Glaspusteri offers another opportunity to discover a craft. This working glassblowing studio comprises a workshop, gallery and shop; Leni Bille transforms glass at 1,100 degrees Celsius into unique objects. Visits outside the stated opening hours can be arranged by phone; please confirm any such appointment before your arrival.
Discover more destinations: Nordby, Lyngså, Hulsig, Frederikshavn, Bunken, Kandestederne, Nielstrup, Voerså.
View the main travel guide: Frederikshavn Municipality.
