Views across Skagens Odde, marked trails and remnants from the Stone Age and Middle Ages give Tolne a varied character. When planning your trip, you can focus on the nature park’s landscape, hiking or cycling routes, or historic sites. The transformation of the old village into a railway town is also part of the area’s history.

Nature Park and Landscape

Tolne Nature Park covers 2,440 hectares. Its hilly landscape, shaped by the Ice Age, is a mosaic of old deciduous forest and open natural areas, home to numerous rare plants and insects. The nature park offers views across Skagens Odde. The Tolne Bakker Natura 2000 site is also part of the area. The views, habitats and protected area give the landscape its different facets.

Tolne Skov covers 715 hectares and is also situated in hilly terrain. The designation of a protected area in 2000 applies to the northernmost part of the forest. To keep the figures clear, note which area each refers to: 2,440 hectares refers to the nature park, while 715 hectares refers to Tolne Skov. This makes it easier to match descriptions of the landscape and routes to the area being discussed.

Hiking and Cycling

Tolne Skov has several marked hiking trails. One short, specifically named option is the marked Red Route, which is 1.3 kilometres long. The marked Tolne Nature Park Route is on a different scale: it runs through the entire nature park, from Katsig Bakker in the south to Eskær Skov in the north, and is listed as 12.6 to 23.3 kilometres long. In practical terms, the Red Route is a short marked walking trail, while the Tolne Nature Park Route crosses the entire park and is listed as considerably longer.

At Tolne Skovpavillon, you can pass under the railway line to reach the part of the forest south of the tracks. The Tolne Nature Park Route can be started near the pavilion, where parking is also available. Parking arrangements may change, so check before your visit.

The Tolneruten cycling route winds through hilly terrain in Tolne Nature Park. Its surface alternates between paved roads, gravel roads, farm tracks and small paths. The options therefore differ in their activities and route characteristics: marked hiking trails in Tolne Skov on the one hand, and a cycling route with a variety of surfaces on the other.

Church, Burial Monument and Local History

Stenhøj is a protected Stone Age burial monument dating from the Neolithic period, 400 metres north of Tolne Kirke. At around 28 metres long, 8 metres wide and 1 metre high, and with 19 large kerbstones, its scale is easy to appreciate. In Tolne Kirkeby, the original settlement about two kilometres south of the railway town of Tolne, stands a Romanesque church dating from the 13th century. Tolne Kirke was built from medieval bricks that may have been made nearby.

You can visit the interior of Tolne Kirke after contacting church warden Jørgen Kristensen by telephone on 98 93 03 87. Confirm the visit before you arrive. The visit therefore requires a specific arrangement in advance.

The railway’s history also explains how the area changed: after the railway line between Hjørring and Frederikshavn was built in 1871, the old village developed significantly into a railway town. Another historic landmark is Tolne Skovpavillon. It was built in 1907 at the initiative of estate owner Jørgen Larsen of Gaardbogaard and landowner Jens Saxager. From its inauguration in 1908, the pavilion was leased as a refreshment venue and was later also used as a dance hall. A pond and a network of paths were created below the pavilion.

Plan Your Stay in Tolne

If you are looking for a hotel in Tolne, you can base your accommodation search on the things you are most interested in during your stay: the nature park and landscape, marked hiking trails, or the history surrounding Tolne Kirkeby, Tolne Kirke and Stenhøj. The different route lengths and activities can help you decide what to focus on during your trip; the historic sites offer another way to explore Tolne’s development.

Discover more destinations: Voerså, Kandestederne, Åsted, Nordby, Lodskovvad, Thorshøj, Sæby, Jerup.

For the main travel overview: Frederikshavn Municipality.