A 26-kilometre section of Cycling Route 18 follows small roads and old railway tracks past Glenstrup Sø. Glenstrup also offers other ways to experience the area: a bathing spot near Søbjerg, a landscape shaped by the Ice Age and cultural traces such as Glenstrup Church and Marekilde. You can tailor your stay to your cycling route, lake activities and cultural interests.

Landscape around Glenstrup Sø

Glenstrup Sø covers 384 hectares and is up to about 35 metres deep. It lies in a long tunnel valley shaped by meltwater during the Ice Age. Its area, maximum depth and valley form describe different aspects of the lake: its extent, its depth and the geological landscape in which it lies.

There are hundreds of springs around the lake. Acidic nutrient-poor grasslands and heathland can be found on nearby slopes. These features are in different locations: springs are found around the lake, while the grasslands and heath occur on the nearby slopes. In the 2016–2021 planning cycle, the Natura 2000 site extended east to the Glenstrup Lakes.

Activities on the water

There is a bathing spot at the southeastern end of Glenstrup Sø near Søbjerg. Fish found here include pike, perch, trout and whitefish. If you want to fish, you need both the state-mandated fishing licence and a fishing permit for Glenstrup Sø. When travelling on the lake, the speed limit is 5 knots.

Different details matter when choosing between activities: Søbjerg is the named reference point for swimming, fishing requires two documents, and a speed limit applies on the lake. This makes it easy to distinguish the requirements for each activity when planning.

Cycling route and getting there

A 26-kilometre section of Cycling Route 18 follows small roads and old railway tracks past Glenstrup Sø. If you would rather focus on a route than on individual activities on the water, this section offers a clearly defined option for planning.

There is free, unlimited-time parking for the Glenstrup Sø route at Glenstrup Church. Public transport runs to Handest; from there, a Plustur service may be available to continue to Glenstrup Sø. The travel options therefore differ: parking at the church, or public transport to Handest with a possible onward journey by Plustur. Check the timetable and Plustur availability before setting off.

Cultural traces in Glenstrup

Glenstrup Church was built from rough and split fieldstones, using chalk and tufa. A runestone is also preserved in the church. The building materials illustrate the construction method, while the runestone is another surviving feature of the building.

Marekilde is one of the well-known holy springs in Glenstrup. The church and the spring offer different points of interest: the church is notable for its construction and runestone, while Marekilde is known as a holy spring. When choosing cultural points of interest, you can therefore distinguish between a building with a preserved runestone and a spring.

Discover more destinations: Als, Mariager, Rold, Øster Hurup, Ajstrup, Hadsund, Helberskov, Astrup

For the overall travel overview: Mariagerfjord Municipality.