Vangså Heath is part of Natura 2000 site No. 25. A trip to Vangså can be explored through three themes: the heathland landscape, routes through the area and the history of the fishing settlement. Its special features range from dune ridges to historical information about fishing and the development of the settlement. This allows you to choose the focus of your stay to suit your interests.

Heathland, dunes and birdlife

The deflation area of Vangså Heath includes examples of parabolic dunes. Their dune ridges run from west to east—a precise detail that characterises this landform. As a birding site, the heath is particularly valuable for wood sandpipers, cranes and short-eared owls. Management measures have been carried out along the western side of Vang Sø to restore former open heath and bog habitats and create an open landscape with a view of the lake.

Routes and directions

The Vestkyststien hiking trail runs through Vangså Heath. National Cycle Route No. 1 also passes through the heath. The Vestkystruten runs from the south via Vangså Heath to Vangså. These routes offer different points of reference: the Vestkyststien focuses on the hiking trail through the heath, while the Vestkystruten follows the direction from the south through to Vangså.

The Vangså Route is a varied 23.5-kilometre cycling route centred on Vangså Klithede. It passes through the fishing settlement of Vangså and is marked with blue signs reading “Vangså ruten”. If you want to combine a bike ride with local history, this route offers a direct connection: it passes through the settlement. Its stated length gives you an idea of the distance, while the Vestkystruten provides directions through its course from the south via the heath to Vangså. Check the latest route information before setting out.

At the beach, where the public road ends, there is a car park for visitors heading to the sea. If a trip to the sea is part of your plans, this is a useful point of reference.

The history of the fishing settlement

The fishing settlement of Vangså was established in the early 18th century, when drifting sand forced local smallholders to seek new places to live. An earlier settlement site was in the dunes of Vang Klit: by 1683, there was already a settlement of farms and houses there; in the early 18th century, it was relocated westwards to present-day Vangså.

In 1924, around 40 fishermen with 34 boats lived in Vangså. In the 1920s, the settlement reached its greatest extent, with 34 farms and houses; it also had a school, a mission house and two grocery shops. The number 34 refers to different things: boats in 1924, and farms and houses when the settlement was at its largest in the 1920s. This allows fishing and the size of the settlement to be viewed as two distinct aspects of its history.

Discover more destinations: Tved, Nr. Lyngby, Vestervig, Helligsø, Øsløs, Svankær, Klitmøller, Hanstholm.

For the broader travel overview: Thisted Municipality.