A Viking fortress listed as a World Heritage Site, cliffs of diatomite and volcanic ash layers, and a lake where breeding and migratory birds can be observed: Vesthimmerland offers many different ways to explore history and landscapes. Whether you want to discover culture in a museum, compare routes by length or try an activity for yourself, you’ll find plenty of specific starting points here.
From ring fortresses to museum worlds
The Viking fortress of Aggersborg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest of Harald Bluetooth’s five ring fortresses. Its size and World Heritage status give the site a distinctive historical setting. Another way to explore history is at Vesthimmerlands Museum in Aars, where you can discover 13,000 years of cultural history. Its collection includes archaeological finds, widely renowned silver art and changing exhibitions. The architecture is also distinctive: the new exhibition building has a floor plan in the shape of Thor’s hammer.
In Farsø, the Jensen Museum is dedicated to the lives and works of Johannes V. Jensen and Thit Jensen. The exhibition “Arbejdets Rum” displays objects from Johannes V. Jensen’s study; the Thit Jensen exhibition is based on objects and stories from her life. The two exhibitions focus on different aspects, using both personal belongings and stories as starting points for exploring the two authors.
Herregården Hessel also presents history in different forms. The estate is one of Denmark’s last four-winged manor houses with a thatched roof. Throughout the year, it comes alive with crafts, household activities, old traditions and exhibitions; individual events vary. As part of the educational programme, children put on historical clothing, are given different names and work in groups on appropriate, period-specific and seasonal craft and work tasks.
Try out the Stone Age, explore the landscape
At the Stenaldercenter Ertebølle, visitors can try Stone Age activities for themselves. These include archery, travelling in a dugout canoe, looking for traces of wild animals, making cord from bast fibres and nettles, painting with Stone Age colours and grinding grain. The centre is only a few hundred metres from the archaeological site of Ertebølle Køkkenmøddingen. Those interested in the landscape can find cliffs of diatomite and volcanic ash layers from the Tertiary period at Ertebølle Hoved. They reach heights of up to 20 metres. The beach lies below Ertebølle Hoved.
At Vilsted Sø, landscapes and birdwatching go hand in hand. Covering 450 hectares, it is the largest freshwater lake in North Jutland, and is home to numerous breeding and migratory birds. The bird tower and bridge offer good opportunities for birdwatching. The routes also vary in length: the circular route around the lake is 20 kilometres long. The bridge also gives access to a northern loop of about 12 kilometres and a southern loop of about 10.5 kilometres.
For cyclists, the Vilstedruten is a 36-kilometre route between Rønbjerg, Ajstrup and Sebbersundkloster. Near Rønbjerg, it connects with the regional Ertebølleruten 36 and the national Limfjordsruten 12.
By the water and out and about
Limfjordsmuseet is located between the Limfjord and Frederik VII’s Canal and offers guided boat trips along the canal. The museum also includes Snapseri, where locally sourced herbal schnapps is made using Aalborg BASIS, and visitors are invited to tastings. The boat trip and tasting offer different perspectives on the museum and its surroundings.
Nature and history come together on Livø. The landscape includes heathland, nutrient-poor pastures, old oak forests and a rich variety of wildlife. The history of the men’s isolation institution, which operated from 1911 to 1961, is also presented there. Vesthimmerlands Museum offers guided tours on Livø lasting about 1.5 to 2 hours; individual visit programmes can also be arranged. If you are planning such a programme, ask about the current arrangements in advance.
For a break during a hike or an overnight stay outdoors, visitors can make free use of 19 shelter sites in the nature areas of Vesthimmerland. Uhrehøje Plantation also has a nature base, a shelter site, an accessible toilet, covered seating areas and a picnic shelter. Naturekspeditionen runs nature events and educational programmes throughout Vesthimmerland, using a minibus and various trailers loaded with equipment.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Ertebølle, Farsø, Gatten, Hvalpsund, Lovns, Løgstør, Næsborg, Ranum, Strandby, Trend, Gundersted, Gedsted, Borup, Aalestrup Municipality.
Go to the main travel overview: North Jutland.
