Three interconnected lakes shape the landscape of Jels: Jels Nedersø covers 54 hectares, Jels Midtsø 25 hectares and Jels Oversø 9 hectares. The lake system lies in a tunnel valley and is connected by Jels Å. Nedersø is therefore the largest lake in the system, and Oversø the smallest. Jels Søerne and Jels Skovene have been protected areas since 1960. The shores of the lakes, as well as the woodland and scrubland, are freely accessible.
The Lakes and Their Different Uses
The rules for boats also depend on which lake you are heading to: private canoes and kayaks may be launched on Jels Nedersø and Jels Midtsø. Jels Oversø, by contrast, is a protected natural area where boating is prohibited. So the options for activities on the water are not the same at all three lakes.
Jels Søbad has a circular bathing jetty with three areas: one for children, one for leisurely swimming and one for jumping. The layout separates these activities right at the jetty. This makes it easy to distinguish the bathing facilities from the rules for private boats on Nedersø and Midtsø.
Hiking and Cycling Around Jels
The Jels Natur- og Planetsti runs along Jels Nedersø and Jels Midtsø. Scale models of the planets in the solar system are displayed on posts along the route. This combines a lakeside trail with a visual theme: the planetary models show the relative sizes of the objects in the solar system.
Two hiking trails can be compared by their length and markings. The trail around Jels Midtsø is 3.2 kilometres long and marked with yellow signs. The Barsbøl-turen is a 3.5-kilometre, blue-marked trail through Barsbøl Skov, south of Jels Midtsø. Their lengths are similar; the main difference is the route itself: one goes around the lake, the other through the forest.
For a longer bike ride, the 17-kilometre Cykelrute in the Jels area is another option; it runs along Jels Sø. The route starts in the centre of Jels at Jels Mølle, where parking is also available. The Hærvejsruten runs through the forests north and south of Jels. Alongside the marked hiking trails, there are therefore also routes with different lengths and reference points to help you find your way.
Windmill, Church and Archaeological Interpretation
The large Dutch-style gallery windmill, Jels Mølle, was built in 1859 and has been a listed building since 1959. The mill’s four floors, cap and original machinery are fully preserved. The surviving parts include millstones, a hoist and grain hoppers. This describes not only the exterior of the building, but also key elements of the original milling technology.
Jels Kirke was built in 1854 to replace a smaller, somewhat dilapidated church made of dressed granite. Its furnishings include an originally Romanesque granite baptismal font, which was adapted in 1854. The altarpiece is a plaster cast of Thorvaldsen’s relief depicting the institution of the Eucharist. The original relief was created for Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen.
Jels Voldsted is considered a possible site of a Viking fortress of considerable size. The site measures approximately 160 Ă— 100 metres. The rampart is about 300 metres long; the distance between the northern and southern boundaries is around 130 metres. The interpretation of the site as the location of a fortress remains a possibility, while the measurements give an idea of the size of the area described.
Events and Planning Your Visit
Jels Vikingespil is an annual open-air theatre production that has been supported by the efforts of several hundred volunteers since 1977. In its day-to-day operation, Planetarium Jels is not open as a planetarium; it can only be visited during events and similar occasions. Check the event information before you travel if you are planning a visit.
Discover more destinations: Holsted, Brørup Sogn, Lintrup, Vejen, Foldingbro, Hovborg, Bække, Rødding Kommune
For the main travel overview: Vejen Kommune.
