Thy National Park - self-guided tours

Welcome to Thy National Park - Denmark's greatest wilderness!

The west of Thy has been designated as the first Danish national park. Thy National Park stretches for an up to 12-kilometer-wide belt along the west coast of Jutland from Agger Tange to Hanstholm. It is a large and unspoiled natural area totaling 244 km2. In the National Park you can go between outstretched, wind-swept wilds and aromatic pine trees. You can also throw yourself into the sparkling waves of the North Sea or bike through cool dune plantations.

The National Park is a coherent natural area for people, plants and animals. At Hanstholm game reserve, located in the northern part of the National Park, more than 30 different species of bird breed, and the otter has found sanctuary in the lakes of the protected area.
Agger Tange - in the southern part of the National Park - is one of Northern Europe's most important resting areas for numerous flocks of water birds. Tangen has been designated as an international bird protection area.

At the same time, the National Park is an important piece of Danish history. The area covers numerous grave mounds from the Bronze Age, and the many German bunkers along the coast are a reminder of a time when Denmark, under German rule, was in the frontline of an expected attack from Allied forces during the Second World War.

The harsh wind and the drift of the sand on land are visible by the abandoned farmlands which today are dune heaths or plantations. All of this is a testimony of a time not too long ago, when life on the west coast was tough on the locals.

The weather and nature is constantly shifting in Thy National Park, ranging from lashing wind full of salty sea air by the coasts to mild breezes in the wet, steaming forest floor. But irrespective of how you move around in the park, you can sense the grandeur of the area. You can enjoy the big skies, and it is hard not to stretch your arms over your head and fill your lungs with the fresh air.
Welcome to Thy National Park.

Where to start?

10 attractions in the national park
Below you can read about 10 attractions in Thy National Park.

1. Hanstholm lighthouse and coastal slope
Parking space by the lighthouse and the church. Hanstholm Lighthouse is located on the western part of Hanstholmen. It was built in 1843, and for some time it was the world's most powerful lighthouse. From the lighthouse and from the coastal slope to the south you have a magnificent view of Hanstholm Wild Reserve's extensive dune heaths and the coastline, whose almost empty beaches extend more than 50 km to the south to Agger Tanges southern tip. See the folder: Hanstholmen - Hiking tours no.

2. The bird tower in Tved Dune plantation
Parking space at the end of Sårupvej in the northern part of Tved Dune plantation. In March-April you may be lucky to experience cranes dancing and trumpeting, and in September it is a great place to see large flocks of red deer and hear the male deers roar. See the folders: Tved Dune platation - Hiking # 51 Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve.

3. The iceberg
The car park is located in the southwestern corner of Tved Dune Plantation - at the end of Hindingvej. Go from here along the path along the plantation to Isbjerg, which with its 56 m. is Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve's highest point.
Near the parking lot there is a bonfire and barbecue area and at Nors Bagsø there is a handicap-friendly fishing platform. See the folders: Tved Dune Plantation - Hiking # 51 Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve.

4. The bathing area at Nors lake
From Vester Vandet you drive 2 km north along Agerholmvej. The parking lot is located right by the lake. The "bathing area" is light and open, shielded by the forest towards the west wind and with the finest, very child-friendly beach. The good bathing water is due to the fact that the lake lies on the limestone floor and has its water supply from the groundwater through cracks in the limestone. The lake is part of Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve. Therefore, sailing and surfing are prohibited. The space is equipped with a handicap toilet, many tables / benches and three bonfires and barbecue places. See the leaflet: The dune plantations at Vandet Lake - Hiking # 34.

5. Dune mills
Parking spaces north of the city at Splittergab, south of the town at Trøjborg or centrally on Ørhagevej. From 1600 to 1800, Klitmøller was the center of the gun trade with Norway, to which grain and other foods were exported, while the return load comprised, among other things, timber, iron and horses. A new flowering period followed with the fishing, of which the visible testimony are the many beautiful tool houses. Today, the place is known to Europe for the good conditions for windsurfing. See the folder: West coast path Agger – Bulbjerg - Hiking no. 31.

6. Bøgsted Rende
In Tvorup Plantation, turn from the coastal road to the west. The car park is located between the plantation and the sea cliff. Bøgsted Rende is an old excursion site in Thy. Many come here to go swimming or to go for a walk on the beach, but if it is windy you are looking for shelter in the plantation immediately within the ocean cliff. A network of marked hiking trails starts from the parking lot. See the folder: Tvorup Klitplantage - Hiking no. 116.

7. Stenbjerg landing site
At the roundabout on the coastal road, choose the exit to Stenbjerg landing site. The picturesque utility houses were built by the fishermen themselves around 1900 and are used today by the recreational fishermen. In a former ice cream parlor owned by the Society for the Conservation of Stenbjerg Landingsplads you will find the national park's first theme center on the nature that is in the area around Stenbjerg. The theme center is staffed and open every day from April to October from 10 am to 5 pm. 13-17. The listed rescue house, which was built in 1931, contains a small exhibition, which tells about local history and about the rescue service. See the folders: West coast path Agger – Bulbjerg - Hiking no. 31 Stenbjerg in Thy - Hiking no. 126.

8. Lyngby
From the coastal road just north of Svankjær turn towards Lyngby parking lot, where the road ends. Lyngby arose in 1864, when six families from Agger and Ålum made the decision that they would move to a place with better future opportunities. Fishing was the main occupation, but the place also provided little farming and livestock farming. Already in the interwar period, holiday homes were built in Lyngby. At that time, it was an exclusive place to vacation for those seeking tranquility, peace and authenticity. See the leaflet: The dune plantations in Sydthy - Hiking no. 42.
 
9. Lodbjerg Lighthouse
Parking near the lighthouse. The listed Lodbjerg Lighthouse was built in 1883 by granite blocks from Sweden. From the lighthouse top you can get a good view of the entire southern part of Thy National Park. To the north are the large, continuous dune heaths from Lodbjerg over Lyngby to Stenbjerg. If you turn south, Ørum and Flade Sø are surrounded by green meadows and behind them the national park is bounded by Agger Tange and Thyborøn Kanal. An active white dune to the north is reminiscent of the ravages of sand drifting through hundreds of years. Lodbjerg Fyr also provides a framework for a number of broadcasts in Nationalpark TV. See the leaflet: The dune plantations in Sydthy - Hiking no. 42.

10. Agger Tange
Agger Tange can be experienced partly from the north-south coastal road and partly from the sea dike to the west. There are several parking spaces in the area. In Agger town, a handicap-friendly path leads up to the dike. In addition to being one of Northern Europe's significant resting areas for water birds, the lands stretch Agger is also an important breeding ground for endangered meadow birds. Cultural history wise the landstretch Agger is also interesting. On the border between sea and fjord many dramatic events have unfolded. Storm floods, breakthroughs, sand drift and coastal protection are part of the story. See the folder: Harboøre and Agger Tanger - Nature and bird life.