Helgenæs – A visit to the southernmost peninsula of Djursland

On our journey through Denmark, heading south from the northern tip at Skagen via Lønstrup and Rubjerg Knude as well as the Thy region with Klitmøller and Thisted, the south of Djursland with the Helgenäs (Helgenæs) peninsula was our next destination. The first stop was Rosenholm Castle before we continued our drive into the Mols Bjerge National Park.

The landscape in the south of Djursland was formed at the end of the last ice age. Glaciers left behind a range of hills made of sand and gravel, today’s Mols Bjerge. The coastline is in turn divided into three smaller peninsulas – Mols in the west, Helgenæs in the south and Hasnæs with the tourist centre of Ebeltoft in the east – and numerous bays. This creates a varied landscape with ranges of hills offering great views that are high by Danish standards (I still find the term ‘mountains’ a bit of an exaggeration at 137 m high). The roads become increasingly narrow and lead in a constant up and down along the coast to the south. For cyclists, these routes are challenging; the elevation gain quickly adds up. We see the medieval castle ruins of Kalø and the Neolithic round dolmen Poskær Stenhus. At the southern tip, Sletterhage, stands a pretty lighthouse built in 1894, which will be our next location for a night.

Lighthouse at the southern tip as a popular excursion destination

The panorama stretches from Aarhus across the island of Samsø to the Great Belt strait, which begins at the cape on Hasnæs with an imaginary line to Cape Gniben on the island of Zealand. A golden glowing sunset over Aarhus ushers in a warm, bright and romantic full moon night. Silence. During the day there was significantly more hustle and bustle; numerous school classes went on excursions by bike and some classic car enthusiasts also found their way here. The coast is popular with sea kayakers and hiking trails lead to hilltops with great views. After a restful night, the new day began with an impressive sunrise over the Great Belt.