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Cycling close to the edge

The 130-km-long border route* allows cyclists to immerse themselves in the cultural history of the German-Danish border region. There are 13 points between the North Sea dyke and the Flensburg Fjord where the route crosses the former path of the border which marked the area for 80 years. Today, idyllic paths take you through varied natural landscapes. In the west you can enjoy the expanse of the marshland; inland dunes and heaths characterise the Geestland; and in the east you ride through the uplands which were formed in the ice age.
Apart from all this, you will also get to know the traditional minority populations and pick up bits of the region’s five languages. Alongside German and Danish, Low Danish, Low German and Frisian add to the area's linguistic diversity. Numerous information points are also on hand to tell you curious and entertaining stories of life by the border at that particular spot.

If you’re in a rush
The 66-km-long north sea-baltic sea cycle path* is an alternative to the border route*, an ‘express way’ between the North and Baltic seas. This path also offers a lot to see along the way. Between Flensburg and Rickelsbüller Koog in Denmark you pass through the attractive little towns of Medelby and Süderlügum. Don’t miss out on detours to the Nolde Museum, the Süderlügum inland dunes, the Ladelund concentration camp memorial or the Niehuus tunnel valley.

Route and sights of interest

The tour begins in Højer, in Denmark, and takes you via Rudbøl to Tønder. From here, the route turns south towards the border and on to Aventoft in Germany. On the German side it continues to Süderlügum. Then you ride through Ellhöft to reach Lydersholm, in Denmark. From here, the route turns south once more to Ladelund, and continues via Rens to Medelby. Once you have crossed the border once more, you reach Fårhus, in Denmark. From here it’s just a hop, a skip and a jump to your destination of Flensburg.

The constant switching between countries provides the special attraction of this route. Furthermore, many activities and sights of interest on both sides of the border ensure you will have an exciting trip.

Way up high
A round trip on the glider from the Aventoft airfield is an unforgettable experience. Here you have the opportunity to regard the terrain of your trip from above. Süderlügum is strongly influenced by cross-border trade, and is a good place to browse the shops. Some customers travel a long way to meet here for their weekly Sunday shopping trip. If you’re longing for peace and quiet, take a walk through the Süderlügum Inland Dunes nature reserve. You get a wonderful view over the landscape from the viewing platform.
Those seeking adventure mustn't miss out on ‘windmill climbing’ in Ellhöft! You can enjoy the view from way up high and listen to the sound of complete silence (Windpark Ellhöft, phone: +49 (0)4663 7299)

At the ‘Naturerlebnisraum Stiftungsland Schäferhaus’ between Handewitt and Harrislee, you experience nature and archaeology at close quarters. Marvel at reconstructed cairns, rare plants and majestic prehistoric animals in a nature reserve of 300 hectares. The wonderful Harbour’s End in Flensburg is a striking finishing point for the border route*. The particular flair of this traditional maritime trading town, with its steep fjord banks and historic architecture, can be seen from some distance. As well as the charming ‘shopping mile’, there is an exciting range of excursions to choose from. What is Flensburg’s connection with rum? You can find out at the Shipping Museum. Also worth a look is the ‘Phänomenta’ hands-on museum which is perched up on the ‘Museumsberg’, overlooking the town. Here you experience science and technology with all your senses over an exhibition space of more than 3,000 sq m.

Getting there and back

There are rail connections to the towns of Niebüll and Flensburg. The trains go every hour and you can bring your bike on board.
Terrain and difficulty of the route

Terrain:
The route mainly follows small, tarmacked farmers’ roads and sometimes gravel paths, away from road traffic.

Relief:
The route is mostly flat.

Signage:
The cycle path is signposted all the way in both Germany and Denmark, although not in the same way. The route logo distinguishes the German and the Danish signposts.

Information boards:
Some 40 information points with maps and boards give you information on sights of interest along the route and tell entertaining stories from the regions.

Difficulty level:
The border route* is easy to ride and is also suitable for beginners or families with children.

Places to stop or stay the night (shelter locations?)

There are plenty of picnic areas and ten newly built weather shelters provided for you along the border route*. There are also some public toilets available along the way.
Accommodation options are offered by hotels, guest houses, youth hostels, campsites and natural campgrounds. There are categorised ‘bed and bike’ establishments on the German and Danish side. You can find lists of these accommodation options at www.grenzroute.com and www.bettundbike.de.

Bicycle hire and repair service

There are bicycle hire and repair services available at almost every town along the route, both in Germany and in Denmark. Some of the repair services in Denmark, for example, are in Højer, Tønder, Kruså and Padborg; and in Germany, Klanxbüll, Aventoft, Handewitt, Harrislee and Flensburg.

GPS-Data

You can download data for gps-devices, digital maps or google earth. The data is provided for the whole cycle route and for the following stages:

stage 1: Højer – Tønder
stage 2: Tønder – Medelby
stage 3: Medelby – Flensburg
data for the total route

download digital data (zip-file gpx, trk, kml, ovl | 0,1 MB)
 

Reading tips and maps

Grenzroute & Nord-Ostsee-Radweg (Border Route & North Sea-Baltic Sea Cycle Route)
A cycling guide for the German-Danish border region
Available from the Gebietsgemeinshaft Grünes Binnenland e.V.
Scale 1:100,000
3,- €

Information

You can find more information at www.grenzroute.com.

Gebietsgemeinschaft Grünes Binnenland e.V.
Dorfstrasse 8
24963 Tarp
Phone: +49 (0)4638-898404
Fax: +49 (0)4638-898405
info@tourismus-nord.de
www.tourismus-nord.de

downloads

• GPS-Data_Grenzroute (115.35 kB)