viking-frisian route
Follow the trail of the old Norsemen
The viking-frisian route* was opened to great fanfare in June 2007. 177 km long, it traverses Schleswig-Holstein from St. Peter-Ording on the North Sea to Maasholm on the Baltic Sea. The picturesque route takes you through flood plains and fjord regions, dreamy villages and charming towns. Cyclists experience the beauty of the Schleswig-Holstein landscape in all its varieties: the marshland on the west coast, the high and low Geestland between the coasts, and the upland on the east coast. Following old trade routes, the path takes you through a fascinating cultural landscape which was shaped by Vikings and Frisians over thousands of years. Discover marketplaces, historic settlements and large cairns. Museums, archaeological memorials and information boards explain the daily life and living conditions of the famous Norsemen.
Route and sights of interest
Start at the Eiderstedt peninsula. Here the route makes a round trip before taking you via Tönning to Friedrichstadt. For the next stage you have a choice. You can either ride through the Eider-Treene-Sorge river landscape on the northern route via Ostenfeld, or take the southern route via Bergenhusen. Then you continue via Dannewerk, Schleswig, Brodersby, Arnis and Kappeln until you reach Maasholm. By the Schlei you have the opportunity to enjoy the beauties of the fjord region on several round trips.
In the footsteps of the Vikings
As you travel from west to east, in addition to the historic sights which bear witness to the lives of the Vikings and the Frisians, there is plenty to see of ‘classic Schleswig-Holstein’. Right from the start, you have the Eiderstedt peninsula with its white beaches and the Westerhever lighthouse. You can feel the romantic harbour atmosphere in Tönning, where you can also marvel at a real sperm whale skeleton in the Multimar Wattforum. Next, discover the little Dutch town of Friedrichstadt by taking a typical canal trip past the wonderful stepped gable houses. After this, the route takes you into Schleswig-Holstein’s largest river landscape – the lowland area of Eider, Treene and Sorge. In this idyllic region, far removed from large towns and noisy traffic, you will find a tranquil place to relax, surrounded by unspoiled nature. This is also the place to find the stork village of Bergenhusen, where you will learn all about storks and can observe brooding pairs at the right time of year. Northern Europe’s largest archaeological monument awaits you at your next stop in Dannewerk. The giant fortification provided protection for the Kingdom of Denmark and is probably the largest structure built by the Vikings. The region around Schleswig is closely intertwined with the history of the Vikings, whose most important trading point was at the Haddebyer Noor in the settlement of Haithabu (also known as Hedeby). Today, this history is revived in the Haithabu Museum.
On the Schlei
The following section of the route takes you through the delightful Schlei region, the landscape of which was formed by glaciers during the last ice age. Schlei’s many villages will enchant you with their unique charm and invite you to take a relaxing break at one of the picturesque vantage points with a view over the water.
The woven herring fence in the Kappeln harbour is one of a kind in Europe. The wide open Baltic Sea is just a hop, a skip and a jump away from the neighbouring fishing village of Maasholm.
Getting there and back
There are rail connections to the towns of St. Peter-Ording, Husum and Schleswig, amongst others. The trains go every hour and you can bring your bike on board.
Terrain and difficulty of the route
Terrain:
The viking-frisian route* follows well-surfaced roads, mostly with little traffic.
Relief:
The route is mostly flat. You should only expect gentle ascents in the inland region, the Schlei region and the eastern uplands.
Signage:
The cycle path is fully signposted. The logo of the route is a Viking ship.
Information boards:
There are many points along this themed route where information boards recount the history of the region and explain details of the daily life and living conditions of the Vikings and the Frisians.
Difficulty level:
The route is easy to ride and is quite suitable for beginners and families with children.
Places to stop or stay the night
You will find picnic areas and refuges all the way along the viking-frisian route*. Many country inns welcome exhausted cyclists with delicious food and provide a relaxed atmosphere for a break along the way. Accommodation options are on hand in the form of hotels and guest houses, youth hostels and campsites. You can find a list of the accommodation available along the route at www.wikinger-friesen-weg.de or www.bettundbike.de.
Bicycle hire and repair service
There are bicycle hire and repair services available at almost every town and village along the entire route.
Reading tips and maps
Spiralo Wikinger-Friesen-Weg (Viking-Frisian Route, spiral-bound)
Scale 1:50,000, BVA
Available in bookshops or from the Viking-Frisian Route Tourist Agency, phone: +49 (0)4638 2108 392
9,95 €
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:
northern course:
stage 1: St. Peter-Ording – Friedrichstadt
stage 2: Friedrichstadt – Schleswig
stage 3: Schleswig – Maasholm
data for the total route
download digital data (zip-file gpx, trk, kml, ovl | 0,2 MB)
southern course:
stage 1: St. Peter-Ording – Friedrichstadt
stage 2: Friedrichstadt – Schleswig (Busdorf)
stage 3: Schleswig (Busdorf) – Maasholm
data for the total route
download digital data (zip-file gpx, trk, kml, ovl | 0,2 MB)
Information
you can also find more information at www.wikinger-friesen-weg.de.
TAG Wikinger-Friesen-Weg
C/O Grünes Binnenland
Dorfstrasse 8
24963 Tarp
Phone: +49 (0)4638 2108392
Fax: +49 (0)4638 898405
info@wikinger-friesen-weg.de
www.wikinger-friesen-weg.de
downloads
- GPS-Daten_Wikinger-Friesen Radweg 2010 (313.78 kB)
© Tourismuszentrale St. Peter-Ording