Zwei junge Frauen fahren mit ihren Fahrrädern entlang der Schlei.

Viking-Frisian Route

In the footsteps of the Vikings

On a length of 180 km or 175 km, you can follow in the footsteps of the Vikings and Frisians across Schleswig-Holstein along two routes, from St. Peter-Ording at the North Sea to Maasholm at the Baltic Sea. The picturesque route leads through flood plains and fjord regions, dreamy villages and charming towns. Along old trading routes, the trail leads through a fascinating cultural landscape, which was shaped by Vikings and Frisians over millennia. Discover trading places, historic settlements and megalithic tombs.

Radfahrende schieben ihre Fahrräder im Danewerk.
© sh-tourismus.de/MOCANOX

Along the route

On your tour from west to east, in addition to historic testimonials of the lives of the Vikings and Frisians, there is also a variety of typical “Schleswig-Holstein” life to discover. The route begins on the Ederstedt peninsula with white beaches and the lighthouse of Westerhever. Enjoy the romantic harbour atmosphere in Tönning, where you can marvel at a genuine sperm whale skeleton at the Multimar Wattforum. After this, you can discover the Dutch town of Friedrichstadt. The route continues through Schleswig-Holstein’s largest river landscape – the lowlands of Eider, Treene und Sorge. Here, the stork village of Bergenhusen is located, where you can find out everything about the birds and watch the stork pairs during the breeding season every year. Northern Europe’s largest ground monument can be found in Dannewerk. The region around Schleswig is closely linked to the history of the Vikings, who had their major trading centre in Haithabu at Haddebyer Noor. Today, history comes to life in the museum of the same name. The route section that follows leads you through the beautiful Schlei region, whose landscape was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The many small Schlei villages have a very special charm. The braided herring fences in the Kappeln harbour are unique in Europe. From the neighbouring fishing village of Maasholm, the open Baltic Sea is only a stone’s throw away.

Good to know

 

Arrival and departure

Among others, the cities of St. Peter-Ording, Husum and Schleswig have links to the Deutsche Bahn railway network. Trains run every hour and can accommodate bicycles.

Route conditions and degree of difficulty

  • The Viking-Frisian Route leads along well-paved, mostly low-traffic roads.
  • The route is largely flat. Only in the interior, in the Schlei region and the eastern hill country, you should expect gentle gradients.
  • The route is easy to cycle and is suitable for beginners and families with children.
  • The route is fully signposted. The route logo is a Viking ship.
  • At many stops of the themed cycle route, information boards describe the history of the region and provide information on the everyday lives of Vikings and Frisians.
     

Rest stops and overnight accommodation

You will find rest areas and protected huts along the entire Viking-Frisian Route. Numerous restaurants and cafés offer delicacies for exhausted cyclists and invite you to take a relaxing break. Overnight accommodation facilities are offered by hotels and guest houses, camp sites and youth hostels. You can find a list of accommodation facilities along the route at www.wikinger-friesen-weg.de (in german) or www.bettundbike.de.

Downloads

  • Brochure Viking-Frisian Route

    pdf
  • GPX data Wikinger-Friesen-Weg

    zip

Your contact

Zwei junge Frauen fahren mit ihren Fahrrädern entlang der Schlei.

TAG Wikinger-Friesen-Weg C/O Grünes Binnenland