43 kmKongens Kær near Vejle
An urban wetland with bird towers and paths, like Gyldensteen Strand, a low, open natural landscape.
Gyldensteen Strand is a place where the landscape is never still. From paths, bird towers and viewpoints, you can look out over the coastal lagoon, Engsø, reed beds and salt meadows, where the water has been given room again. The result is open expanses, far-reaching views and birdlife that quickly catches your attention, even if you haven’t brought binoculars.
What makes this place special is the contrast: for many years, the area was reclaimed and cultivated, but it has once again become a wetland on the coast of Nordfyn. The saltwater coastal lagoon and the freshwater Engsø lie side by side, so you can experience two different aquatic environments on the same walk.
Nature’s development is closely monitored, in part because the area is used to gather knowledge about water quality, the establishment of species and nature restoration in coastal landscapes. This makes the place more than just a pretty view; it is a large-scale living experiment.
There is access from several parking areas along Gyldensteenvej and Langøvej, including Dæmningsminde, Egense Plantage and Eriksholm on Langø. Naturrum Gyldensteen, with an exhibition and visitor facilities, is located at Eriksholm, while former technical installations at several locations have been turned into viewpoints overlooking the restored wetland.
Tærskeladen is the more niche part of the facilities at Gyldensteen Strand: a place for interpretation, nature studies, and stones from the coast.
Here you will find Holger Garnak’s stone collection from Æbelø north of the area, with finds ranging from small fossils to larger erratics. Volunteers give talks in the barn every Sunday from 13:00-15:00 from mid-May to late August.
The old pumping station on Langø has been turned into a viewpoint with a platform on the roof, binoculars, and interpretation. It stands as a turning point on a short route from Naturrummet at Eriksholm, about 1.9 km along a gravel road.
From up here, the landscape is easy to read: to the south and west the re-created coastal lagoon, to the north the Kattegat and Æbelø. The view also shows the point of the nature restoration, where the sea once again gained access after the removal of dikes between Langø, Lindholm, and Store Stegø.
Naturrum Gyldensteen is located at Eriksholm and serves as the visitor center for Gyldensteen Strand. There is an exhibition about nature restoration, where reclaimed agricultural land has been transformed into a coastal lagoon, meadow lake and wetlands.
The site is also the practical base: a covered picnic area with tables and benches, toilets close to the parking area, and the opportunity to borrow equipment to study insects and life in the water. A dry break with wet nature right outside.
