1.7 kmThe Heart Trail around Karlsgårde Lake
The marked loop with the lake, forest, benches, birdlife, and family-friendly breaks.
Karlsgårde Lake is located northeast of Varde and close to Sig. For most people, Tambours Have is a practical place to start the walk, especially if the trip should also include a play break, packed lunch or a look around the garden in season. There is also parking at Karlsgårdeværket.
The marked Heart Trail goes all the way around the lake and is approximately 6 km long. The route follows both the lakeshore and stretches of forest, so the walk alternates between open views over the water and more enclosed passages. The path is described as suitable for prams and strollers as well as people with mobility difficulties, but in practice it is best in dry periods; in winter, waterproof footwear is recommended.
Along the route there are benches, a fire pit, a playground and toilets, so the lake works well for both a full loop and a shorter family outing. Dogs are allowed on a leash. The lake is not a natural lake, but a dammed reservoir for Karlsgårdeværket: water from Holme Å was led through a long canal here so the drop could drive the turbines. The still water therefore has a very concrete machine room in the background.
The fire shelter is located just outside Tambours Have, by the nature playground and close to the gate at the eastern end of Karlsgårde Lake. It is freely accessible all year round, but you must bring your own firewood.
Next to it are covered table-and-bench sets with space for around 40 people. That makes the place more of a meeting point than a picnic nook: practical, slightly rugged, and placed exactly where children, packed lunches, and a trip around the lake come together.
For the light festival, Tambours Have by Karlsgårde Lake is staged after dark. Tambours Have's Friends place around 1,000 lit candles in the flower beds, giving the garden's paths and spaces a different character than on an ordinary walk.
The evening typically combines a tour of the garden with a musical performance and coffee and cake. The special feature is not large effects, but the many small flames among plants, trees, and garden spaces.
Karlsgårde Day was the lake’s big activity day: a September day with nature, culture, outdoor life and exercise spread around Karlsgårde Lake. The idea was both to give children and adults something to try with their hands and feet – and to showcase local associations, organisations and food producers.
The activities were located among other places at Karlsgårdeværket, Den Runde Plads, Rolandhytten, Tambours Have and Mindestenen, linked together by Hjertestien. The event was not held in 2025 and does not continue in its former form.
Just outside the gate to Tambours Have lies the nature playground with carved wooden figures and room for free play. It also serves as a practical stop on the tour around Karlsgårde Lake with a toilet, picnic shelter, benches and tables, and access to the hiking route.
The playground and the rest areas outside the garden are freely accessible, and the site can be used all year round. Next to it you will find covered benches and tables and a fire shelter, so the break does not have to depend on dry weather.
The shelter site at Karlsgårde Lake is registered as Åplads ved Karlsgårde Sø and is located down by the water at Bredmosevej in the Sig area. It serves as a simple overnight stop on the Coast to Coast Trail.
Here there is one shelter with space for 8-10 people, a grass area for tents, a toilet, water, fire pits with firewood, and access from the water for boaters. The site cannot be booked; first-come, first-served applies, and overnight stays are limited to two nights.
The Heart Trail is the marked circular route around Karlsgårde Lake: approx. 6 km, starting and ending at Karlsgaarde Hydroelectric Power Plant and Tambours Garden. The route alternates between forest, hilly terrain, and sections close to the lake.
Along the way there are benches and access to a toilet, fire pit, and playground. The trail is described as suitable for prams and strollers as well as people with walking difficulties, but in the winter season boots or waterproof footwear are recommended.
