930 mThe Wadden Sea Centre in Vester Vedsted
Makes the tides and birdlife tangible as a natural continuation from the border trail.
At Vester Vedsted, the Border Trail begins in an open landscape, where the dike, the marsh and the Wadden Sea set the scene for the old Danish-German border. The route follows the border from 1864-1920 from the Wadden Sea toward the Kongeå River, and right here border stone no. 1 stands by Sprækbro in its original place by Ribediget.
The trail is not just a line on a map. Along the way, the story is about families separated by the border, and about gendarmes and customs officers keeping an eye on smugglers and border crossers. It makes the landscape more tangible: a dike can be a viewpoint, a barrier against the water and a patrol path all at once.
The entire Border Trail is 48 kilometers long and divided into three stages. The first stage runs from Vester Vedsted to Høm and is especially for hikers who want both cultural history and long stretches. Most of this stage takes place on asphalt roads, but with wide roadside verges or pavements. At Vester Vedsted you will also find Fløjdiget, which offers a shorter local experience on top of the dike, while the bunkers north of the village belong to World War II and not to the 1864 border.
The Dyke Brush Shelters are located by Digehytten on Vester Bjergvej 4, just behind the dike and near the old Mandø ebb road. The four shelters are built in two storeys with space for up to eight people in each.
The name refers back to the dyke brush workers, the Danish, German and Polish itinerant workers who built dikes by the Wadden Sea. There is a fire pit, but firewood must be brought along; a toilet and waste containers are available at Digehytten. Tents are not allowed.
