Nature

The unique and raw nature of the westcoast has a strong attraction on both tourists and residents. With the great and wide natureareas, you have the best opportunities to experience Mother Nature. Here is everything from beaches and meadows, to woods and fields. Here only the imagination sets the limits.

The North sea

The north sea has always been found attracted by the tourists and the residents. On hot sunny summerdays, the beaches are always full with people, but if you just move a couple of hundred meters away from the parking lots or the paths to the sea, there is a lot more space. In the fall and winter, many people enjoy walking by the beach and to be blown over by the wind.

The north sea is great, but you also have to watch out for the danger. The powerful undercurrent, which is in the north sea, causes drownings every year. Therefore it is important to follow the bathingrules, which is written a lot of places in the area and also reading the flyer “safety at the beach”. Get the flyer for free at the local touristoffice or at the local grocery store by the coast.

If you visit the beach after a storm or a powerful wind, then there is a chance to find amber, but it is not easy. Mostly the amber is to be found in the water edge, between seaweed and rinsed rocks. Amber can have different nuances from white to brown. It is soft and if you feel it with your teeth it´s easy to know the diffence from regular stones.

A walk at the beach in a windy weather is good for the blood pressure. In the fall- and wintermonths where the storm really rages, a trip to the beach is an experience in itself. It´s fascinating to see and feel the mighty natural forces, and if you are well dressed, it´s an experience you will never forget. Each year dissappears about 1 meter of the sand dunes into the sea, but by one of the big storms the sea can take up to 15-20 meters at once. All year people do a great effort to repair the damages and to make the beaches attractive.

In most of Europe, the blue flag is a symbol for clean beaches and clean bathingwater. In this area, we have 5 beaches, which have been given the blue flag. That is Thorsminde, Bjerghuse, Fjand, Spidsbjerg and Vedersø Klit.

Husby Klitplantage

The layout of the forest was startet by the state in 1859. It was made to reduce the sand drift. There was a big expansion of the forest in the period from 1889-1899. At first mountain pine was planted, but today in the easterly part of the forest a mix of oak, beech, pines and firtrees including plants.

Under the sand drift-layers there have been found some cultural layers from the Iron age. At the bottom of the dunes at Græm Strand, layers from the Ice Age shows after a storm now and then.

Along the forest and to Spidsbjerg Beach runs the road “Raketvejen”. Back in time, it was used by the rescuers when they were driving the lifesaving equipment to the stranded ships.

By following the marked routes, there are fascinating naturetrips to experience. At the touristinformation in Vedersø Klit, there is a hiking-brochure to get.

For further information about the plantation  : http://naturstyrelsen.dk/naturoplevelser/naturguider/husby-klitplantage/

Stråsø Klitplantage

East of Ulfborg lies this scenic area. The greenery is mostly conifers and deciduous trees as well as heather. In the plantation there are different hikes, which you can read about in the brochure at Vedersø Klit touristoffice.

Nissum Fjord(Inlet)

Nissum Fjord has a water area 70 km2 and lies in shelter behind a 13 km North Sea-isthmus with a width, which is 1200 m at the widest place, and 200 m at the narrowest. In Thorsminde they have had regulations there since 1870 and also been conducted regulations of the water level  and salinity of the inlet. This is done with the help of a lock, which creates a water exchange in the inlet. Freshwater is added from the rivers- Storåen, Ramme Å, Damhus Å and Flynder Å, which makes the water brackish, which is a cross between freshwater and seawater. All of Nissum Fjord and some surrounding areas are laid out as a wildlife reserve, and the shallowed inled surrounded by reed beds and meadows is rich and variated in birdlife.

You can find a map of the route around the inlet Here

An obvious excursion
Dont miss the experience of the area around Nissum Fjord and the small unspoiled harbors by Nr. Fjand, Nørhede Vest and Felsted Kog, where the anglers keep their small boats, and where there are small fishinglodges to store yarns and other fishing gear. Nissum Fjord is worth a visit year around, and its always a good idea to bring a binoculars to observe the exciting animal life.

Fjandø

On the 40 acre uninhabited island, Fjandø, in the southwesterly part of Nissum Fjord, flocks of sheeps are holding down the heathland vegetation in the summer. It gives the perfect conditions for the resting and the breeding sgorebirds and ducks. From 1st of April to 31th of August, there are totally traffic ban on the island, as well as a radius of 100 meters around the island.

Felsted Kog

Feldsted kog is classified as bird sanctuary, and is a hangout for lots of shorebirds and breeding birds, which hides in the widespread reed beds at the breeding season. The area is now owned by the state, and got it´s name when Nissum fjord tried to be drained. It only succeed at Feldsted, which was named “Kog”, which means reclaimed land area. By the construction of a 13 km ring dune, 1400 acres was drained, but it turned out that the soil wasn´t suitable for agriculture, and the project was abandoned in 1885.

Rørskovene

In the northern and eastern part of Bøvling Fjord and in Feldsted kog grows reed beds which are used for reeds. Since the reed beds provides cover for the birds nests, it is tried to organize the harvest, so it is done before the breeding season. Other than that, there is made a deal with the reed-harvesters to leave some of the most important breeding areas unharvested. Especially the rows towards open water and ponds in the reed beds.

At the touristoffice in Vedersø Klit there are different brochures with suggestions of tours around the inlet, as well as traffic rules in and around the inlet.

 

Birds on the move
With location at the migration route along the Westcoast, the inlet attracts lots of resting birds in fall and spring on their trip from the arctic nesting areas, to the warmer areas in South and West Europe. The inlet is not only a restingareas, but also an important area for the breeding birds.

International recognition
With this international importance for big bird populations,especially geese, ducks and shorebirds, Nissum Fjord appears on a list of the 200 most important waterfowl-locations in Europe, North Africa and little Asia. Bacause of the accession in the Ramsar Convention, Denmark is committed to take extra good care of the natureareas in and by the inlet.

The birds is put first
Nissum Fjord is set as a nature reserve to protect both resting and breeding birds, and because of that, parts of the surrounding areas are protected to keep the birds and their homes safe. Therefore hunting and traffic is limited.

Bøvling Fjord (Inlet) og Klittangen (Dune spit)

In the northern part of Bøvling Fjord, dabbling ducks as widgeons, mallards and teals are resting in fall and spring. This part of the area is protected and is the most shallow part of Nissum Fjord. When its low tide, big parts of the area is dry. Bøvling fjord and the wet  meadows at the dune spit along the road attracts birds all year, but especially in spring, thousands of waterfowls and shorebirds are seen during the big bird migrations.In this time, especially Pink-foored goose and brant goose, but also the gray goose and the barnacle goose is often found at the ground. Especially in the shallow areas and on the shores can be caught resting waderbirds as the godwit, the red knot, the normal knot and the golden plover. In the breeding season is it possible to sometimes observe the many shorebirds from the road.