The Archipelago Trail: 26 km Stengade Strand - Henninge Nor

The trail takes you from Stengade Strand in the north via Tullebølle to Rudkøbing town, where you can choose to continue down to HEnninge Nor in the south, take the ferry to Marstal and continue along the Øhavsstien trail on Ærø, or head for Svendborg via Siø and Tåsinge.

Boathouses and ships of all kinds

The trip south along the beach is spiced up by large ships following the winding deep-water route close to the coast. 25,000 ships pass through the Langeland Belt every year - on their way to or from the world's largest brackish water sea, the Baltic Sea. The large ferries from Kiel to Oslo or Gothenburg are an impressive sight.

Frescoes and viekors

Tullebølle Church is one of the most beautiful of Denmark's many medieval churches from the 1400s. On the tower stands 1830 under a crowned monogram. It was the owner of Tranekær who had bought himself in as a co-owner during a restoration. Inside the church, there are 12 places where the so-called viekors (crosses) have been painted. These are the places where the bishop laid his hand on the church wall during the consecration of the holy house.

SHORES Langeland

Various water activities often take place in the bay next to the bridge. On Langeland, we are working on the SHORES Langeland project. Langeland is best known for its extremely attractive fishing, but the island's coasts and shallow archipelago are also very suitable for activities such as kayaking, SUP, surfing and sailing, and many people come here to go UV hunting and dive on our many wrecks.

Rudkøbing Harbour

Rudkøbing was founded in the early Middle Ages and was granted market town privileges in 1287. Until 1856, all trade on the island had to take place in the market town (except for trade by the manor houses). The town still bears the hallmarks of market town life with merchant's houses, small old houses and cobbled streets.

Rudkøbing has no fewer than five harbours. First you come to Skudehavnen, which is the new marina, and to the south of it is the old marina. South of this is the old fishing harbour, still surrounded by the fine fishermen's cottages that still house recreational fishermen. Next is the commercial harbour with its two basins. Lots of grain is still shipped from here, and at the beautiful old warehouse you will often find the schooner Meta, which is based in Rudkøbing, or other larger ships. Furthest to the south is the ferry harbour with regular ferry connections to Strynø and Marstal on Ærø.

On the way across the harbour, right by the fishing harbour, is the old station building, which bears witness to the Langeland Railway's heyday in 1911-1962. The special 24-hour clock on the platform is still there.

Alfio Bonnano - Land Art

On the way across the harbour, in Skudehavnen, you will encounter a work of art by the town's internationally renowned artist Alfio Bonanno (born in Sicily, resident in Rudkøbing for many years). The work defines the four corners of the world. Behind Skudehavnen towards Havnegade, you will find another of Alfio's works - a stone setting cut through by a path. Alfio Bonnano is internationally known for his Land Art works erected around the world. The philosophy behind Land Art is that the works are made from locally sourced natural materials, which over time decay and return to nature's cycle.

Behind Rudkøbing, overlooking Rudkøbing Vejle, you will find another work by Alfio Bonanno: Lone's Bench, which was erected on the occasion of Queen Margrethe's visit in 2016. The name is a tribute to Alfio's wife, Lone Bonanno. Alfio Bonanno has left his mark on Langeland over many years, and the TICKON art park in the castle park at Tranekær Castle in particular marks his work. Here you will find Land Art by a wide range of international artists.

The bathing establishment

South of the ferry port lies Rudkøbing Søbadeanstalt, dating from 1926. It remains a gathering place in the summer heat, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip without sand on your towel. However, it is also used extensively by the many winter bathers who meet here daily throughout the winter.

Further along the coast, the Archipelago Trail passes the festival site where the Langeland Festival has been held for the past 30 years, making it ‘Denmark's biggest garden party’ at the end of July.

Fårevejle Hovedgård

In Kragholm, the Øhavsstien trail turns into the forest that belongs to Fårevejle Hovedgård. Hidden in the forest is a hill called Iskælderbakken. In the old days, the hill contained a stone cellar where ice blocks were stored, collected nearby in winter. The ice lasted well into the summer and was used to cool food.

Hatbakker are a phenomenon unique to Langeland, and there are over 1,000 of them along the entire length of the island. Hatbakker are named after their round shape, which resembles a hat. It is not entirely clear how they were formed during the last ice age.

Henninge Nor – an El Dorado for birds

Henninge Nor was originally just a small bay in the large Lindelse Nor. Today, a dam to the south separates Henninge Nor from Lindelse Nor, but in ancient times, the bay resembled Lindelse Nor with many small islands and islets. In the hope of creating good farmland, Henninge Nor was dammed in 1912. A pumping station with a windmill pump and sluice was built to drain the area. Now, 100 years later, the large drained area cannot be cultivated, but the very wet meadows are a beautiful natural area. The inlet is an important breeding and resting place for many species of birds. You can see thousands of diving ducks such as goldeneye and scaup resting in the lakes, and exciting birds such as white-tailed eagles and great white egrets have been spotted here.

Klæsø Nature Trail and parking

The dam between Henninge Nor and Lindelse Nor is not part of the Øhavsstien trail, but the trail continues a short distance on the other side of the dam and connects with the Klæsø Nature Trail. According to the rules of the Nature Conservation Act, you have the right to cross the dam on foot.

There is parking available at Klæsø.

We also recommend:

Visit Strynø, where you can experience the special island atmosphere that descends once the ferry has sailed. Visit the Øhavets Smakke- og Naturcenter (Archipelago Seals and Nature Centre), where you can rent a kayak or SUP, sail in a seal boat or go on a seal safari. Take a trip into town, where the May tree adorns the town centre and the church, designed by architects Vilhelm Dahlerup and Ove Petersen, two of the most sought-after architects in Copenhagen in the 19th century (e.g. the Royal Theatre, the National Gallery of Denmark, etc.) stands as a relic from a time when there were 800 residents on Strynø.

Practical information

Accommodation: In Rudkøbing, you will find hotels, B&Bs, campsites and hostels

Shopping: Rudkøbing

Places to eat: Rudkøbing