Since 1965 I have spent summer holidays in Sønderho. Here I first met the culture of Fanø, the building traditions and the maritime history. Here I first learned about the painters Julius Exner, Johan Rohde, Heinemann, Dohm and many more; here I first met the Wadden Sea and the rich birdlife there, the dunes, the heather og the meadows. By reading a.o. N.M. Kromanns “Fanøs historie” and Niels Frederiksens “Sønderho – en skipperby i Vadehavet” (New edition will be published April 2013) I became engaged in the amazing history of the island.

• Fanø Kunstmuseum. Throughout the past 100 years and up till today Fanø has attracted a constant stream of Danish, German and Swedish artists, who more or less settled down on the island. With a combination of permanent and temporary exhibitions it is the aim of the gallery to show art portraying the frisian coast, past and present.
• The Wadden Sea national park. In 2010 the third and largest national park in Denmark was inaugurated – Waddensea National Park is open for all – you may travel around freely, in the same way as usual, when you are a visitor to Denmark. In the national park there will be better possibilities to experience the area and to be closer to it`s rich nature and culture.
• 12 stories from The Wadden Sea. (In Danish).
• Mit Fanø. Guide til Fanøs historie. A very comprehensive historical site published in Danish by Torben Garmer

All this made me more interested in the history of Fanø and the nature of the island. Through the years I have made many excursions to seldomly visited localities. Here are some of my favourite hikes and I would like to share them with you:

Havside Bjerge Hike
You cross Fanø. The easiest way is to start your hike from the beach – from the “Be Free” bunker. On the hike, where you most likely will be on your own, you meet a piecefull but very varied landscape with heather, meadow, bog and dunes of all kind.

• Havside Bjerge. An eventful hike. With photos and a detailed map. (In Danish).

The Duck decoy Hike (Fuglekoje-turen)
The Wadden Sea and the meadows of Fanø towards the east – that is what you get under your skin when you take the decoy hike. This hike gives you the possibility to visit the three open duck decoys of Fanø. Start the hike at “Farmen” a bit north of Sønderho and follow the lane towards north. If your eyes are open you might be lucky to find the rather uncommon flower Marsh Gentian. The first duck decoy you meet is Sonderho Fuglekoje (established 1888) – hiding on your left. Here you might meet deer, dragonflies and wild ducks.

Next decoy is Sønderho Gamle Fuglekøje (Sonderho Old Duck Decoy establish 1866) – a kind of an open-air museum. To visit this decoy is a must. It stands like it did originally and there is an inspiring exhibition. From the tower in the decoy you have a stunning view over the Wadden Sea and far over Jutland. Albue Fuglekoje is the most northern of the duck decoys.

• The four decoys on Fanø
• Association for the Conservation of Sønderho Old Duck Decoy

Peter Meyers Sand
If you are offered the possibility to go for a hike to Peter Meyers Sand with a nature guide – do not let go of it. On this hike you will get a unique insight of the greatness of the Wadden Sea, the tide, the sandbanks, the renderings, seafaring of the past, floods and bird life.

Flower Hikes
Many rather rare flowers are growing on Fanø, a.o. orchids such as Marsh Helleborine and Hammarbya paludosa but also the beautiful tiny Round-leaved Wintergreen, Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus, Field Gentian and the newcomer the Yellow Hornpoppy. Many grow in different localities close to the beach of Sønderho.

• On the homepage Fanø Natur you can find an overview of the various locus.
• 100 Nature adventures in Southwest Jutland. The nature guide Marco Brodde has written 100 exiting stories about landscapes, flowers and animals.
• Wadden Bird Art - Marco Brodde's blog

Around Maritime Fanø
Of course Fanø and shipping belong together. I have learned this history by visiting the “Skibsfarts- og Dragtsamling” (Museum for Shipping and Traditional Dresses), the churches in Sønderho and Nordby with their seamen graves and church ships; and also the recently reestablished seamark "Æ Kåver" in Sønderho. If you have the time to make a trip on board “Rebekka” – the only sailing evert in Denmark – do not miss this. Here you can experience sailing and navigation from days far gone.

• The evert Rebekka of Fanø
• A boat trip around Fanø with the evert Rebekka. A photographic slideshow.

Other useful links

• Visit Denmark - Fanø Turist Office
• Fonden Gamle Sønderho. A collection of museums with Hanne's House which faithfully maintains former times' atmosphere of a seamen's home, the old Sønderho Wind Mill and the old Life Boat Station.
• Stykke til Fanøs kultur, natur og historie. My own homepages about Fanø

Have a nice holiday on Fanø - and some nice hikes
Per Hofman Hansen

Download the complete Fanø guide 2013

Visit Sønderho Old Duck Decoy with
free guided tours
The decoy is open daily the year round from sunrise to sunset, and admission is free. On the following days in 2013 you will find free guided tours from 10 am. to approx. 12 am.:

• 18. Mai - Day of the Museums
• 13. July - Day of the Fannikers
• 20. July - Day of Sønderho
• 3. August - Family Kite Festival
• 21. September - Knitting Festival
• 17. October - Day of the rural villages

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See the map in high solution and download it as a PDF-file just to print in A4-format.