Gladsaxe: Nature, Culture and Cycling Routes

Bagsværd Lake brings nature and sport together in Gladsaxe: the lake is part of the Mølleå system, which stretches from its source in the area west of Bastrup Lake to the Roskilde Fjord and its mouth at the Øresund. Known as Denmark’s National Rowing Stadium, it is used for training by elite, recreational and leisure athletes. You can rent canoes from the boat rental service on the water; check before you arrive to see whether rentals are available. A network of paths runs all the way around the lake. Walkers have free access along the shore in Bagsværd Lake Park.

Lakeside paths and green routes

For a stay with outdoor activities, the paths around the lake and the cycling routes offer different points of reference. The Svaleruten is a nature, culture and experience route with a continuous cycling path about 28 kilometres long in Gladsaxe. Vandledningsstien is a green cycling link between Høje Gladsaxevej and Vandtårnsvej/Tinghøjvej; it runs alongside several interconnected rainwater basins. These two descriptions offer different starting points for choosing a route: a longer, thematically varied route or a link along the basins.

The natural areas also differ in their described landscapes. The protected Høje Gladsaxe Park covers just over 53 hectares and is characterised by grassland, hills and lakes. Smør- and Fedtmosen, including the meadows, form an approximately 150-hectare, almost untouched area with marshes, small lakes, heath woodland, scrub marsh, reed beds, meadows and wooded areas. There is a network of paths, part of which belongs to the wider main path system between Kalvebod and Værløse; there is also a bird tower in Smørmosen.

Park, lake and protected history

Aldershvile Palace Park has been a public park since 1927. The Aldershvile Palace Ruins are protected as an ancient monument. Broom heather and dwarf St John’s wort, two species rare in Zealand, grow in the park’s dry grassland. If you are planning a walk, you can start at Bagsværd Station: the Aldershvile Walk follows Aldershvilevej to the park and the palace ruins. It is not long and can be walked at a leisurely pace.

Gladsaxefortet is another place with a historic character. The site includes the casemate building, the caponier, the body of the fort, remains of the rampart and dry moat, and a surrounding park. The fort is protected as a historic monument under the Danish Museum Act. Both its surviving features and its protected status are therefore important to understanding the site.

Architecture and cultural venues

Bagsværd Church was designed by Jørn Utzon. Its interiors are inspired by clouds, an idea expressed in the curving ceilings. In Gladsaxe, the Bibliografen cultural centre houses a cinema and a library under one roof. Telefonfabrikken offers creative workshops in ceramics and jewellery making, painting and stoneworking. Spillestedet Richter at Telefonfabrikken provides young people with space to make music and experience music and community; other user groups are also welcome.

Theatre performances in Gladsaxe take place in the assembly hall of Grønnemose School at Høje Gladsaxe Torv 4, 2860 Søborg. Another cultural destination is the Genforeningsstenen at the corner of Bagsværd Hovedgade and Bagsværdvej. The stone commemorates the reunification of North Schleswig with Denmark in 1920. Gladsaxedagen, meanwhile, is Gladsaxe’s annual festival and cultural day, held in the grounds around the town hall.

Activities for different interests

At Cykelbanen i Mørkhøj, children can practise balance, traffic rules and safer cycling through play and exercise. The facility is open to everyone. Those interested in the practical side of cycling will find a different focus here from that of the longer cycling routes.

The Caféhaven behind Gladsaxe Swimming Pool is free and open to the public. Facilities include a bounce cushion, an outdoor swimming pool, a sandbox, a swing and a panna court. Since individual facilities may change, it is advisable to check the latest information before visiting. Sharing a meal is also part of local cultural life: BIBLIOTEK+ in Høje Gladsaxe offers various communal dining events, including green community meals and the monthly “HG spiser sammen”.

Discover more destinations: Søborg, Furesø Municipality, Hørsholm Municipality, Halsnæs Municipality, Rudersdal Municipality, Copenhagen, Vallensbæk, Fredensborg.

Go to the regional travel overview: Capital Region of Denmark.