Udbyhøj: Beach, Trails and Nature

Udbyhøj offers several ways to enjoy a trip to Randers Fjord: a family-friendly sandy beach, named trails, a shallow body of water of great importance to birds, and a ferry history of its own. To plan your stay, you can first decide whether swimming, a route, wildlife watching or local history should be the main focus.

Beach and fjord nature

Udbyhøj Beach is a family-friendly beach with fine sand and is suitable for swimming. Several national cycling and walking routes, as well as the international North Sea Trail – Nordsøstien, run near the beach. If you do not want your stay to focus solely on swimming, these routes can provide another focus for your trip.

Udbyhøj Marina is located at the mouth of Randers Fjord and is part of Randers Fjord Nature Park. North of the harbour, the shallow waters are of great importance to resting and breeding birds; many seals can often be seen there.

Trails with different routes

The green route at “Stierne ved Udbyhøj Nord” is 3 km long. It runs from Udbyhøj Marina along the dykes to the shelter site at Fjordcentret and back via Udbyhøj By. The “Stierne ved Udbyhøj N, Pumpehuset” route runs south from the harbour along Udbyhøj Beach to the pump house on Randers Fjord. It is part of the 32 km long “Randers Fjord Stien” long-distance walking trail.

When planning your route, note that the distances refer to different things: the 3 km is the length of the green loop, while 32 km refers to the long-distance trail as a whole. The route’s layout also matters when choosing: the green route crosses the dykes and returns via Udbyhøj By, while the route to the pump house runs south along the beach.

Ferry history and special places

Udbyhøj is a village about 400 years old that developed around the historic ferry crossing at the mouth of Randers Fjord. The Udbyhøj cable ferry connects the harbours of Udbyhøj Nord and Udbyhøj Syd and crosses the mouth of the fjord. The historic ferry crossing explains the village’s origins; today, the cable ferry connects the two harbours. If you plan to take the ferry, check the timetable in advance.

Udbyhøj Skanse is a so-called star-shaped fortification. Its shape gives the place a distinct historical aspect alongside its beach and nature attractions. The Kanonbåden in Udbyhøj Nord is also part of the area’s maritime heritage: it is a mobile information platform on the water that provides information about Randers Fjord Nature Park. At its inauguration, visitors could look across the fjord from the upper deck with binoculars and learn about the nature park.

Discover more destinations: Selkær, Ramten, Bønnerup Strand, Ørsted, Trustrup, Auning, Lyngby, Anholt

For the overview of the wider area: Norddjurs Municipality.