Hovvig: Dune Landscape and Bunker History

Hovvig lies in the dune landscape of western Jutland, five kilometers north of the seaside resort of Søndervig. The coast with its dunes and the bunker history of Houvigfæstningen offer two distinct points of reference when choosing a place to stay: the coastal landscape on one hand, and the historic installations on the other.

Dune Landscape Between Coast and Fjord

The Houvig position lies in a dune belt about 300 m wide, stretching from the coast to the beach meadows on Stadil Fjord. The landscape is hilly, with dunes up to 15 m high. The width and height describe different aspects of the terrain: the belt extends from the coast to the fjord meadows, while the height figure describes the dunes’ relief. The Sortebærdalen parking lot is near Houvig Beach.

The Bunker Positions and Their History

Houvigfæstningen, also known as the Kryle-Ringelnatter position, was built between 1943 and 1945 as part of the Atlantic Wall. The Kryle position was a coastal artillery position operated by the army, with many bunkers and gun emplacements. The Ringelnatter position was under the command of the Luftwaffe and included radar stations.

From early 1943, the Ringelnatter radar position was reinforced with nine substantial concrete bunkers. The dates refer to different events: 1943–45 marks the construction phase of Houvigfæstningen, while early 1943 marks the start of the reinforcement of the radar position.

The bunker counts also differ according to what they refer to. A total of 26 permanent bunkers were built at the Houvig coastal battery position. Around 50 bunkers are spread across the Houvig area, in the dunes and along the beach. The figure of 26 refers to the specific coastal battery position, while around 50 refers to the Houvig area.

Walking Among the Bunkers

Visitors can walk among the many bunkers at Houvigfæstningen. Some structures are more or less hidden in the dunes. The installations are thus spread across the terrain and are not all visible in the same way.

At the same time, not every bunker can be visited: some are on private land or are flooded by sand or water. Which restriction applies depends on the particular structure. When planning, it is therefore important to distinguish between walking among the many bunkers and entering individual structures.

Cycling Route to Houvigfæstningen

The route “World War II: Ringkøbing-Houvig-Vedersø-Ringkøbing” heads north from Søndervig to Houvigfæstningen. For cyclists, the fortress is therefore a named destination along the route. The route and the visit among the bunkers describe two different scales: the route leads to the site, while visitors can walk among the many bunkers at the fortress.

If you are considering Hovvig as a travel destination, you can take the cycling connection, coastal landscape, and historic positions into account as different interests when making your decision. The bunker counts help put the scale of the installations into perspective: 26 permanent bunkers belong to the Houvig coastal battery position, while around 50 bunkers are spread across the Houvig area.

Discover more destinations: Søndervig, Hemmet, Stavning, Nørre Lyngvig, Skaven, Bork Havn, Stadil, Skjern

For the broader travel overview: Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality.