Venø By: Hiking, Nature and Island History

Venø By Between Hiking Trails and Local History

Venø By offers a variety of ways to explore the island, from the long Venø Rundt circuit to the church and harbour. When planning your trip, it is particularly helpful to distinguish between a 20-kilometre hike, natural areas with seasonal conditions, and historic sites. This lets you organise activities, nature and culture around the themes that interest you.

Hiking Around Venø

Venø Rundt is a scenic 20-kilometre hike around Venø. It starts at Venø Havn harbour, follows the fjord past cliffs and coastal meadows, and runs along small paths. Along the way, the route passes through Venø By and by a campsite. The distance makes the circuit a distinct block of time in your travel plans. If you plan to hike it, check the route conditions and information about facilities before setting out.

Nature and Seasonal Conditions

At the Nørskov Vig reserve at the northern tip of Venø, breeding and resting birds are the main focus: during the breeding season, the area protects avocets, common terns and little terns; velvet scoters and red-breasted mergansers use it as a resting place. Observe the seasonal restrictions there during the breeding season. Bradser Odde, at the northeastern tip of Venø, is a breeding and resting place for grey seals. The two sites therefore represent different conservation priorities: Nørskov Vig for the bird species mentioned, and Bradser Odde for grey seals.

Church and Wall Paintings

Venø By is home to Denmark’s smallest church. It was built in the mid-16th century and has room for about 50 people. Parts of the original wall paintings can also be seen in Venø Kirke. The period of construction, approximate capacity and surviving paintings give the church several distinct historical facets. For travellers interested in churches and cultural heritage, it combines a remarkable detail about its size with a visible feature of its original design.

Harbour, Ferry and Maritime History

The ferry crossing over the 17-metre-deep and 275-metre-wide Venøsund is Denmark’s shortest ferry crossing and takes two to three minutes. You do not need to reserve a place for the crossing. As timetables may vary, check the departure time for your travel day before setting off. The Venø bus runs several times daily from Struer Station to Venø; for route 346, check the current timetable.

The Venøsund ferry is also part of the area’s maritime history: it returned to Struer in 1956 and was subsequently used on the ferry route to Venø. The Venøsund ferry, built in 1931, is moored at Venø Havn. It occasionally operates on organised trips and as a replacement for the current ferry. Such trips depend on local arrangements.

Venø Havn is a cosy marina with several barbecue areas, as well as tables and benches. The harbour was founded more than 100 years ago by the island’s fishermen and farmers. Visitors’ facilities and a history connected with the work once done on Venø can therefore be found in the same place.

Art, Agriculture and Getting Around

Venø Galleri & Billedværksted combines a gallery with an active workshop. It displays its own works in oil painting, printmaking and ink drawing, as well as works by guest artists. If you plan a visit, check the opening hours beforehand, as opening periods may change.

Agricultural production is also part of the local landscape: Venø Kartofler & Lam grows early table potatoes under plastic sheeting on ten hectares and produces lamb from 75 ewes. These production figures may change. The Venø App is a mobile travel guide with practical information, hiking routes and a treasure hunt. It offers another way to find your bearings alongside the specific themes of the route, harbour and historic sites.

Discover more destinations: Humlum, Flovlev, Lyngs, Jegind, Thyholm, Hjerm, Hvidbjerg, Søndbjerg

For the main travel overview: Struer Municipality.