Højby: Lake, Flintstone Church and Historic Discoveries

Højby combines nature experiences, church art and excursions with a distinct history of its own. Højby Lake shapes the landscape, while Højby Church, with its medieval wall paintings, provides a cultural focal point. There are also the burial mounds of Syvhøje, climbing courses and adventure mini-golf. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether you primarily want to plan peaceful days by the lake, historic discoveries or a variety of activities.

Højby Lake: Landscape with Special Regulations

Højby Lake was restored across an area of 60 hectares. The lake itself covered 40 hectares when it was completely filled in 1993. Mute swans, greylag geese, coots and great crested grebes breed in the area around the lake. Those who enjoy observing nature will therefore find a specific reason to include the lake in their day’s plans.

The design of the landscape also tells an unusual story: Agriculture has never been practised on the southern slopes of Højby Lake. As a result, plants that already grew here in the Middle Ages can be found there. There are gravel paths and informal footpaths by the lake, adapted to the designated routes. In the northwestern part of Højby Lake, however, there are no paths; this area serves as a retreat for birds without people nearby.

Important for your planning: Boating is prohibited on Højby Lake, and fishing is also prohibited in most of the lake. The lake is therefore not suitable as a destination for an excursion with your own boat or for a fishing day in every area. Its appeal lies instead in the landscape, the birds and the varied impressions along the existing paths.

Højby Church and Traces of the Middle Ages

Højby Church is one of the largest and oldest flintstone churches on Zealand. Its chancel and nave date from the 12th century and were built from unworked and split fieldstones. The wall paintings, dated to the period from 1200 to 1410, depict scenes from the New Testament, the Last Judgment, stories from the childhood of Jesus and scenes of everyday life. The motifs also include Saint Olav.

The church is therefore particularly interesting if you want to combine nature and culture during your trip. The wall paintings provide not only religious imagery but also insights into the beliefs and everyday life of past eras. Together with Højby Lake, they create a varied daily rhythm: a landscape where animals and ancient plants can be observed, and a historic site with visible traces of medieval design.

The lake itself also has a historical dimension. Højby Lake was formerly part of the defence system of Borren, a medieval castle. This former function is part of the history of the place and adds another link between the landscape and the past to a visit to the church.

Excursions with Different Focal Points

For active pursuits, Gekko Park has four climbing courses with varying levels of difficulty. Depending on the challenge you want, you can choose a suitable course there without limiting the excursion to a single level of difficulty. MinigolfParken offers a different form of exercise with 18 adventure holes inspired by Odsherred’s characteristic landmarks.

An excursion to Syvhøje has a historical focus. The group consists of six burial mounds between Højby and Nykøbing Sjælland. The mounds date from the early Bronze Age, around 500 BC. Syvhøje can be reached from the car park at Næsholm on Nygårdsvej via a signposted small walking trail. The approximate dating places the site in the early Bronze Age and adds a historical focus to the short walking trail.

Getting There and Choosing a Location

Højby has a railway station on the Odsherredsbanen and is a stop on route 510R Odsherredsbanen. If travelling by train is important to you when planning your trip, this connection is an important point of reference when choosing where to stay. Højby is also located a few kilometres from Route 21. For a holiday apartment in Højby, you can therefore first decide based on your preferred holiday focus: lake and paths, church art and history, or active excursions.

If you would like to expand your search to other places, you can find additional destinations here: Hønsinge, Gudmindrup, Nørre Asmindrup, Asnæs, Lumsås, Grevinge, Nyrup and Rørvig.

For the higher-level travel overview: Odsherred.