Hiking route between Silkeborg and Aarhus
If you love hiking, a hike through the Lake District Søhøjlandet around Silkeborg, the Outdoor Capital of Denmark and Aarhus is an absolute delight. Enjoy the forests, river valleys and many lakes that the Danish Lake District is known for.
The hiking route between Silkeborg and Aarhus is approximately 80 kilometres, and the route goes through the beautiful Central Jutland Lake District Søhøjlandet. During the summer, you can combine the route with a boat trip on Gudenåen and the lakes around Silkeborg.
See a map of the route here (in Danish).
See an updated digital map of the route.
Beautiful nature in Lake District
Discover stretches of open deciduous forest, dense coniferous plantations, swamps drained by small streams and clearings characterised by meadows or heathland. In some places, the route passes beautiful forest lakes idyllically nestled in hollows between the hills. In other places, it climbs up over high hills, from where there are magnificent views in many places.
If you are quiet, you will be able to see the many birds in the forest and on the water, hear birdsong, see a bird of prey hunting or a deer jumping. In the forest east of Virklund there is a connection to the hiking and cycling route Silkeborg - Horsens.
Beautiful and historic river valleys
Characteristic of the route between Silkeborg and Aarhus (23 km) is that it crosses or follows large river valleys almost its entire length. To the west it crosses Illerup Ådal, midway the route follows the western part of Jeksendalen and the narrow part of Aarhus Ådal, while the eastern part lies in or along the wide part of Aarhus Ådal.
Only between Illerup Ådal and Jeksendalen does the route pass through high farmland with hedgerows and small ponds. On this part of the route, you can experience several of the river valleys that are so characteristic of the East Jutland landscape.