Be nature's best guest

One of the best ways to get around and get close to nature is on two wheels. Here are some tips on how to take care of nature and have the best experience while cycling:

• When bringing your bike into the forest, it is allowed to cycle on roads and trails suitable for regular bikes on state-owned areas. Consider whether it is considerate of other visitors and wildlife on narrow paths.
• Cycling is not allowed on animal crossings or in the forest floor and on the beach, on ancient monuments, burial mounds, dikes, slopes, or dunes by the beaches, or on fields, meadows, marshes, beach meadows, and field boundaries. This is to protect the animals and plants.
• On private properties, it is allowed to use roads and forest paths from 06:00 to sunset.
• Be aware of others traveling on and near the trails. Most other visitors in the national park will be slower than you and might get surprised.
• There are certain trails where cycling is not allowed for the sake of wildlife, which can be vulnerable to disturbances. This includes areas closed during the bird breeding season from April 1st to July 15th. These areas are indicated on maps of the national park and in the area's signage.
• On the website www.udinaturen.dk, you can find cycling routes and mountain biking trails. MTB trails are always marked with pictograms.

Here are some tips on how to take good care of nature and have the best experience when hiking.

• On state-owned land, you can walk around respectfully everywhere on foot 24/7.
• On private land, it is allowed to walk on roads and forest paths from 06:00 until sunset. You may rest on roads and paths more than 150 meters away from buildings. Avoid walking outside official paths and close to settlements on private land – even if your map or hiking app directs you that way!
• Weather – especially wind and rain – can affect whether trails and routes are passable. Examples include that in westerly winds and high tides, it is not possible to hike along the coast on the "Sorte Næse" route at Lodbjerg, as the sea crashes against the coastal cliffs, and during periods of heavy rainfall, parts of Redningsvejen near "Lillehav" north of Lyngby are often flooded. The same applies to other areas. Feel free to ask other guests for advice if you are unsure.
• From the first day of spring, it is good to be especially attentive to wildlife and move with great caution. From April 1st to July 15th, there are local access restrictions for the sake of nesting birds. You can find information about these areas here: Bird Protection.
• Wildlife thrives in the central parts of the Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve and the central part of Agger Tange. There is no access year-round in these areas. See the boundaries on our interactive map and pay attention to the signs in nature.

Here are some tips on how to take care of nature while foraging:

• You may forage where it is already allowed in public forests and on public beaches. It is not allowed to take anything from the dunes due to nature protection.
• On private property, you can forage only what you can reach from roads and paths.
• It is an old tradition to forage only what can fit in a "hat" – nowadays, we say "a carrier bag." On public beaches, you should only forage what you can carry without aids—however, you are allowed to take a bucket of sand home.
• Foraging is for personal use so that others can also enjoy the experience of finding and picking food in nature. Larger quantities, such as firewood, can be foraged once you have obtained a "foraging permit" from the Nature Agency.
• Forage without uprooting plants, as the plants should be able to continue living for the enjoyment of others.
• You can cut branches and twigs from deciduous trees if they are over 10 meters high. Pine cones are only collected from the forest floor, not from the trees.
• You can also cut branches from fallen trees, except in plantations where the trees are intended for decorative greenery and Christmas decorations.
• Only consume plants and mushrooms you are certain are edible

Many wild birds and animals are easily frightened by dogs, which are natural predators of wildlife. It can be difficult to know where there are areas with vulnerable birds and animals, so be very attentive to the wildlife, especially from the first day of spring when the breeding season begins.

To ensure we take the best possible care of nature while enjoying it with our four-legged friends, we have provided a set of simple guidelines:

• Remember that, as a rule, man's best friend should be on a leash in nature, just like in the cities. If the dog needs to run free, take a trip to one of the dog parks, which you can find in Faddersbøl (5 ha) and Vilsbøl (19 ha). Find these areas on our interactive map.

• As a rule, the leash should be one and a half meters long, preferably not much longer than that.

• During the winter months, the dog may play without a leash on the beach. In the summer, it may be off the leash in the water and up to the daily low-water line. During the summer, many birds breed on the beach, so the dog should be on a leash. Be aware of breeding birds on the beach from the first day of spring, even though it is earlier than March 31.

• Always have a bag with you and clean up after the dog. Help us by picking up any litter you find in nature and taking it with you, even if it's not yours.

• Do not allow the dog to chase birds in the air on the beach. It stresses them and increases their energy consumption at a vulnerable time.

• Be considerate, as not everyone is equally enthusiastic about four-legged guests with a cold snout, even if the dog wants to be best friends with everyone it meets.

• Always make agreements with landowners if the dog is to be on private land.

• Follow the dog law, even in the dog parks: If you cannot call the dog to you, it must be on a leash.

• In some places, nature is so vulnerable to disturbances that dogs are not allowed. This applies to Hanstholm Wildlife Reserve.;