The new municipality can be described in many ways and from many different perspectives, but you cannot avoid the fact that the Municipality of Hjørring is one of Denmark’s biggest and most popular tourist areas.

Every year, large numbers of Danes – and also foreign tourists – come to our municipality, and this obviously leaves its mark on the area. Even though, in some people’s view, we are far off the beaten track, the area has a distinctly international flavour, especially during the summer when

it is not just the local dialect which is spoken but also German, Norwegian, Swedish and, of course, Danish. Likewise, sometimes the local population feels it is a long way from Folketinget, the Danish parliament, and that it is a country within a country. Of course, we almost have our own flag, because in the municipality Dannebrog, the Danish national flag, sometimes has to compete with another flag. Up here the Blue Flag flies at all the beaches, announcing that the water quality, the environmental standards and the information about the beach facilities are all as they should be.

Admit it! – In some areas we take a bit longer than elsewhere in Denmark. But this is quite deliberate, as the calm and wise inhabitants of Vendsyssel resist in so far as is possible the hustle and bustle of daily life that is so prevalent today. And perhaps it is this calm and relaxed approach that makes our guests return year after year, because here it is possible to truly unwind and relax.

Experiences for the mind and soul...
If you ask a Dane, most will have fond memories of this area, even though they don’t live here permanently, because there is something for everybody. Some things are intangible and mostly on a sensuous plan: Take, for example, the fresh air, the fantastic light and the magnificent sunsets. Or what about the impressive views that can be had throughout the area – for example from the top of Rubjerg Knude, at Vennebjerg and from the Børglum Kloster windmills – but also further inland, for example at Teglhøj near Astrup.

Or what about the sense of freedom that can be experienced by casting off your shoes and feeling the sand between your toes? Once you have tried lying on your back in one of the many hollows in the dunes with their characteristic chalk-white sand and prickly lyme-grass and surrounded by the smell of rosehip, heather, blackberry and the North Sea and while watching the white clouds scudding past in the clear blue skies – THEN you are sold. Time stands still, you feel alive and can again appreciate the little things in life, such as a ladybird struggling across the fine sand or a jelly fish moving graciously through the blue waves.

... and for the body
Other experiences are far more tangible, and there are lots of things that you MUST not miss: For example Løkken, probably the best beach in the area and which has a 100-year-long history as a seaside resort. Here, it is not just the clean water, the child-friendly beach, the distinctive white beach huts, the pier, the fishing boats along the shoreline or the many holiday homes that draw people, because here there is something for everyone; whether you like camping or staying at a seaside hotel, discos or pubs, pizzas or à la carte restaurants, it’s all here in Løkken.

A bit further north are the steep cliff faces near Nørre Lyngby and Lønstrup, where the North Sea takes a bite out of Vendsyssel each year. Here it is not always an advantage to have sea views, because there are houses which the owners have been forced to leave because they are now hanging half over the cliff. Or like at one of the area’s big tourist attractions, Mårup Church, where part of the cemetery is now on its way over the edge and down to the beach. Mårup Church, which will perhaps soon suffer the same fate, is situated in the southern end of the old and very picturesque fishing village of Lønstrup.
The town is a good example of how it is

possible to retain an authentic charm, even though it has been discovered by the tourists who arrive in droves, among other things to observe the many craftsmen who have made their home up here in northern Jutland. Here, glass blowers, ceramicists, gold and silversmiths, candle makers, pictorial artists, sculptors and so on can be found working and exhibiting, and many of their wares are on sale in the town’s galleries.

While we are in this geographical corner of the municipality, visitors to Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse can now see how the huge amounts of sand have moved eastwards, and that the buildings around the lighthouse are now being exposed from the west. However, this is small comfort, as the lighthouse will not be used again or re-opened to visitors wanting to ascend the many steps, because after the sand is almost gone, the cliff and the North Sea are ready to threaten the lighthouse and the buildings. No, if you want to enjoy the views from the top of a lighthouse, you need to travel to Hirtshals (and the view from the lighthouse there is well worth the trip). On the way to Hirtshals, you can easily stop off at the old merchant’s building Tornby Gl. Købmandsgaard and buy a dried cod while savouring the atmosphere from times gone by when small trading vessels and other traffic crossed the Skaggerak to Norway.

And while we are on the subject of traffic, driving on the beaches in the municipality is something that can make your blood boil. Some love it, because for the disabled or young families it offers easier access to the beach. Then there are those who also love it, because what would you otherwise do with all the cars, or where else would you otherwise (while retaining a little pride) be able to cruise bare-chested in your open-top, top-tuned, gleaming Opel Kadett? Others, of course, hate it, because then you don’t only have to worry about your children

drowning, but also about being run over when walking along the beach. And what is more ruinous of beautiful sea views than 10,000 cars parked on a beach? Whatever your views on the subject, there are beaches in the municipality where it is permitted, and others where it is impossible or illegal to drive onto the beach, which hopefully keeps everyone happy.

Whether you use the roads or drive some of the way along the beach, visitors should include a trip to Hirtshals while staying in

Vendsyssel, as this wind-swept town is different in many ways to other places. Unlike Lønstrup, Hirtshals is still a very active fishing town with a large fishing harbour; it also has a ferry and commercial harbour, as it is here that the large ferries from Larvik, Kristianssand, Stavanger and Bergen dock.  

The people of Hirtshals are not proud of living by the sea, rather they are grateful. As a visitor you will soon notice that the North Sea and fish play a key role up here, and it is not without reason that the biggest aquarium in northern Europe, the North Sea Museum, lies in Hirtshals.

The North Sea Museum, which also houses an impressive sealarium, is one of Denmark’s biggest international attractions, where visitors are given a unique opportunity to learn about life in the North Sea and the North Sea’s resources. When visiting the museum, you cannot help but be impressed by the gigantic “Oceanarium” which, measuring 22 by 33 metres and 8 metres deep and containing 4.5 million litres of fresh seawater, is specially designed for shoal fish, allowing them to display their natural behaviour.

Hirtshals also has other museums which deserve mention. The Bunker Museum Hirtshals, which lies immediately below Hirtshals lighthouse, is the only excavated complete German defensive works from the Second World War which is open to the public. Hirtshals Museum with its exhibition about herbs and “Bjesk”, a kind of aquavit, is also worth visiting – if you are lucky, you might even be able to have a taste.

Further to the east we come to where the river Uggerby Å runs out into the bay Tannis Bugt, and to the Tversted lakes, a popular destination for excursions by locals and tourists, before arriving at the town of Tversted itself. It would be something of an exaggeration to suggest that it is a particularly big town, but people feel that much more space is needed. Tversted has always been a popular seaside town, and the huge ice cream cones on sale attract large numbers of people. It is here that many famous Danes have chosen to buy a holiday home, and in recent years the town has managed to make a name for itself as a jazz centre. It now looks as though the annual “Jazzy Days” event will be held at other times of year, and Tversted also offers other music genres; Aalborg Symphony Orchestra has on several occasions held summer concerts with soloists in the town’s main square.

Not far to the south lies Bindslev, which is also known for one particular music event. Every year, about 1,200 musicians meet up to let rip on their accordions.

Moving inland, tourists will discover that the Municipality of Hjørring offers more than beaches and sea. Here, the countryside is quite different to that found on the wind-swept west coast. In the municipality’s most easterly corner is Tolne woods, which are characterised by deciduous trees and pine trees and a deep stillness – only interrupted by the noise of twittering birds and woodland fauna.

Here, the receding ice masses during the last Ice Age left their mark, which is why the landscape is relatively hilly. There are plantations, streams and arable land, burial mounds and places where courts once sat. Right in the middle of Vendsyssel is Sindal, which is famous for its many fountains. Sindal’s location beside the river Uggerby Å makes the town an ideal point of departure for a canoe trip down the river to its mouth on the bay Tannis Bugt, and it is something of an experience paddling down the calm waterway before ending up in the roaring North Sea.

If we head westwards again, we arrive at the capital of the municipality, Hjørring, by far the largest town in the municipality with 25,000 inhabitants and a centre for education, service, administration and business, trade, health and culture. Like Sindal, Hjørring has one of the few inland campsites, which makes up for the lack of coastal proximity by means of a newly renovated open-air swimming pool which is much-used by the town’s children. When you are unable to get your mother or father to take you to the North Sea, the pool is a welcome alternative.

The town has a youth hostel, inn and hotel, but by far the most tourists find accommodation along the coast. Therefore, tourists often make their way to Hjørring on rainy days, or if they have had enough of the wind and sunshine, because here there are both good shops and attractions. Commerce in the town has developed considerably in recent years, and this development is likely to culminate in spring 2008 when the town’s gleaming new and very large shopping centre “Metropolen” will be inaugurated with supermarket, fitness centre, about 40 specialist shops as well as the municipality’s new main library – right in the heart of Hjørring.

If you don’t feel like shopping, you can take a trip to Vendsyssel Museum of History, which incidentally also has departments in Mosbjerg, Hirtshals, Rubjerg and Børglum. If you want to see living history, pay a visit to the crafts centre Håndværkernes Hus, where retired tradesmen and craftsmen work to keep the old skills alive. During the summer, there is open-air theatre in Hjørring, and the town is also known for its revues. There is also entertainment to be found at the town’s two theatres as well as at the cinema Hjørrings Biocenter. For people wanting a bit more action, there are Hjørring bowling and go-kart centre and Adventure Golf, which has both an indoor and outdoor mini golf course as well as golf simulators. At Hurlumhejhuset, children can really let their hair down and throw themselves around, while from spring 2008 Hjørring’s new microbrewery and the new water centre with a 50-metre swimming pool and splash/warm water/baby pool will also provide fountains of entertainment.

Art lovers should not miss out on Hjørring’s attractive art museum or the many works of art dotted around the townscape. However, fine art is not only to be found in Hjørring. Vrå is home to Kunstbygningen i Vrå – Engelundsamlingen, which contains a unique collection of works by Svend Engelund. At the Odden manor near Mygdal, it is possible to study the extensive collection of studies, sketches, ceramics and paintings by the artist J.F. Willumsen. Moreover, the area is home to many craftsmen and craftswomen whose studios you can visit, while in Hirtshals and Sindal it is impossible not to avoid the works of art that decorate the towns.

Events for everyone
Throughout the municipality a large number of one-off and annual events are held in the course of the year. Listing them all would be a huge task, but some definitely deserve a mention here: We can start again in Løkken, which in July stages Denmark’s biggest beach volley tournament, a hive of activity on the approx. 50 pitches on the town’s expansive beach.

Løkken also draws people to its annual market and to Løkken Koncerten, where top names in the Danish rock and pop scene strut their stuff every year. Finally, Løkken is the venue for a large antiques fair, when the sports hall is filled up with all manner of good things from the previous centuries. Hirtshals is well known for its fish festival, when the town’s fishermen, restaurateurs and citizens serve exciting fish dishes from various countries. There is also a kite festival in Hirtshals at which hundreds of beautiful and eye-catching kites are built and flown. Another noteworthy event on the calendar is the annual fish auction which is organised for the benefit of tourists in the area. Sindal Marked is the big crowd-puller in the town with the many fountains, and it is also in Sindal that more than 100 veteran cars and motorbikes gather every year for a vintage rally.

In Hjørring, the biggest event is Dana Cup, when 20,000 children and young people from around the world meet up every year in week 30 for a sizeable football tournament – Dana Cup is Denmark’s biggest sporting event and the third-largest football tournament for young people worldwide. The cattle show Hjørring Dyrskue is also the third-largest, although only nationally. In addition, Hjørring offers open-air entertainment at Sct. Knuds Kilde as well as concerts in another of the town’s parks, Folkeparken/Svanelunden. The event “Kulturnatten”, an evening of culture and music and stalls throughout the town, also draws the general public in large numbers, and finally there is, of course, the Hjørring Revue, and most recently the Lundergård Revue, which produce a dimple or two among the audience.

Further south lies the former nunnery Vrejlev Kloster, where an annual market can cause traffic jams on the roads around Poulstrup, while Børglum Kloster stages, among other things, various concerts by well-known singers and musicians. Børglum Kloster also collaborates with Vendsyssel Theatre, which in June moves its performances from their familiar – and dry – surroundings in Hjørring to an open-air stage in the courtyard at Børglum. Finally, there are those events which have already been mentioned: Jazzy Days in Tversted, Bindslev accordion festival, the symphony orchestra concert in Tversted …

Active holidays
If you are interested in holding an active holiday, the Municipality of Hjørring is also a good bet. The municipality has four golf courses, and if you just want to have a one-off shot at golf, then the play & pay course in Vennebjerg welcomes beginners. This is also an ideal area for cycling holidays. Firstly because the area is covered by an extensive network of bicycle paths and regional as well as national bicycle routes (of which the coastal route “Vestkystruten” is probably the most used), and secondly because of the outstanding countryside along the half-empty roads which do not carry much traffic. And hiring a bicycle poses no problem at all because they are available for hire throughout this holiday paradise. People wanting to cycle should have a go at cycling right on the beach, as this is a wonderful thing to do, and it is possible along most of the coastline. If you are not tempted by the idea of cycling, there is always the option of riding as there are several places where you can hire horses as well as there being lots of riding tracks.

Due to the steep inclines, the area between Løkken and Lønstrup offers some of the best possibilities for paragliding in Denmark, and where, unlike many other places, you start your ascent from the beach. Kite surfers also benefit from the special wind conditions here. If you don’t feel like exerting yourself quite as much, you can pick berries or mushrooms or join one of the many guided nature walks organised in the municipality. If you want to stay close to the beach, then you can hunt for “North Sea gold”, which is what we call the small lumps of amber that are occasionally washed up on the sand. Or how about fishing? This, of course, it is an obvious activity, either from the beach, from the harbour or from one of our piers, or angling from the bank of a lake or river or (if you want to be almost completely sure of catching something) at one of the fishing parks or put & take lakes in the area. For the thick-skinned, a trip in a fishing boat to the Yellow Reef is an experience not to be missed.

For children and the young at heart
Playful souls of all ages will definitely feel at home in one of the area’s many and varied activity centres. The ones in Hjørring have been mentioned above, but Løkken Action House provides plenty of entertainment in the form of bowling, go-karts, laser games and paintball as well as an amusement arcade. At what is probably Denmark’s best holiday centre “Skallerup Klit” near Lønstrup, it is also possible to satisfy the child in all of us. Visitors to the centre can choose between bowling, minigolf, squash, waterland, swimming pool, amusement arcade, playground and jungle path as well as countless indoor and outdoor sports and much more in the centre’s two sports halls or in connection with the outdoor ball area. The latest attraction at the centre is the Roman baths ‘Romulus’, the architectural design of which ensures a unique experience for body and mind; there is also an adults’ area, where you can escape from the worries and stresses of daily life to rediscover a sense of inner peace.

In Hirtshals, the North Sea Museum is a “must”, after which you can amuse yourselves at Hirtshals Bowling Center with bowling and arcade games. If you like animals, you should pay a visit to the children’s paradise Fun Park, a nature area with playground, bouncy cushion, minigolf, railway rides, bonfire site, tepee, archery, axe and lasso throwing as well as many different kinds of animals. In the northernmost part of the municipality, where the Municipality of Hjørring borders with the Municipality of Frederikshavn, there is another “must” visit – Eagleworld. Here you can see the world’s biggest eagles being fed and flying freely above the spectators.

Clearly, a tourist area such as the Municipality of Hjørring has most visitors during the summer months, but we are working hard to extend the season and create all-year tourism up here. This is proving most successful for the holiday centres in the area which offer a wealth of facilities and activities instead of the beach, but we cannot help thinking that it is a pity that so many of the now very expensive holiday homes in the area stand empty during the winter months. Even though it is too cold for most people to jump into the North Sea, the area does have a charm of its own in the cold season. At this time, it is the harsh countryside which is the main attraction. Once you have stood on a beach and braced yourself against an autumn storm, or seen the blue-green North Sea transformed into a foaming monster that will swallow anything in its path, or watched a fishing boat battle against the waves to return to the Port of Hirtshals – it is impossible not to be fascinated. It is not without good reason that the horizon up here is dotted with wind turbines.

All in all, the Municipality of Hjørring is the perfect place to holiday, and this is true whether you choose to stay at one of the charming campsites, inns, youth hostels, B&Bs, hotels, holiday centres or holiday homes in the area – at any time of year. We look forward to welcoming you to …