Trail 7, Svendborg

This text is an excerpt from the book about the Archipelago Trail, and therefore provides more background, detail and inspiration than the shorter trail leaflets.

Along this trail you pass Hvidkilde Lake, cross the ridge at Egense, and follow the old railway line towards Svendborg. The route continues through the residential neighbourhoods of Kogtved and Strandhuse, past St. George’s Church, under the Svendborgsund Bridge, and along the marina and the old ferry harbour before you reach Svendborg Harbour.

Hvidkilde Lake

Southwest of Hvidkilde lies Hvidkilde Lake, dotted with forest‑clad islands: Kirsebærholm, Lilleholm and Storeholm. Together with Sørup Lake, Nielstrup Lake and Ollerup Lake, the lake sits in a valley connected to the Syltemade river valley.

Here, the valley is wide and oriented east–west and may be a tunnel valley carved beneath the ice sheet during the last Ice Age. Syltemade Ådal, on the other hand, runs north–south and was formed as a meltwater gorge.

Hvidkilde Lake is an excellent site for birdwatching: in summer you can see greylag geese, grey herons and great crested grebes; in winter, large flocks of tufted ducks and pochards dominate. Keep your binoculars ready—many other birds appear around the lake.

Amalielyst

South of Hvidkilde and east of the lake lies the forest Amalielyst. Although the Archipelago Trail does not pass through it, a short detour reveals strip‑cultivated fields from before 1800.

At the northern end, by Hvidkilde Lake, stands the small Rønninge Watermill. At the southwestern edge lies a medieval fortification with traces of a manor mound and farmyard mound, surrounded by boulders and remnants of brick.

Hovvejen

From Hvidkilde, and east of Amalielyst, the trail follows the old hovvej—the historic road used by tenant farmers when travelling to and from compulsory labour duties at Hvidkilde Manor.

Egense Ridge

Egense Ås rises as a striking ridge in the otherwise flat landscape. Formed by sand and gravel deposited in a meltwater stream beneath the ice, it remained standing when the ice retreated. Many Danish ridges were quarried away over the centuries, but Egense Ridge survives, offering a fine view from the top.

Rantzausmindeskoven

Formerly known as Povlinelund Forest, Rantzausmindeskoven is now a recreational area with hiking and riding trails, a small nature playground, picnic spots and a shelter.

The path once again meets the railway embankment of the former Svendborg–Faaborg line, which the Archipelago Trail follows towards Kogtved before winding down to Svendborgsund.

Kogtved Watermill

In a small ravine lies Kogtved Watermill, with its millpond—a peaceful oasis. The mill belonged to the former Kogtved Manor, which was demolished when the land was developed.

The watermill was used for grinding grain, fed by the steep stream flowing from the north. Today the mill is owned by Svendborg Municipality.

From here you can see the red buildings of the old Kogtved Maritime School, closed in 2008 and now converted into senior housing. The beloved Danish comedian and actor Dirch Passer trained as a sailor here.

From Strandhuse to the Svendborgsund Bridge, the Archipelago Trail runs together with the Svendborg Clover Path, providing the option of a 7.5 km detour into northwestern Svendborg.

St. George’s Church

Just west of the Svendborgsund Bridge stands St. George’s Church, a postcard‑perfect whitewashed village church. St. George was the patron saint of lepers, and this was once a leper settlement.

The disease arrived in Europe with returning crusaders in the 1100s. Lepers were isolated in St. George’s Houses across Denmark—around 40 existed by the mid‑1200s.

They could not attend church with others, so wooden chapels were built for them. The wooden chapel here was replaced by the present stone church in the late 1200s.

Two surviving buildings near the church date from 1737–1740, built by merchant Johan Lehn of Hvidkilde. They housed both residents and staff; today they serve as offices and parish facilities.

Inside the church are beautiful glass mosaics by Sven Havsteen‑Mikkelsen and a Romanesque baptismal font from the 1200s, originally from Albani Church in Odense.

Towards Svendborg Harbour

East of the bridge, the Archipelago Trail follows the coastline toward Svendborg Harbour. Turning south would take you across the bridge to Tåsinge—part of Trail 11.

The route continues along Strandvejen, past villas once owned by shipowners, and the circular marina built in 1936. At the crossing by Færgevej, the old ferry slip to Vindeby still stands, marked by the historic Ferry Kiosk.

The trail continues past the kayak club and into Kullinggade—a former sailors’ neighbourhood—before reaching the oldest part of Svendborg’s harbour.

Svendborg’s History

Svendborg began as a small settlement of fishermen, ferrymen and traders. It grew from the harbour area inland to Brogade and Gåsetorvet.

During the 1200s, a Franciscan monastery and two major churches—Our Lady’s Church and St. Nicholas Church—were built. The latter was dedicated to the patron saint of sailors and resembles the great churches of Lübeck and Gdańsk.

Svendborg received its market town rights in 1253 and flourished in the 1700s as shipowners expanded their routes into the Mediterranean. A.P. Møller, founder of the Mærsk Group, began his career here.

Svendborg’s Town Centre

Svendborg is a vibrant town with a harbour and railway running through its centre. The old streets, cafés, creative environment and long history of seafaring provide a rich atmosphere.

M/S Helge

The vintage ship Helge sails the narrow Svendborgsund in summer, offering trips to Valdemars Castle, Grasten on Thurø and Christiansminde.

Frederiksøen

A visit to Frederiksøen in the harbour is recommended. Once home to Svendborg Shipyard (1920–1997), the island is now a cultural hub with workshops, galleries, maritime heritage and Denmark’s Museum of Yachting. Classic wooden ships line the quay.

Pedestrian Streets and Lanes

Walk up Brogade to Gåsetorvet and continue along Møllergade—Svendborg’s pedestrian street—filled with shops, cafés and charming side alleys.

Naturama

Near the town centre lies Naturama, a natural history museum with immersive exhibitions on wildlife in water, on land and in the air.

Svendborg Museum

Svendborg Museum operates several sites, with the main location at Denmark’s Welfare Museum—one of the best‑preserved poorhouses in the Nordic region, telling powerful stories about life on the margins.

Ørkild Fortification

Ørkild is one of Denmark's largest medieval fortifications. Built in the 1100s as an independent power base, it was stormed and burned in 1534 during the Count’s Feud.

Legend says its gatekeeper still rides restlessly as punishment for sleeping on duty.

Tourist Information & Transport

Svendborg’s Tourist Information is located in the warehouse at the Maritime Centre. From Svendborg, buses and trains run to Faaborg, Odense, Nyborg and Langeland.