Family Holiday in the Lake District

Denmark's Outdoor Capital Silkeborg® is, as the name suggests, a true paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Here you will find numerous opportunities to enjoy the beautiful nature of the Lake District on hikes, bike rides, or from the treetops in the Silkeborg Climbing Park.

If you, for example, enjoy seeing everything from above, take your family to the Silkeborg Climbing Park. With 35 ziplines in six different heights, there is something for everyone. If climbing is not your thing, you can still enjoy the natural playground at the climbing park and have a picnic in the shelter where drinks and snacks are available for purchase.

The Silkeborg BikePark, the city's mountain bike playground, is located in the same area and offers an adrenaline rush and speed. If you have older children or teenagers in the family and want to push the limits, it's the perfect place to try one of the mountain bike trails.

At Aqua Aquarium & Wildlife Park in Silkeborg, you can meet and experience animals from the Danish nature, including otters, badgers, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. And the brave can also touch the fish in the touch pool. If you also want to experience some of Denmark's most magnificent birds of prey, it's a great idea to visit Silkeborg Eagle Reserve, where you can get up close with eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls at the reserve's Birds of Prey Show.

And if you want to get even closer to the animal kingdom, at Fuglsang Horse Riding Tours, you can get in the saddle on one of their Icelandic horses and have a unique experience in the hilly landscape near Silkeborg.

Gudenåen is nothing short of a magical Danish natural treasure that you cannot miss when visiting Søhøjlandet.

There are plenty of opportunities to rent canoes, kayaks, and rowing boats by the hour or day at several locations along Gudenåen. The charming Ry Marina is one of these places, and you can also enjoy an ice cream or a drink at the ice cream kiosk before setting out. A boat trip up Denmark's longest river, Gudenåen, will make your heart rate slow down as you listen to the gentle lapping of the waves and float through the peaceful and breathtaking nature.

In Søhøjlandet's picturesque natural surroundings, there are plenty of opportunities for swimming as the lakes are among the cleanest in Denmark. Get your towels ready and prepare for a refreshing freshwater dip in the middle of the fantastic nature.

In Søhøjlandet, you will find three lakes with a blue flag, a guarantee that the water is safe and clean: Skanderborg Søbad, Knudhule beach, and Sdr. Ege - all with ideal conditions and especially child-friendly. But also, Almind Lake and Ørnsø in Silkeborg are excellent bathing spots for the whole family. At Ørnsø, you will also find the troll, Strong Storm, a giant wooden sculpture by artist Thomas Dambo.

How did people get around in the old days? Take your family on a journey back in time aboard the world's oldest coal-fired paddle steamer, Hjejlen, and enjoy an unforgettable and beautiful cruise on the Gudenå River from Ry to Himmelbjerget. Hjejlen has been sailing since 1861, and when you step aboard the paddle steamer, the stoker will throw coal under the boiler, and the engineer will lubricate the old engine - just as it has been done for over 150 years.

You can also experience a fabulous ride through the landscape on the beautiful old steam locomotive at the Bryrup-Vrads veteran railway. Let yourself bump through the fantastic natural scenery of Søhøjlandet on the 5 km long stretch, and enjoy lunch or refreshments in the old station building's restaurant afterwards.

Get a sensory bombardment of colors and shapes at the Museum Jorn, where Denmark's influential and internationally recognized Cobra painter, Asger Jorn, invites you to wonder. After a wonderful tour through the exhibitions, the whole family can unleash their creativity in the art museum's open workshop, where you can get your hands into art, immerse yourself and try out creative techniques that the artists themselves have worked with - you can of course take your own works home.

If you are enthusiastic about stories of our common past, then visit the Silkeborg Museum. Here you can see the more than 2000-year-old bog body, Tollund Man, which was found near Silkeborg and be captivated by other exciting archaeological finds and historical monuments.

Indelukket in Silkeborg is another great destination for families with children. Indelukket is a combined city park and marina by a river and forest, where there is plenty of space to play freely. Here you will find Indelukket's playground, a brand new playground with activities that inspire both young and old to balance, climb and enjoy the slides. When you need a break or something to eat, you can head over to Indelukket's Mini Golf, which has both an ice cream kiosk and a restaurant. Here you can challenge each other on an 18-hole mini golf course, where you are guaranteed to have some fun hours and a good laugh.

In Skanderborg, you will find 'Sløngel Playground', which celebrates the universes of the Danish children's book author, Ole Lund Kirkegaard. The playground is a festival for the little ones and is located near the city's Culture House and lake, so there are plenty of opportunities to take a cool dip in the lake or have lunch in the Culture House's cafe.

Take the children for a walk in the beech forest at Skanderborg Dyrehave, where you can practice throwing frisbees on the disc golf course.

Another great family outing is Labyrinthia Park, where both adults and children can have fun finding their way through the park's eight different mazes. It's a fun outing for the little ones.