Discover Melby: Heathland, Trails and Historic Traces

Melby combines expansive heathland with walking trails, historic sites and a railway stop. Melby is home to Melby Overdrev, the largest heathland area on Zealand. Trails lead from Melby Overdrev to a sandy beach on the Kattegat where you can swim. The route connects the heathland area with a specific point on the coast. The sandy beach on the Kattegat complements the trails through the heathland with time spent by the water.

Melby Overdrev: Heathland, Wildlife and Protected Nature

Melby Overdrev is protected and designated as a quiet zone; larger events are not approved there. The area provides a habitat for woodlarks and stonechats, as well as adders, other reptiles and insects. Heather and almost 200 other wild plants can thrive on the Overdrev. Trails lead through the heathland, where you can go for a walk. The Nordkyststien also runs through Melby Overdrev. At Melby Overdrev, the Sundhedssporet offers a short route for walking or running, measuring 1–3 km.

Melby Church: A Church with Older Traces

Melby Church also offers a glimpse into the history of the village. Today, only the fieldstones of the Romanesque church building erected around 800 years ago are visible from the original Melby Church. The murals in Melby Church were created around 1540 and mainly depict ornaments, tendrils and flowers. The murals therefore date from a later period than the Romanesque building. The three-masted barque “Marie” hangs from the ceiling. Alongside the murals, the barque “Marie” adds a maritime detail to the interior of Melby Church.

Syvhøje: Burial Mounds and the Bronze Age

Syvhøje is another of the historic sites in Melby. The site comprises eight burial mounds; seven of them originally stood in a north–south row. The additional eighth mound is also part of the site, even though seven originally stood in a north–south row. Sheep graze at Syvhøje to keep tall grasses and bushes low and to safeguard and encourage the population of the rare sea pink. In 1967, a woman from the Early Bronze Age was found in the northernmost mound; she has been dated to around 1500 BC. The find therefore dates from considerably earlier than the church building erected around 800 years ago.

Trails, Rail and Orientation in the Area

The Melby tværrute is intended for travellers heading to or from the railway station and the town centre of Frederiksværk. The tværrute leads towards the railway station and town centre of Frederiksværk. Along the way, you can change to the Halsninoen or head south onto the Fjordstien. Melby is also a stop on the local railway line.

For further trip planning, you can also open the destinations Jægerspris, Store Havelse, Gilleleje, Ishøj Municipality, Skibby, Annisse, Glostrup and Vejby Strand.

To the higher-level travel overview: Hovedstaden.