Hejlsminde: Beach, Nature and Maritime Heritage

Hejlsminde combines an excellent beach with harbour life, water sports and protected natural areas. Hejlsminde Beach lies as a natural meeting place in the centre of the town, close to the harbour and the old seaside hotel. It has been awarded the Blue Flag and offers good bathing water quality, a bathing jetty, a wheelchair ramp into the water, a kiosk, a toilet and an accessible toilet. Fine sand and shallow coastal waters characterise the beach; the seabed is sandy and stony.

Beach, Harbour and Water Activities

Those planning water sports in Hejlsminde will find several different options. The Dunkerbeck Windsurfing Center in Hejlsminde rents out equipment and offers courses in windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. The harbour of Hejlsminde also offers good conditions for windsurfing and SUP. There is also access to a slipway at the harbour. Weekly sailing regattas take place in Hejlsminde, so the maritime character of the town is shaped by more than just a quiet stay by the water.

For windsurfers, Mindegården near Hejlsminde offers shallow water extending far out and plenty of space on the beach for rigging. This gives the water sports locations different characters: at the harbour, windsurfing and SUP are combined with the harbour area; at Mindegården, shallow water and space on the beach for rigging take centre stage. A sailing trip around Brandsø is recommended as another maritime excursion.

Nature Between Inlet, Coast and Forest

The route around Hejlsminde Nor passes through a unique natural area. Here, you can experience white-tailed eagles, marsh harriers and orchids blooming in early summer as special natural features of the landscape. At Vargårde Skov, you may pitch your tent free of charge. You may also be able to spot porpoises hunting along the coast of the Little Belt. The forest is a steep-slope forest typical of East Jutland, with tall beech trees and beautiful steep slopes along the Little Belt.

One of the distinctive natural areas is Noret in Hejlsminde. Noret is a wildlife reserve with a rich variety of birds and plants. A two-storey birdwatching tower stands at Noret, offering views across Hejls Nor. The area consists of a hilly moraine landscape that was formerly used for agriculture. For orientation in this landscape, both the view across the inlet and the different terrain forms are therefore central features.

The Hejls Nor/Mindet area, Hejlsminde Bay, the coast and the holiday-home areas belong to Natura 2000, the F47 Little Belt bird protection area and the R15 Little Belt Ramsar site. These protected areas complement the picture of a place where coastal waters, wetlands, forest and open landscapes are closely connected with the stay. The waters around Hejlsminde Bay are suitable for good spring and winter fishing. Conditions may be favourable because of the freshwater flowing out of Hejls Nor; when fishing, however, the protected zone must be observed.

History by the Water

Hejlsminde is also shaped by maritime and regional history. Hejlsminde Badehotel was built in 1912 and is now considered a landmark of the town. During the season, the Viking ship Freja Byrding has its permanent berth in Hejlsminde Marina. Both places and objects represent the connection between seaside resort, harbour and historical memory, without restricting a stay to a single type of trip.

The Kolding–Hejlsminde railway line was established in 1911. It helped the fishing village develop into a popular holiday and excursion destination because of its location by the water. Political history also left its mark: after the loss of the southern Jutland territories, Hejlsminde became a border town; the Danish-German border ran through the outlet of the lock.

The Østkystruten, Route T19, also ends in Hejlsminde. Thus, coast, nature observation, water activities, historical sites and maritime local history come together at the same destination. The focus you choose can be identified by the specific areas: beach and bathing jetty, harbour and water sports, inlet and wildlife reserve, or seaside hotel and border history.

Further places for travel orientation: Sønder Stenderup, Frydenborg, Vamdrup, Binderup, Egtved, Bjert, Vojens and Jordrup Parish.

For the overarching travel overview: Kolding Municipality.