Go on a hike
Discover the countryside on foot
Esrum Abbey & Møllegård is a good starting point for both short and long hikes and walks in nature.
Walks for everyone
Whether you are into short walks with your family or a long hike and spending the night in the woods, Esrum Abbey & Møllegård is a great place to start. There are endless routes leading out into a landscape that features so many different nature experiences, filled with the history of the people who were here before you.
If you are in doubt about which way to go, you can get lots of inspiration in the Royal North Zealand National Park information centre, located in the abbey shop at Møllegården.
The history of the landscape
The reason the monks chose to build Esrum Abbey on this particular site was because the area contains so many natural resources, all of which were important for the establishment of the abbey. They were followed by kings, forest farmers and many others. So, the varied landscape – with its wetlands, woods and meadows – helped create both life and Danish history.
A nice little round trip
1.5 KM: Good for children, disabled visitors, and wheelchair users
This tour starts at Møllegården, winds its way through the hazel avenue in the café garden, down into the woods and around the fields, from where there is a stunning view of Esrum Lake. The route is easily walkable and gives families with children, wheelchair users and disabled people the opportunity to get around and discover the beautiful countryside. The path is gravelled. There are a number of benches along the path, so you can take a break and enjoy the nature. The route is not marked, but you can see it in the Danish Nature Agency’s leaflet of routes in Gribskov forest.
From the abbey to Esrum Lake
4 KM: Through forest and meadow
The walk begins at Møllegården, passes the monastery, winds through the forest, crosses the long meadows down to the shores of Lake Esrum, and then returns. In the tour brochure, you can follow the three thematic trails, featuring stories about the nature, the landscape, and the history of the area. Each trail has different points along the route where you can pause and perhaps take home a memorable experience. The route is marked with green arrows inside a white circle.
A whole day in the woods
10 KM: Hiking route in Gribskov
Discover the natural and cultural gems of Gribskov forest. On this 10-km, very varied route, you will pass virgin forest, clearings and former stud meadows where the king’s horses grazed. From Kongens Bøge, you will head along Esrum Lake, enjoying views of the lake’s diversity of bird life. The route is marked with yellow dots.
The North Zealand pilgrimage route
You can also walk the local North Zealand pilgrimage trail from Esrum to Tisvilde. To walk the entire route takes a few days. You proceed through woodland, passing the two large lakes of Esrum and Arresø, and all the charming little villages and cultural gems. The first 11-km stage of leads from Esrum to Mårum. There are poles along the way with QR codes that enable you to access films about the various sights on the route.
In the abbey shop at Møllegården you can buy the complete Esrum-Tisvildeveje hiking map, which features a guide to nature and cultural experiences.
The Santiago pilgrimage route
From Esrum to Spain
In principle, you can walk all the way to the historic pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, but you can also start with the section of the pilgrimage route that passes through Esrum. The route starts in Helsingør and passes through Teglstrup Hegn via Gurre Church and St. James’ Chapel to Esrum Monastery. From here, the route continues south through Gribskov and Nødebo to Hillerød, and then further across Zealand to Germany via Rødby, or via Funen and Jutland.
