Bored of the Med? Try the bucolic ‘Lake District of Denmark' this summer

Telegraph

11-05-2025

In Silkeborg, the forest, lakes, river and town are so seamlessly woven together that boundaries blur. Bucolic swimming spots and quiet woodland are moments away from shopping streets and smart restaurants, and in this small Danish town, where the 52,000 residents travel mostly by bike or boat, surrendering to a slower pace of life couldn't be simpler.
Just 45 minutes from Denmark's second city, Aarhus, the town came into existence when a paper mill was built here, on the confluence of the Gudenå river and Silkeborg lake, in 1844. Today, the trendy 'Papirfabrikken' district stands on the factory's former footprint, the red brick buildings now housing restaurants, a theatre, a hotel, houses, and a delightful museum explaining the town's origins. It was here that I had opted to stay – right in the heart of the town, and surrounded by Silkeborg's beginnings.
As Denmark 's unofficial 'Outdoor Capital', the whole town is on a mission to make the outdoors easily accessible to everyone, and though there are also plenty of easy hiking routes, it was on a borrowed hotel bike that I opted to start my exploration. I began with a lap of Silkeruten (the silk trail), a twelve kilometre route that skirts the edge of the town and links together lakes, woods and beauty spots. A little Danish Lake District, if you will.
From the town centre I crossed a wooden bridge to Odden, an island-like spit of land, and was merrily pedalling along my way when a baby deer bounded across my path. Soon, I reached clearings in the woods, where groups of friends and families spanning all generations sat chatting around barbecue spots, and frequent signposts pointed out places to swim. Dappled sunlight filtered down through the trees, and the pretty woodland stretched out ahead of me – as charming a spot as I'd ever seen.
From here, I continued down to Østre Søbad on Almindsø lake, one of the cleanest in Denmark and another popular place for a dip (great for children too, as two circular pontoons have been used to create shallow, enclosed swimming areas), with free-to-use changing rooms, lockers and even an outdoor shower – and, crucially, a coffee and ice-cream van.
I stopped for a swim – the waters warm and clear and perfect – then headed for the beautiful wood-panelled sauna (which I had pre-booked, paying 50DKK/about £6 for three hours of use) to warm up while gazing out over the lake through its huge picture window.
Between them, Silkeborg's residents own around 1,500 pleasure boats – a fact which becomes immediately evident as you pass them in droves moored along the river and outside homes. On a sunny weekend it felt as though the whole town was out on the water, taking a leisurely jaunt or picnicking by the river. Eager to join them, I took a paddle-ship cruise with local company Hjejleselskabet (which has – amongst its fleet of nine boats – the 164-year-old Hjejlen, the world's oldest coal-burning paddle steamer still in operation), and – the following day – hired a kayak and paddled happily down river, admiring achingly Scandi-chic cabins, trees, diving birds and tiny fish darting in the green water.
I was beginning to see why Silkeborg had earned its 'Outdoor Capital of Denmark' moniker – but I was keen, too, to experience its cultural side. I'd heard that it was the hometown of Asger Jorn, one of Denmark's most significant artists and also a great collector, so I paid a visit to Museum Jorn – which he founded – housed in a large bright building by the river. Jorn was interested in finding a universal language of art, and took inspiration for children's drawings and cave paintings, believing that art was for everyone. The museum was a joy: a brilliantly curated collection of sculpture, paintings and tapestries, the second largest art collection in Denmark and one of the highlights of my trip.
I also visited Silkeborg Bad, built as a health spa in 1883 because of its proximity to the area's natural springs. It's had a chequered history: requisitioned during the Second World War by the occupying Nazi forces, closed as a spa in 1983, and even used as a refugee camp during the Bosnian war. Today, it's a gallery owned by the city which hosts travelling exhibitions of Danish and international artists, its expansive gardens home to dozens of sculptures.
If it sounds like little, provincial Silkeborg punches above its weight in many a category, that's because nothing could be more true – and, unsurprisingly, the same goes for its food. It's a youthful city, with many young people moving there each year, often from Aarhus, drawn by the quality of life and increasing the desire for elegant pavement wine bars, sourdough bakeries and chic cafes for lunchtime smørrebrød.
A perfect example was the courtyard at trendy, rustic BABBA where, seated under a light-strewn canopy, I made my way through a multi-course feast of Mediterranean-inspired dishes, each with a Danish twist, including sweet potato waffles with local cheese, fennel ceviche with dill and delicious cardamom ice cream.
On my final evening I strolled along the waterfront to watch the firework-like display at the Silkeborg Langsø fountain, then took a riverside table at Evald at Papirfabrikken. Over a meal of local tomatoes, then fish with fennel, I watched two young teens fishing from a wooden boat as the sun went down – free and happy and without a care in the world.
In this unique little place of fresh air and fresh food, I knew just how they felt.
Essentials
Radisson Blu Hotel Papirfabrikken in Silkeborg (radissonhotels.com) has double rooms from £109 per night.
Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London to Aarhus from £31 return; from there, it's 45 minutes by train or car to Silkeborg (car hire at the airport costs from around £22 per day; public transport can be booked at rejseplanen.dk).
Ailsa Sheldon was a guest of Visit Denmark (visitdenmark.com).