This is not a wagging finger, but a helping hand! We’ve noticed that you’re great at exploring the nature of Kystlandet—THANK YOU for taking care of our beautiful area. However, we can all sometimes wonder what the best way to behave is. We’re here to guide you with tips and tricks.
Many of us find joy in spending time outdoors—more than ever before, in fact. With so many people enjoying nature, the impact on it increases, making it even more important for us to act responsibly. Whether we’re drawn to local hiking trails, birdwatching towers, or campsite shelters, we might sometimes wonder how to behave properly or what the rules actually are. And occasionally, we could all use a good piece of advice.
For example, how do you handle waste during a hike without ending up with curry dressing all over your backpack? And what do you do if nature calls when you’re far away from any toilets?
Proper behaviour in nature is about protecting wildlife and plants, keeping the area clean and enjoyable for other visitors, and showing respect to local residents who kindly allow access to private land for trails.
While there are many rules about navigating nature, it’s actually quite simple when it comes down to it. If you stick to trails and roads during daylight hours, you’re on the safe side. This way, you won’t have to worry about whether you’re on private or public land. During this time, you’re free to use picnic tables, rest areas, and other publicly accessible facilities.
Yes, it matters for what you are allowed to do when you're in nature.
Let's start with the rules: As a general rule, you are allowed to walk on trails and roads through forests and along beaches, whether you're on private or public land. You can walk on private beaches but cannot stop or linger. In private forests, you are allowed to walk on trails from 6 a.m. until sunset. You are not allowed to stop or linger within 150 meters of buildings in private forests. In forests smaller than 5 hectares, private landowners can deny public access. If this is the case, it must be clearly marked at the entrance to the forest. Generally, you can always tell if a forest is public or private by the signs at the entrance.
In public forests, you can walk off-trail on foot at any time, but you must follow any signage.
Tips: Always respect privacy and do not enter private land. Think of it as being a guest in someone else’s home when you walk through their forest. Pass through as much as possible, but avoid stopping. In general, the presence of facilities like picnic tables or marked routes is a good indicator that the owner is okay with you stopping on the property.
Danish forests are jokingly referred to as "forests of signs," and with good reason. The green signs packed with rules at forest entrances can seem overwhelming or even intimidating. However, they contain all the information you need and are there to help you.
Hiking trails are usually marked with a wooden post featuring a metal sign. Most people only notice the color of the sign itself, but in fact, the color of the post also provides relevant information. It indicates whether you are on private or public land. On state-owned land (managed by the Danish Nature Agency), the posts are red. On municipal land, the posts are black. On private land, they are brown. Along a hiking route, the color of the posts can change several times, guiding you on how to behave in nature.
The sign itself typically features arrows and dots in different colors to help you distinguish between different routes. In some cases, there may also be a unique logo for a specific route. For example, heart paths are marked with the logo of the Heart Association. The color of the arrows and dots doesn’t have any significance. A small trend in our area is that main routes are marked in red, while side routes are marked in yellow. However, this is not a rule.
Cycling routes have their own signage. You’ll follow a blue sign with a bike icon and a route number. National cycle routes have red numbers, while regional cycle routes have blue numbers. There are also exceptions for cycling routes. For example, the Kulturringen - Culture By Bike is marked with a flower symbol instead of a number.
Don’t count on finding a trash bin when you need one during your hike or bike ride. In remote natural areas, bins are few and far between. In general, it’s also good practice to carry your waste out with you. We recommend bringing freezer bags or resealable bags in your backpack to keep leftover food from getting all over your spare clothes and water bottles.
Remember to smile and greet other visitors—it’s an easy way to brighten someone’s day and enhance their outdoor experience. Make room for others, avoid monopolizing nature facilities, and refrain from being loud or playing music. This shows respect for those seeking peace and relaxation and helps avoid startling wildlife. Remember, you’re a guest in their home.
Also, avoid breaking branches off trees or trampling through fragile plants. Protecting nature ensures that everyone can continue to enjoy its beauty.
No, you can’t just pitch a tent anywhere in the forest. You’re allowed to camp at designated campsites and shelters, but keep in mind that some of these require booking. Additionally, there are specific forests where wild camping is permitted. You can find shelters, campsites, and forests with wild camping opportunities in the area on this page.
Yes, in public forests and on public beaches, you are allowed to sleep on the ground. This can be in a sleeping bag or a hammock hung between two trees. The rule is that you cannot have a roof over you. If you want shelter from the rain, you are referred to forests with wild camping or nature campsites.
Staying in shelters has become quite popular in recent years. Most shelters in nature are free of charge. However, some may require a small fee. For most shelters, it operates on a first-come, first-served basis, but at others, it’s possible to book in advance. Booking is usually only necessary for private shelters.
A common rule for all public shelters is that you must make space for others. For example, if there are already two people in a shelter and a group of three arrives, you cannot turn them away.
All bookable government shelters can be reserved on this page.
Shelters are often located in remote areas without additional facilities. At other times, they are situated in nature campsites with facilities like fire pits, multi-toilets, and benches. If you want better conditions and more comfort during your shelter stay, you can book a private shelter. The price is higher but offers access to amenities like bathrooms, breakfast, outdoor kitchens, or similar facilities.
Dogs should generally be kept on a leash. On beaches, dogs are allowed to run freely during the winter months (March-October), as long as they are under control and not disturbing other visitors. If you want your dog to roam freely, you can visit one of the area’s dog parks. These offer larger enclosed areas where your dog can run off-leash and enjoy itself.
For more tips on how to explore nature with your dog, you can find inspiration here.
Let us emphasize that if you can hold off until you reach a public restroom, you should absolutely do so! But sometimes, it’s just not possible. The next important tip is to wait until you’re no longer on private land. In some areas, hiking trails have actually been closed due to landowners’ frustration with outdoor visitors’ restroom habits.
While the law doesn’t specifically address whether you can go number two in the wild, it does state that indecent behavior is prohibited. So, make sure to step off the trail and find some privacy behind trees or bushes where you won’t be visible, and where others won’t accidentally step in your waste. Don’t use toilet paper; instead, use moss or other natural materials.
Is there anything more cozy than sitting around a campfire making stick bread or roasting marshmallows? Or cooking dinner on the grill outdoors?
Unfortunately, not all areas allow open fires. In public forests, you can only light a fire at designated fire pits or shelters. In private forests, you need permission from the landowner in advance.
You’re allowed to light a fire and use a grill on the beach, as long as there’s no vegetation nearby. This only applies to public beaches, and it’s important that you're not too close to other beachgoers.
Tip: The area’s harbors often have benches with grills that are available for public use. However, check the rules beforehand, as some marinas reserve facilities for sailors.
Kystlandet’s nature is full of exciting edible herbs, berries, flowers, and mushrooms. It’s allowed to forage (a modern term for gathering) for personal use. In public nature areas, you can forage anywhere, while in private nature, you can only gather what you can reach from the trail (unless otherwise agreed).
In the water, fishing, shrimping, or crab-catching along the coast is permitted. However, be aware that you’ll need a fishing license, and there may be protected zones. Learn more about fishing regulations along the coast on this page.
If you want to collect firewood in the forest floor of public forests, you need to purchase a foraging permit through the Danish Nature Agency.
It is allowed for everyone, with or without a foraging permit, to collect branches and twigs from the forest floor, as well as cut branches from fallen trees. It is also allowed to gather moss and pine cones for personal use.
Be aware that firewood is available at many nature campsites, though not all of them.
If you wish to forage in private forests, you need to make an agreement with the landowner.
So far, we've only talked about forests and beaches, but there are other types of nature where we might feel uncertain about what the correct behavior is. You could be wandering through Denmark’s largest marshland area, sailing on our fjords, or swimming in the lakes of Bakkelandet. How could we forget that we have the most diverse nature in Denmark? ;-)
As a general rule, you are always allowed to move along public as well as private roads and paths through fields, meadows, or similar areas 24/7. However, there may be some cases where a private landowner restricts access for privacy reasons. In these instances, clear signage must be provided.
It is not permitted to walk on cultivated fields.
On uncultivated land, the same rules apply as for forests. Access to paths on private land is allowed from 6 AM until sunset, while on public land, you may move around freely at any time of day or night.
As a general rule, you are free to move on the sea and fjords, whether you are in a kayak, rowing boat, or motorized vessel. However, there are restrictions in areas such as wildlife reserves and other protected nature areas. This includes places like Vorsø in Horsens Fjord.
Motorboats, jet skis, and similar vessels are only allowed to operate within 300 meters of the shore. Beyond that, the speed is limited to a maximum of 5 knots when approaching the land.
It is allowed to sail in non-motorized vessels (canoes, kayaks, SUP boards) on rivers and lakes with multiple owners, such as the entire Gudenå river. However, if a lake has only one private owner, you must first obtain permission from the owner to access the lake. On public lakes and rivers, you are free to move around as you wish. There may, however, be cases where public authorities have restricted access for nature conservation reasons.
If you wish to sail on a river, make sure the water depth is sufficient. For both rivers and lakes, you must be able to access the water yourself. Avoid disturbing the nature, and use boat docks, launch sites, and similar facilities if they are publicly available.
