The best traffic-free bike rides in Katholm Skov

This historic, thatched mill house is idyllically nestled in the picturesque nature of Mols Bjerge National Park near the Kalø Castle ruins. With its charming half-timbered architecture and quiet location on the edge of the forest, the building is a beautiful, historic stage destination for hikers and cyclists.

The Kattegatcentret in Grenaa is one of Denmark's best-known marine aquariums and has been awarded several times as the best aquarium in Scandinavia. Located directly on the harbor of Grenaa, the center is home to over 200 different animal species from all over the world and offers a mix of entertainment, interactive exhibitions, and close-up animal encounters. https://www.meerundhus.de/erlebnisse/attraktionen/ebeltoft/kattegatcenter/

In Baunhøj Mølle, which is considered Grenaa's landmark, you can see changing art exhibitions. On summer Sundays, it serves as a working mill where you can see the large sails attached to the wings so that the miller's journeymen can grind flour. Admission to exhibitions and the mill is free. There are only a few working mills left in Denmark today. When Baunhøj Mølle was rebuilt after the fire in 2002, it was the first time since 1913 that a Dutch mill was erected on Danish soil. Originality is of the utmost importance, and both old and new parts were used for the reconstruction – made according to old traditions. Very special constructions make it possible to ensure that the mill body, weighing tons, and the cap remain in place. The body stands completely freely on the lower millstone and is held only by its own weight. The upper part, the cap with the wings, can be rotated according to the wind direction. Above the lower mill, where the art exhibitions take place, there are four floors: the bridge floor with access to the round outdoor area, the mill floor, the Lori loft, and the cap loft. https://www.visitaarhus.dk/aarhusregionen/planlaeg-ferien/museum-baunhoej-moelle-grenaa-gdk1078598

The church in Veggerslev on Djursland is a Romanesque church built of carved granite ashlar, dating from around 1200. The church tower and portal are from the late Gothic period, while the nave and the original beamed ceilings of the choir were replaced by cross vaults, one in the choir, three in the nave, and the tower vault thus forms a unified church space. The porch is the original entrance portal of the church and consists of two large granite stones with a lintel, probably carved into the edge by the master stonemason Horder, who is also the creator of the characteristic Djursland-style baptismal font. On the southeast corner of the nave, a picture stone with the depiction of a male head is attached to the outside. Inside the church, in the choir, there is an opening in the wall that was originally only closed by a door. Through this door, the lepers received communion. https://www.visitaarhus.de/region-aarhus/reiseplanung/veggerslev-kirche-gdk605699

The Romanesque church building was originally built from limestone blocks from the nearby coastal cliffs. In the late Gothic period, the nave was converted into a so-called longhouse, which later also consisted of chalk fields and monk stones. At the same time, the building was raised, the vaults were installed, and the stilt tower was erected in the west. The veranda was first built around the year 1800. In one of the vaults, there is a small hatch. During the Second World War, a group of refugees was hidden in the small hatch in a cross vault before being smuggled to Sweden. https://www.visitaarhus.de/region-aarhus/reiseplanung/karlby-kirche-gdk605579

Sostrup is an island fortress built on an artificial island of granite rocks and hundreds of oak piles. The posts are intended to retain moisture so that they do not become porous. Therefore, it is important that the moat does not dry out. Many noble families owned Sostrup in the past. The powerful Scheel family owned the castle from 1612 for 211 years. At that time, the castle was called Skeel, after the original spelling of the family name. The last member of the Scheel family to own the castle was Jørgen Scheel, the Wild Count. He traveled for 15 years on several study trips through Europe and brought cultural currents to Sostrup: artworks, 11,600 books, furniture, hand-painted wallpaper, etc. In 1960, a group of Cistercian nuns took over the castle and transformed it into a monastery. In 1992, the Maria Hjerte Monastery and the Maria Hjerte Church were established under the leadership of Abbess Theresa Brenninkmeijer. In 2013, the abbess and 26 nuns left the monastery and Denmark. Today, Sostrup Castle is owned by Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, the fourth generation of the Lego family. He bought the castle on January 1, 2025, and the castle now focuses on magic and adventure in the "Drakonheart" project – a camp for children with unique abilities and high creativity. The castle is not open to the public. https://www.visitaarhus.de/region-aarhus/reiseplanung/schloss-und-kloster-sostrup-gdk605633

Gut Katholm has been documented as a farm since the 15th century. In 1545, a first manor house was built. The castle was built in its place in the Renaissance style in 1588–1591 and extended in 1622 with a lower west wing. The Katholm estate is 1170 hectares in size and is used for agriculture. The public has access to the castle outside the moat. The "Hulvej" leading from the castle to Grenaa consists of a narrow, low-lying road where buses and trucks once got stuck between the old beech trees. The traces left on the bark of the trees give the hollow way its character. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Katholm

The Ørnbjerg Mølle is the only fully functioning watermill still in Denmark. It is located nestled in a forest area southeast of Feldballe on the Ulstrup Å river in the idyllic Mols Bjerge National Park on the Djursland peninsula. The roots of the mill date back to the mid-16th century. The current thatched building dates from 1833 and is a protected monument. The site now functions as a museum mill. A freely accessible plank exhibition in the old pigsty (Svinehuset) documents the historical life and work at the mill. A dedicated association of volunteers (Ørnbjerg Møllelaug) maintains the mill. On special occasions (such as the annual Mill Day), the large water wheel is put into operation to grind grain. The surroundings offer picnic areas, two shelter sites for free overnight stays, and two camping sites. Hiking trails start from here, including a beautiful path to the nearby Stubbe Sø. https://www.visitaarhus.dk/aarhusregionen/planlaeg-ferien/oernbjerg-moelle-gdk605940