At Svostrup Kro, a 19th-century inn that spills on to the grassy banks of Denmark’s Gudenaen River, guests arrive by car, bicycle, kayak and paddle board to order its most popular dish.
Stjerneskud is an open sandwich in name only. If you look hard enough, you’ll eventually find a slice of bread beneath the tower of shrimps, crispy-fried plaice, curls of smoked salmon, cod roe, white and green asparagus, tomatoes, cucumber, mustardy mayonnaise and a sprig of dill.
It’s hearty enough to fuel a Viking, but then again, exploring Denmark’s lake district, tucked away in the heart of mainland Jutland, is hungry work.
They don’t call it ‘the outdoor capital of Denmark’ for nothing. In this beautiful, largely untouched wooded wilderness with a mosaic of freshwater lakes, you quickly succumb to the call of the wild.
Hire a mountain bike and bomb along forest paths, join a guided hike along myriad lake-side trails or rent a kayak and play ‘fantasy holiday house’ as you paddle past some of Denmark’s most lavish lakeside properties.
Fiona McIntosh travels to Denmark’s ‘outdoor capital’ tucked away in the heart of mainland Jutland. She visits Lake Almindso, pictured here, ‘one of Denmark’s cleanest, freshwater lakes’
Fiona enjoys dining on the region’s most popular dish, a Stjerneskud open-sandwich, seen here (stock image)
The good news is all of this wholesome, Scandi action is easily accessible from the UK.
After a 90-minute flight from London to Billund, I hire a car and spend a relaxing hour meandering my way through flat farming country, past tiny villages with picket fences and honesty boxes selling eggs and strawberries, to the district’s centre, Silkeborg.
This pretty resort town has a tranche of small hotels and reasonably-priced guesthouses starting from as little as £49 a night (you won’t be paying Copenhagen prices), though I manage to nab a room at the recently-opened Ny Hattenaes, a glorious lakeside retreat on the outskirts of Silkeborg.
Silkeborg, seen here, is a ‘pretty resort town’ with a ‘tranche of small hotels and reasonably-priced guesthouses’, says Fiona
Silkeborg, above, was built in the late 1800s in a forest overlooking the Brasso lake network
This traditional wooden refuge, built in the late 1800s in a forest overlooking the Brasso lake network, had fallen on hard times. But a meticulous renovation by a Danish design family means it now radiates a quietly glamorous, Great Gatsby-esque charm with an excellent restaurant, sprawling terrace bar and 14 bedrooms — all with lake views.
From the hotel, take the easy 40-minute walk along the river path to Silkeborg or just step on to the pier at the end of the garden and wait for Hjejlen, the world’s oldest original coal-fired steamer to drop you into town.
This hop-on-hop-off service is a fabulous way to see the lakes as you chug along past grand summer houses, through dense forests and skirt around islands teaming with bird life. I take the boat on a circuit to Himmelbjerget (Sky Mountain) where I wind my way up through fields of wildflowers and wild oak to the summit.
Fiona remarks: ‘I take the boat on a circuit to Himmelbjerget (pictured) where I wind my way up through fields of wildflowers and wild oak to the summit’
Wild swimmers will also be delighted with the walk to nearby Almindso, one of Denmark’s cleanest, freshwater lakes. It is also a triumph of Danish design. Circular wooden walkways jut into the lake, forming two pools — a shallow one for small children, and a deeper one for everyone else.
After taking the plunge (it is bracingly cold, even in summer) I bask on the small sandy beach to warm up and feel terribly Scandinavian.
If you have the time, it is also worth spending a couple of nights in the port of Aarhus, an hour’s drive from Silkeborg.
This quaint, arty city with cobbled streets, cafes and irresistible bakeries is also home to Denmark’s imposing ARoS Art Museum, one of the largest contemporary art galleries in northern Europe featuring Danish and international artists. Take the lift to the top for 360 degree views of the city through rainbow-coloured panels.
Everywhere you wander in Aarhus you are reminded of the genius of Danish design, from the cluster of homeware shops and fashion boutiques in the lanes of the Latin Quarter, to the spectacular, cantilevered roof garden and bars on top of the department store Salling.
Aarhus (pictured above) is an hour away from Silkeborg and boasts Danish design, simple food and roof gardens
But for me, the biggest revelation of all is the quality of the food. While Copenhagen is famous for its extreme fine-dining experiences at Michelin-starred temples such as Noma and Alchemist, here in Aarhus the food is simpler, less expensive but just as ragingly delicious. There is almost a national obsession for using local, seasonal ingredients, plucked from the rich land, lakes and sea around them.
At the Mefisto brasserie in Aarhus’s Latin Quarter, I try its exquisite version of the Stjerneskud ‘open sandwich’.
Then raising the game, I try the tasting menu at the excellent restaurant Haervaerk, where I go full-Danish and tuck into ox tongue schnitzel, seared wolffish and pulled venison. This extraordinary fine-dining experience will set you back £62 per head for nine courses.
If you’ve always wanted to visit Denmark but have been put off by the legendary prices, the little known Danish lake district is a clever, cost-effective and soul-lifting way to dip your toe in the (bracing) water.