Gjerlev lies in the gently rolling farmland north of Randers Fjord in eastern Jutland. The village is the heart of Gjerlev parish and carries a name reaching back to the Middle Ages, when church, farmsteads and the fertile fields between Randers and Mariager shaped the district. The whitewashed Gjerlev Church, with its distinctive tower, remains the local landmark and a quiet witness to the village's long history. Today Gjerlev is a peaceful residential community with a school, a shop and an active club life, surrounded by open fields, hedgerows and small stands of woodland. From here it is an easy trip to Randers with its tropical zoo Randers Regnskov, to the fjord landscape and to the protected shores of Mariager Fjord. Walking and cycling routes wind through the calm, undulating terrain, and the short distances make it a good base for experiencing authentic East Jutland away from the tourist crowds.