Randkløve Skår is one of Bornholm's most dramatic coastal landscapes, a deep rift cut into the granite cliffs of the island's east coast, roughly midway between the fishing towns of Gudhjem and Svaneke. Here the rock is split into narrow, near-vertical clefts that plunge from the wooded plateau down toward the Baltic Sea, forming a natural gorge that both cuts inland to the southeast and opens dramatically to the water.
The formation tells the geological story of Bornholm. The bedrock is ancient granite, and the fissures were widened and shaped over millennia by frost, water, and the grinding movements of Ice Age glaciers. In the upper part of the cleft you can still read the rock: a band of pegmatite laced with red feldspar and pale, glassy quartz runs through the grey granite, a reminder that this island is a fragment of the Fennoscandian shield, geologically closer to Sweden than to the rest of Denmark.
Reaching the heart of the skår is part of the experience. A coastal rescue path threads along the cliffs between the hamlets of Saltuna and Ypnasted, and steep wooden stairs and steps lead down into and across the clefts. The walk is uneven and occasionally demanding, but every turn opens a new view of split rock, tumbled boulders and the open sea. In spring the surrounding woodland of wild cherry, ash and oak fills with blue, white and yellow anemones, while heather and juniper cling to the exposed cliff edges. Seabirds wheel below, and on a clear day the horizon stretches unbroken across the Baltic.
There is a quiet human story here too. For generations the meadow beside the skår, sheltered between the steep landward cliff and the offshore skerries, held one of Bornholm's finest coastal strand-meadows, rich with rare plants — a small, protected pocket of nature that local conservationists have long watched over. The name itself, "Randkløve," combines the Danish words for edge and cleft, describing exactly what you see: the split edge of the island.
Visiting is free and possible at any time of year, though the site is at its best from late spring through early autumn when the paths are dry and the light is warm. The nearest parking is at Randkløvevej 26 near Gudhjem, about 500 metres on foot from the gorge; follow the country lane from the car park and turn where the tree rows point toward the coast. Sturdy shoes are essential for the stairs and rocky ground, and children should be kept close near the steep, unfenced edges.
Randkløve Skår rewards those who slow down. Sit on the warm granite, listen to the water working at the base of the cliff, and you sense the immense span of time that shaped this place. It is less a single viewpoint than a stretch of wild coast to explore — one of the great natural attractions of Bornholm, and a place that stays with you long after you have climbed back up into the sunlit forest.
A local's tip
Approach on foot from Ypnasted rather than driving straight to the car park — locals call this the prettiest coastal path on Bornholm, and it lets the clefts reveal themselves slowly.
Getting there
By car, park at Randkløvevej 26 near Gudhjem, then walk roughly 500 m down the country lane toward the coast. On foot, reach it via the coastal rescue path between the hamlets of Saltuna and Ypnasted. Regional BAT buses on the Gudhjem–Svaneke coast route stop at nearby villages, and the marked coastal trail links the site with both towns.
Best time to visit
Late spring to early autumn, when the paths are dry and spring anemones or warm summer light make the cliffs glow; early morning is quietest.
Accessibility
Not wheelchair accessible: reaching the clefts involves uneven forest paths, rocky ground and steep wooden stairs. Wear sturdy shoes, take care near the unfenced cliff edges, and keep children close.