Tisvilde Hegn

Tisvilde Hegn is one of Denmark's largest and most atmospheric forests, a 2,500-hectare sweep of pine, oak and heath spread along the north coast of Zealand between the fishing village of Tisvildeleje and Liseleje. Its very existence is a story of humans fighting the land. For centuries, sand blown in from the coast buried farms and fields in a slow-motion disaster; in the eighteenth century the crown finally halted the drift by planting the whole area, and the forest that resulted still bears the marks of that struggle in its wind-sculpted trees and rolling dunes.

The most famous corner is Troldeskoven, the 'troll forest', where generations of salt wind have bent and gnarled the pines into low, contorted shapes that seem almost animate. Set just behind the dunes, it is genuinely eerie in the slanting light of evening and one of the most photographed woodlands in the country. Elsewhere the forest opens into stretches of purple heath, quiet lakes and clearings, and threads of sandy path lead in every direction, so that walkers, runners, mountain bikers and horse riders all find room without crowding one another.

History surfaces among the trees. Deep in the forest stand the ruins of Asserbo Castle, a medieval monastery and later manor whose moated foundations sit in a peaceful glade, and near Tisvildeleje the spring of St Helene has drawn pilgrims since the Middle Ages, its healing reputation still marked by a chapel-like enclosure by the sea. These fragments give a walk here a layered, storied quality beyond the pleasure of the landscape itself.

And then there is the coast. Tisvilde Hegn runs straight down to a long, wide beach of pale sand, one of the finest on Zealand, backed by dunes and famous in summer for its clean water and easy swimming. The combination of forest and sea in a single outing – shaded trails opening suddenly onto bright open shore – is what makes the area so beloved by Copenhageners, who have come here to escape the city for well over a century.

Practically, Tisvilde Hegn is free and open at all hours. The easiest approach is the charming private Gribskovbanen railway to Tisvildeleje, from where you can walk straight into both forest and beach; drivers will find car parks at Tisvildeleje and Asserbo. The main forest roads are firm enough for buggies and easy walking, while the dune paths and beach are soft sand and harder going. Allow at least a couple of hours, ideally half a day to combine a forest walk with time on the sand, and bring water and a picnic as facilities inside the forest are minimal. Late summer is glorious for swimming, while autumn, when the heath colours and the low sun rakes through the pines, may be the most beautiful time of all.