Bovbjerg Lighthouse

Bovbjerg is the one place on the long flat west coast of Jutland where the land rises into a cliff, about forty metres of glacial clay and till standing above the beach, and the lighthouse was built on top of it in 1877 to mark the change in the coastline. It is a squat round brick tower, painted, with a gallery that can be climbed for a view that runs the length of the coast in both directions and inland over the fields. The buildings around it hold a cafe, exhibition rooms and a concert space, and the site is run as a cultural venue as much as a lighthouse. Coastal erosion here is significant and heavily engineered against, with groynes and nourishment along the shore below.

What you actually see

• The only cliff on the west coast - forty metres of glacial clay above the beach.
• The 1877 brick tower - climbable, with a gallery view along the shore.
• Coastal defence works - groynes and nourishment against erosion below.
• Exhibition and concert rooms - the site run as a cultural venue.

When to go

April to October for full opening; winter hours are limited. Two hours. Clear days for the view, and storms for the sea below. Concerts run through the summer season.

Honest expectations

The tower stair is narrow and steep. Opening hours vary with the events programme, so check before travelling. The cliff edge is unstable and fenced in places. Wind at the top is severe.

Nearby

Lemvig and the Limfjord are north-east; Hvide Sande lies south down the coast.