Maribo Lakes

The Maribo lakes fill a shallow basin in the middle of Lolland: Sonderso, Norreso, Rogbolle So and Hejrede So, linked by narrow channels and dotted with wooded islets. They are shallow, reed-fringed and rich in fish, which makes them one of the better bird areas in eastern Denmark, with grebes, terns and cormorants in summer and large numbers of wildfowl in winter. The town of Maribo sits on the north shore, its brick cathedral church looking straight down the water, and a path circles part of Sonderso through beech woods and estate land. In summer a small excursion boat crosses the lake and canoes can be hired for the quieter channels.

What you actually see

• Sonderso - the main lake, with the town and its cathedral church on the northern shore.
• The islets - wooded islands used as nesting ground, best seen from the water.
• The lakeside path - a walking circuit through beech woods and estate parkland.
• Birdlife - grebes, terns and cormorants in summer, ducks and geese through the winter.

When to go

May to September, when the boat runs, the woods are in leaf and canoe hire is open. Early morning is the calm hour on the water and the best for birds. Autumn and winter bring big numbers of wildfowl, but almost everything visitor-facing shuts down between October and April.

Honest expectations

Lolland is flat, and the lakes are scenic in a quiet, low-key way that will not hold everyone for long. Parts of the shore are private or choked with reed, so the water comes in glimpses rather than continuously. Public transport beyond Maribo is sparse, and out of season the town itself is very quiet indeed.

Nearby

Knuthenborg Safari Park is a short drive north; the Baltic beaches of southern Lolland lie the other way.