Ringkobing Fjord

Ringkobing Fjord is not a fjord in the Norwegian sense but a shallow brackish lagoon, a broad sheet of water rarely more than a couple of metres deep, cut off from the North Sea by the long sand barrier of Holmsland Klit. A single sluice at Hvide Sande controls how much salt water gets in, and that balance decides what lives here. The southern end at Tipperne is a bird reserve of international standing, with wildfowl and waders in very large numbers on migration and access restricted to protect them. The barrier itself carries dunes, summer houses and some of the most reliable wind in Denmark, which is why surfers gather here.

What you actually see

• Tipperne - a peninsula bird reserve with a viewing tower, open only at set times.
• Hvide Sande - the sluice and harbour where the lagoon meets the North Sea.
• Holmsland Klit - the dune barrier with open beach on one side and lagoon on the other.
• Wind sports - shallow flat water that suits windsurfing and kitesurfing beginners.

When to go

April to May and August to October bring the big wader and goose movements; summer is for the beach and the wind sports. The Tipperne reserve opens only on limited days and hours, so check before driving out. Wind is near constant, welcome on the water and tiring on a bicycle.

Honest expectations

The landscape is flat and can look monotonous, and the lagoon is too shallow and reedy for swimming in most places. Holmsland Klit is heavily built up with summer houses and very busy in July. Birdwatching without a telescope is frustrating at these distances, and Tipperne's opening restrictions catch out a lot of people who drive out on the wrong day.

Nearby

The Skjern river delta lies at the eastern end; North Sea beaches run north and south from Hvide Sande.