INDLEDNINGINTRODUCTION Watchful walking on the 5b Gendarmstien (the Gendarme Path) – then and now 5c Walking along the Gendarmstien, it’s easy imagining the gendarmes keeping eyes and ears open as they patrolled on foot, moving across the steep cliffs and deep forests and flat 5a beaches. Their job was to catch dangerous smugglers illegally moving goods in and out of the country to avoid paying customs duty, which for centuries was one of Denmark’s main sources of income. 11b GRÅSTEN 11a The Border Gendarmerie was formed in 1839 The police took over border control in 1958 and to protect customs officials who worked for the the regiment was disbanded after more than 100 10c 11d duchies at the border along the Elbe. years of service. But fragments of the historic After the defeat of 1864, the Danish border Gendarmstien remained and the path was resto- At Busholm 1950 10a 10b HØRUPHAV was moved north to Kongeåen and in 1866 the red in the 1980s. So now you can walk along one 11c regiment moved there. of Denmark’s most beautiful nature trails, keeping After reunification in 1920, the regiment moved a lookout for rare plants and animals while explo- EGERNSUND 6a south again and patrolled the current border, ring the many myths and stories associated with 12a from the Wadden Sea to the west to Als’ southern this part of Denmark. point to the east. SØNDERBORG 11e Skomagerhus border crossing, circa 1920 11f RENDBJERG 7c BROAGER If you’re planning a walk on the Gendarmstien and want details about overnight Explore the outdoors responsibly accommodation or the route or other information, contact any of the area’s Most people have a reasonable three tourist information centres. The centres’ websites are always up to date idea of how to behave responsibly with the latest events and venues and have a wealth of useful information about when exploring the countryside the options in the area. – if you use marked paths, keep 7b SANDAGER 9e dogs on leads and do not litter 4a Kruså Turistbureau Aabenraa Turistbureau Sønderborg Erhvervs- the countryside, you won’t go far Flensborgvej 11 Storegade 30 og Turistcenter wrong. 4c 4b DK-6340 Kruså DK-6200 Aabenraa Rådhustorvet 7 But if you’re unsure and want Tel.: +45 74 67 21 71 Tel.: +45 74 62 35 00 DK-6400 Sønderborg to learn more about using the Tel.: +45 74 42 35 55 7a [email protected] [email protected] countryside and coastal areas, visit STENSIGMOSE [email protected] 9d www.visitkrusaa.dk www.visitaabenraa.dk www.skovognatur.dk www.visitsonderborg.com BRUNSNÆS 7d Aabenraa Municipality Sønderborg Municipality Byg, Natur & Miljø Natur og Miljø Skelbækvej 2 Rådhustorvet 10 Part-financed by the EU SØNDERHAV The European Regional DK-6200 Aabenraa DK-6400 Sønderborg Development Fund 3a Tel.: +45 73 76 76 76 Tel.: +45 88 72 64 00 Investing in your future [email protected] [email protected] 8c 8d KRUSÅ Explore the local history, myths, legends, Selected places and sights along 9c Queens sights and beautiful countryside along Gendarmstien Map key 8b Dukes the Gendarmstien. The map is marked with a selection of sights, places, etc. Some War Peace of these are briefly described on the back of the map. Gendarmsti (Gendarme Path) The 1e The map’s back page gives a taste of the many experiences and Castles KOLLUND adventures waiting for you on the Gendarmstien. The small coloured 1a “Den Krumme Vej” / The border in Rønsdam 7c Broager Church with two spires Gendarmsti along the beach icons divide the text into different subjects: 1b Traces of old castle in Nyhus 7d Former ferry berth in Brunsnæs Alternative trail 9b Black woodpeckers 1c Bov Museum/Oldemorstoft 8a Water level marker at Røjhus Hærvejen Gendarme Path 2c 1d Haraldsdal 8b The pirates’ “Skrækkeshøj” Frog concerts Marked bicycle route 8a 1e Kruså Vandmølle (watermill) 8c Barrow in Skelde 9a 74 km path along the Danish-German border Not marked bicycle route Pirates 1g Memorial at jernbanebroen 8d Reed forests in Skeldevig 2b History 1h Frøslevlejrens Museum 9a Liebestunnel KRAGESAND Smugglers Parking spaces Toilet PADBORG 2a Skomagerhus border crossing 9b Brudestenen Springs 1a Nature and 2b Christian IV’s copper mill 9c Burial mound in Skeldekobbel Forest Caravan site Barbecue or campfire area 2c Abrahams Spring 9d Cliff at Stensigmose Brickworks Ice Age 2a geology Primitive overnight Bus stop 3a Ferry connection to Store Okseø 9e Gratelund vantage point accommodation Fossils 4a 1c Brickworks ruins at Stranderød 10a Historiecenteret 1864 Tourist office Train station 1b Nearby sights 4b Brickworks ruins at Brændstoft 10b Dybbøl Mill Mussels Vantage point Nature playground Follow the signs with the blue gendarme 4c Munkemølle and memorial to 10c Kongeskansen on Dybbøl Bank Queen Margrethe I Border crossing Sea kale Gendarmstien stretches from the Danish-German border at 11a Alsion / Lindén Kommunikation 2013. beSouled 1. udgave Padborg, across Kollund, Rinkenæs, Gråsten, Broagerland Sagas and 5a Former spa hotel in Gråsten 11b Former navy station Border crossing for pedestrians and cyclists only Camp fires and Vemmingbund, past Dybbøl and on to Sønderborg legends 5b Gråsten Castle 11c Sønderborg Castle 1g 1d and Høruphav on Als. Hugging the coast, the route passes 5c Paludan-Müller Memorial 11d Ringridermuseet 1 km Border crossing through varied landscape with forests, moors and meadows. Activities for 6a Egernsund Church 11e Sports academy Twinkling fossils 7a Cathrinesminde Teglværksmuseum 11f Skydestranden in Sønderborg 1h 3 km The 74 km route follows marked roads and paths. all ages Scale approx. 1:40.000 7b Teglværksstien 12a Trillen Scale 1:40.000 PADBORG TO KRUSÅ approx. 5 km SØNDERhav TO SANdageR approx. 6.5 km RENDBJERG TO BRUNSNÆS approx. 6 km STENSIGMOSE TO SØNDERBORG approx. 12 km South Jutland is a central gateway if you want to “Ground tel- The area was covered by ice over 100,000 years Ships were once the easiest form of transport Teglværksstien *7b Siege of Dybbøl Frog concerts move to Europe via Denmark or to the other Nor- ephone” *1a ago and the ice disappeared 11,000 years ago. Shaped by the Ice Age because roads were almost impassable and you Part of Gendarmstien is followed by the This part of Gendarmstien offers a constant view You can enjoy the ”frog concerts” along dic countries from Europe. For over 1,000 years, Speak into The Ice Age has shaped the landscape – with couldn’t move a lot of goods over stony ground. Plain sailing Teglværksstien path. There are information of Dybbøl Bank, site of the Siege of Dybbøl, which War in 1864 Gendarmstien in April, May and June. commoners with livestock, traders and dukes have funnelled the “ground large hills, slopes and lakes. and humans Coal-laden ships could sail near to the brickworks and points where you can see traces of the old took place in April 1864. Natterjacks ’sing’ at Gammelmark. At Dyb- across the border. telephone” at the The Ice Age also meant brick production could thrive once loaded, they transported bricks and tiles all over the brickworks. Part of the Second Schleswig War that ended in disastrous bøl you can hear natterjacks, edible frogs border crossing in and European tree frogs, which are also The most popular route was Hærvejen, which Gendarmstien Rønsdam and look here for hundreds of years. Fine underground clays that world. defeat for Denmark, which lost 40% of its land area and a found in Sønderskoven. crosses just north of Padborg. Hærvejen stretches from are free of stone were able to form in the still waters of Broager population that went from 2.6 million to 1.6 million citizens. out for the numbered border markers. The Church Trondheim in the north to Rome in the south. It also links first 49 are found on the Gendarmstien. the glacial lakes. The first steamship came to Flensborg Fjord in 1866. Ten The Danish army were entrenched *7c at Dybbøl while the Prussian troops to the Camino de Santiago pilgrim route that ends at the Along the route you can still see traces of the Ice Age in years later, there were 23 of them. There were 32 jetties Hear the difference Broager Church is well 18 April 1864 were positioned at Gammelmark on The edible frog is the smallest frog in Den- Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela, near the Atlantic the landscape, and along the beach and elsewhere there and 50 departures each day. The ships transported a million known because it has From 2–18 April, grenades rained down upon the entrench- Broagerland. mark. At dusk it makes little short croaks. Ocean. are many relics from the brick industry’s era, e.g. the passengers each year. two spires. The church ment, and the Danes were unable to counterattack because The natterjack toad is grey or brownish Gateway to Europe abandoned brickworks in Stranderød and Brændstoft. The steamships operated until World War I. was built in the 12th their cannons were too old. The enemy assault began at The landscape with a distinctive yellow stripe. Its croak Adder Stone century. The Gothic 10:00 on 18 April, and one by one the Danish positions fell. Between Padborg and Kruså, Gendarmstien sounds like a cicada or like someone You may find adder stones spires were built around 1400. Legend has By 14:00, the Danes had lost and retreated to Als. passes through a distinctive tunnel val- Life as a border gendarme blowing through a comb. ley, formed during the last Ice Age over walking the Gendarmstien. it that the two spires are memorials to two Bov Museum/Oldemorstoft *1c The route passes small houses that were built for the Edible frogs can grow to 10 cm long.