Hyllekrog: A journey to the southern end of Lolland

It was a cloudy Sunday afternoon. I’d slept in after a long week of early mornings. Eager to get something out of the day, I decided to bike out to Hyllekrog, a nature area that a colleague of mine had recommended!

I pedalled along the country roads, biking 12 kilometers to the very southern end of Lolland, the island that I currently call home. I parked my bike at the tiny parking lot and set off on a 12 km hike, out to the edge of Hyllekrog and back.

Hyllekrog is a headland that sticks out from the end of Lolland. Originally, it consisted of a row of islands but most of these were connected by dams in the late 19th century, and the last island joined the others in 1951.

Hyllekrog is always changing its shape since sand is constantly deposited in the shallow waters. It would be interesting to return in 10 years to see if I would be able to notice the difference.

A well-trodden footpath follows the bends of the headland, leading out to the abandoned Hyllekrog Lighthouse from 1905, which was renovated in 2011 and now stands as a proud monument at the edge of the world.

Surprisingly, it was open and free to visit, so I climbed its stairs up to the viewing platform to see the majestic views over Lolland’s southern coast and the unusual landscapes of Hyllekrog.

I continued further along the footpath until it came to a halt some hundred meters past the lighthouse. With the sun setting behind me, I fought my way through the overgrown vegetation towards the end of Hyllekrog, and soon found myself at the end, with crashing waves on both sides of my feet.

I hadn’t planned to be hiking – and later biking – in the dark, but the trip had taken longer than I thought, and I just couldn’t miss out on seeing everything the area has to offer. So as I trotted back towards my bike, I watched as the sky put on a display of pink hues before gradually turning into dark, stars peeping out from behind the declining clouds.

Travel info on Hyllekrog

IMPORTANT: Entry to the area is prohibited between March 1st and July 15th due to breeding birds.

WHERE IS IT?: Hyllekrog is located at the southernmost end of Lolland. The nearest town is Rødbyhavn, 14 km away. There is a small parking lot about 400 meters left of the summer houses on Lyttesholmvej, which is located at the trailhead.

ABOUT THE HIKE: The hike to the end of Hyllekrog and back is 12 km, takes 2-3 hours and is easy and suitable for children.