An alternative Herregaardsruten - The Manor House Route

This is a translated route, literally and geographically. The offical “The Castle Route” is a 99% on-road trip around a bunch of manor houses (not castles) on Funen, many of which you cannot even see. This is The Manor House Route, an adapatation to improve the off-road and see more of what is a beautiful area of Denmark.

Description

In summer 2024, I signed up to help VisitFunen, the local tourist agency, test an information concept for the Herrgaardsruten. I thought this would be great to give some feedback and see an area of Denmark I have really wanted to cycle around for a long time.

It is one of the most beautiful areas of Denmark.

However. The official route (certainly for this southern half of Funen) is 1) On roads and therefore I feel loses the connection to nature that is really a big thing in this area, and 2) Avoids getting close to (or even being able to see) many of the manors because of its need to stay on roads.

The route described here follows closely the official route so it is mainly on road. However I’ve added a number of diversions of shortish off-road (gravel) sections that sometimes also get you closer to some of the great houses.

Do this if…

  • You want an accessible and fast way to see the amazing scenery and towns of Southern Funen. It is beautiful.

  • You want to say in some nice places and eat great food, whilst exercising that away during the day.

Don’t do this if…

  • You want to see and visit old manor houses. You cannot get anywhere near more than half of them and many you cannot even see.

  • You mostly want to be swishing along on forest gravel tracks and easy single track. You won’t find enough of that here.

  • You’re cycling with a young family. Yes, the roads are quiet but they are back roads, and when somebody is on them, they’re sometimes driving way too fast. You can no doubt find better more off-road routes around South Funen.

Highlights

  • Nyborg is a great starting point. A real Danish town, including the rennovation of the harbour area, something that almost all Danish coastal towns are doing these days.

  • Svendborg.

  • Faaborg is a picturesque town with a modernised harbour area and timber framed buildings scattered around the centre. Don’t miss the museum if it’s open.

  • Svanninge Bakker just north of Faaborg has some great hills and oddly is the most off-road part of this trip (its also part of the official route). There’s plenty of viewpoints from this point on for about 10-20km.

  • Assens.

  • For me a real highlight was the little farm shop at Store Vædeled, Vild Hvede. Its not frequently open and is worth planning your journey around. An ancient timber framed farm opened up for visitors with fruit plantations and lakeside seating. The bakery is excellent.

  • Odense.

Stats

  • Distance: 211km, 3 days.

  • Climb: 1150m.

Difficulty and type of bike

This is an easy enough route if you allow enough time. In the official route there’s only a tiny bit of off-road, I added a bunch so for this route you’ll need something a bit more gravelly, perhaps 30mm min tyres.

When to go

It’s Denmark so be prepared for rain, but in summer it’ll be around 20-25C. I’d definitely only do this in high summer: I went in late September and almost all the small tourist cafes/shops and the like were closed (they probably close at the end of August).

  • A bicycle with panniers and a water bottle parked on a cobblestone waterfront promenade, with buildings across the water and a clear sky in the background.

    Beginning in Nyborg. 0700.

  • A waterfront scene at sunset with a cloudy sky, bird flock, turned on street lamp, modern apartment building, boats docked, and cobblestone pavement.

    It is very dark at 0700 at the end of September in Denmark

  • A historic brick castle with a tall spire surrounded by a landscaped lawn and trees at sunset.

    Holckenhavn Slot, near Nyborg

  • A mountain bike with a backpack and gloves resting on the grass beside a rural road during sunset.

    Taking a break. Most roads are like this.

  • A historic brick building with domes and towers reflected in a calm river, framed by branches and pink roses in the foreground, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Hesselagergård Gods, about as much as you can see from the road

  • A white multi-story building with a dark blue roof behind a white fence and black car on the street in front.

    Hvidkilde Gods, the car is deliberate: this is a BUSY road

  • A traditional thatched roof cottage with white walls and black wooden beams, a blue door, surrounded by a white picket fence, with a large tree and shrub in front, under a clear blue sky.

    Many many timber framed houses

  • A large white historic building with multiple windows, red tiled roof, and a central tower. A paved path with a bicycle chained to a post in the foreground. Green grass and bushes surround the building. The sky is blue with some clouds.

    Nakkebølle Sanitorium, perhaps the most interesting building on the route

  • A bicycle parked by a lake with a large brick mansion in the background, surrounded by trees and a blue sky with clouds.

    Holstenshuus. You can actually visit the garden.

  • Waterfront scene with a boat in the distance, clouds in the sky, and a whale tail sculpture in the water.

    Ferry coming into the harbour at Faaborg

  • Interior of a church with white walls and high vaulted ceilings, featuring hanging chandeliers and a ship model suspended from the ceiling, with an altar at the front displaying a painting of Jesus and a person, and large windows letting in natural light.

    Faaborg church

  • View from a covered walkway in a courtyard, featuring yellow and green half-timbered buildings, a cobblestone path, a large leafy tree, and a wooden bench.

    Ancient courtyard, Faaborg

  • A traditional cottage with a moss-covered thatched roof, pink walls with black timber framing, blue window frames, and a decorative blue door, surrounded by a green garden with various plants and flowers.

    Timber framed house

  • Display of various fruits and vegetables on a white wooden shelf and table, including apples, zucchinis, cherries, onions, and a watermelon.

    September does provide fruit stalls by the roads

  • A large white house with black wooden beams and a red-tiled roof, surrounded by trees and greenery on a cloudy day.

    The only possible zoomed view of Østrupgaard

  • A mountain bike resting against a stone post in a grassy field with rolling hills and a cloudy sky in the background.

    Views from hills north of Faaborg, Trebjerg

  • View of a river with a grassy lawn and trimmed trees in front, and white buildings with red roofs and ornate architecture in the background, under a cloudy sky.

    Damsbo Gods

  • Two mountain bikes leaning against a grassy roadside with dirt trail, on the right side shaded by dense trees, with open field and cloudy sky in the background.

    A little off-road here and there

  • A narrow road runs along a body of water, with grassy and brushy land on one side. The road curves into the distance, crossing a small strip of land surrounded by water on both sides, under a mostly cloudy sky.

    The road to Helnæs, often flooding in the wind

  • A large yellow and white historic mansion with multiple windows, a dark roof, and surrounded by a green lawn and trees.

    Hagenskov Gods, you can cycle through the courtyard

  • A historic courtyard with a large moss-covered stone wall behind it, featuring wooden framed buildings with yellow walls, green doors, and a cobblestone pathway leading through an archway.

    The courtyard of Krengerup Gods

  • Bicycle parked under a concrete tunnel with stairs ahead, railing on both sides, and sunlight outside.

    To stay off-road, sometimes detours are needed

  • Bicycle with gear bags parked outside a cottage with a thatched roof and black-and-white timber framing, alongside a picnic table with bread and a multi-tool on a wooden table.

    Vild Hvede, the highlight of my trip

  • A lakeside scene under a sunny sky with clouds, featuring a tree with a bicycle leaning against it, and a path along the water's edge.

    Langesø

Route

Getting there and back

I started in Nyborg and ended in Odense, thus missing out on Northern Funen. Nyborg and Odense are regular stops on almost all intercity trains in Denmark, you’ll have no problems getting to/from the other large cities in Denmark.