Hirsholm

Description

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach to the fired harbour is possible day and night. It is done from the south in the green sector of the pier light. About 200 m before the fire you steer northwest to the western white sector, in which you run up to the harbour. When entering, keep well clear of the southern breakwater, which tends to silting up with its shallow angle of repose.

Berths

There are limited berthing facilities on the inside of the north breakwater at 2.5 m water depth. The small bridge in the harbour is reserved for the mail boat and small-scale fishing. At weekends the harbour is busy with local pleasure boats.

Surroundings

On the island you will find no utilities except simple sanitary facilities. Fresh water is not given to guests due to water shortage in summer. The island is a nature reserve. Dogs and cats are not allowed ashore here.

NV Land Guide

"Hirsholmene" is the northernmost Danish archipelago in the Kattegat with 12 small and tiny islands. Only 13 permanent residents live on the main island of Hirsholm, which is around 800 metres long and 400 metres wide - the rest of the small archipelago is a nature reserve and may not be entered. Græsholm, which is comparable in size to Hirsholm and is in the immediate vicinity, is also off-limits to visitors. Scrub, a few trees, some reeds and lots of stones characterise the land formed by ice-age glaciers.

Few houses, a church worth seeing from 1641 and a 27-metre-high lighthouse built in 1883 are the only buildings on the inhabited islet. The connection to the mainland is provided by a mail boat that runs three times a week. Attributes such as "A small paradise, a real idyll, a picturesque place"' are rightly attributed to little Hirsholm. Between the bustling Frederikshavn, only a few nautical miles away, and this secluded place are worlds apart. However, a number of local pleasure boaters who visit the small harbour bay at weekends are well aware of this.
There are good swimming opportunities in the north of the island. Because of the many breeding seagulls, the island is permanently filled with seagull cries.
You also encounter young seagulls on all paths and alleys, protected by adult birds.

The old, yellow crippled hipped houses give the impression that time stood still here 100 years ago. The steepleless old church is not even recognizable as such at first glance. Votive ships hang down from the wood-beamed ceiling and the greetings carved into the pews suggest that riveting sermons were not always preached here. The church bell hanging from a wooden scaffold is rung by the lighthouse keeper and island bailiff. He also has police powers over the islands under the Ministry of Defence, which are officially military territory but fortunately do not show any sign of being used for that purpose. The affiliation to the Ministry of Defence is rather historical and dates from a time when Hirsholm was an important military outpost for the mainland, especially for the Fladstrand fort (see Frederikshavn). Pilots also served here because of the offshore shoals. The small island had up to 150 inhabitants, who also lived from fishing and washed up jetsam. The final economic collapse came when the pilot station was abolished in Hirsholm at the beginning of the 20th century.

Most people left the place, which according to findings was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. For shipping, Hirsholm has remained an important navigation point with its 22-mile beacon.

The inhabitants of the island, which is now also popular as a bathing place, try to protect themselves from civilization with all kinds of prohibitions. Dogs and rubbish must stay on board, birds must not be disturbed while breeding, picking flowers is forbidden and barbecuing or lighting an open fire is not allowed.

A toilet and a water tap provide the only supply and disposal.

Marina Information

Contact

Surroundings

Toilet

Ramp

Public Transport