Canoeing on the Grønå and Sønderå

See Sønderjylland from the water – go on a canoe trip up and down the Grønå and Sønderå rivers. These two major waterways are part of Sønderjyllands largest water system, known as the Vidå system, which flows into the Wadden Sea.

The two streams wind through varied and beautiful valleys.

Grønå and Sønderå are the only streams in the Aabenraa municipality that allow canoeing – in return, you can be sure to have a fantastic landscape and nature experience.

Grønå

If you're sailing on the Grønå, you can board your canoe at Hajstrup or Slogså in Bylderup Bov.

In the wetland area between Grønå and Sønderå, you'll find the remains of the old hunting lodge "Grøngård," built in 1567 by Duke Hans the Elder. The remnants of the lodge are located north of the current one with the same name.

Sailing rules on the Grønå:

You can sail from the bridge in Hajstrup (Uge Bæk) to the confluence with Vidå in Tønder city (19.3 km) or along the Slogs Å section from Ålykke in Bylderup Bov to the outlet in Grønå (0.4 km).

It's not allowed to go ashore on sections with riverbanks unless embarkation and disembarkation are signposted.

Sønderå

Just like Grønå, Sønderå is also part of the Vidå system, which drains one-third of the entire area of Sønderjylland.

Sønderå is the southernmost stream in Sønderjylland, where you'll pass by the idyllic grain mill in Store Jyndevad.

If you go on a canoe trip along the Sønderå, you'll pass through a bird-rich valley. The journey from Store Jyndevad to Rens is beautiful, but in many places, the canoe must be carried, which is why the trip is recommended for more experienced canoeists.

In the town of Rens, you'll sail down an almost 500-meter-long stone weir built for the smelt fish. If you start after the fish farm in Rens, the trip is relatively easy to navigate.

Sailing rules on the Sønderå:

Canoeing is allowed from the bridge at Julianehåbvej in Store Jyndevad to the outlet in the border watercourse Gammelå in the Tønder Municipality.

Canoeing on the Sønderå is only permitted from June 15 to November 15.

In general, the watercourse and its banks are owned by landowners. You must have legal access to the waterways where the embarkation and disembarkation sites are located.