woodlandheritage

Klampenborg and Dyrehaven: walking with deer

The UNESCO royal deer park, the world's oldest amusement park, and the 1736 hunting lodge at the centre.

Drafted by Claude — the editor hasn’t walked this one yet. We’ll update this notice once it’s been verified on the ground.

Distance

5 km

Time

~ 150 min

Start

Klampenborg S-tog (Coast Line)

End

Klampenborg S-tog (Coast Line)

Best at

morning

Right now

17°C· Partly cloudy

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

Dyrehaven is the royal deer park — eleven hundred hectares of UNESCO-listed forest north of Copenhagen, founded by Frederik III in the 1670s as a royal hunting reserve and still home to around two thousand deer. Eremitageslottet — Lauritz de Thurah's 1736 hunting lodge — sits at the centre on a small ridge, where the royal hunting parties used to dine. Bakken — the world's oldest still-operating amusement park, dating to 1583 — is at the park's southern gate, doing the cheerful-noisy counterpoint.

Five kilometres on the forest paths, two and a half hours including stops. Klampenborg station is the entry point — the Coast Line drops you a minute from the Røde Port (Red Gate). Bakken is right there on the southern edge; pass through if it's open (March–August), but the deer-watching is the main event.

Walk north on the central allée — the trees thin out at the rises, and the deer (red, fallow, and sika) graze in the open meadows between the wooded stretches. Eremitageslottet is the centrepiece at the top of the ridge; closed to the public most days, the building itself is the experience from outside.

Back south to Klampenborg via the deer-watching path. The Coast Line takes you back to Copenhagen in twenty-five minutes.

The route

On the map.

A soft dashed line, numbered stops. It’s a suggestion, not a turn-by-turn.

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

01
1
Klampenborg S-tog
Coast Line stop, twenty-five minutes from *København H*. The *Røde Port* (Red Gate) is a minute from the station — walk north and the forest opens up immediately.
01
Klampenborg S-tog
Coast Line stop, twenty-five minutes from *København H*. The *Røde Port* (Red Gate) is a minute from the station — walk north and the forest opens up immediately.
02
2
Røde Port (Red Gate)
*Den Røde Port*, the main entrance to *Dyrehaven*. Originally the perimeter gate of the royal hunting ground, now the canonical visitor entry. The deer can occasionally be seen from inside the gate before you even start walking.
02
Røde Port (Red Gate)
*Den Røde Port*, the main entrance to *Dyrehaven*. Originally the perimeter gate of the royal hunting ground, now the canonical visitor entry. The deer can occasionally be seen from inside the gate before you even start walking.
03
3
Bakken (Dyrehavsbakken)
The world's oldest still-operating amusement park; the entertainment fair on the site dates to 1583. Modern rides and old wooden roller coasters mixed; folksy, less polished than *Tivoli*, free to enter (rides charged). Open mid-March through August.
03
Bakken (Dyrehavsbakken)
The world's oldest still-operating amusement park; the entertainment fair on the site dates to 1583. Modern rides and old wooden roller coasters mixed; folksy, less polished than *Tivoli*, free to enter (rides charged). Open mid-March through August.
04
4
Eremitageslottet
*Lauritz de Thurah*'s 1736 hunting lodge on the highest ridge in *Dyrehaven*. Royal hunting parties dined here; the building has a hydraulic dining table that descended through the floor to be loaded out of sight (still working, apparently). Closed to general public; the exterior and the meadow view are the experience.
04
Eremitageslottet
*Lauritz de Thurah*'s 1736 hunting lodge on the highest ridge in *Dyrehaven*. Royal hunting parties dined here; the building has a hydraulic dining table that descended through the floor to be loaded out of sight (still working, apparently). Closed to general public; the exterior and the meadow view are the experience.
05
5
Deer-watching path
The walking paths through the open meadows where the deer graze. Red, fallow and sika; the ruts vary by species (autumn for red, July–August for fallow). Walk quietly — the deer are habituated to walkers but not to noise. Best at dawn or dusk.
05
Deer-watching path
The walking paths through the open meadows where the deer graze. Red, fallow and sika; the ruts vary by species (autumn for red, July–August for fallow). Walk quietly — the deer are habituated to walkers but not to noise. Best at dawn or dusk.
06
6
Back to Klampenborg station
Walk south along the central allée back to the *Red Gate* and the station. The Coast Line back to *København H* in twenty-five minutes; trains run every ten or so on weekdays.
06
Back to Klampenborg station
Walk south along the central allée back to the *Red Gate* and the station. The Coast Line back to *København H* in twenty-five minutes; trains run every ten or so on weekdays.

Klampenborg and Dyrehaven: walking with deer

On the map.

Things to notice.

Klampenborg S-tog

Klampenborg S-tog

Røde Port (Red Gate)

Røde Port (Red Gate)

Bakken (Dyrehavsbakken)

Bakken (Dyrehavsbakken)

Eremitageslottet

Eremitageslottet

Deer-watching path

Deer-watching path

Back to Klampenborg station

Back to Klampenborg station

Two more, on similar days.

Charlottenlund and Skovshoved beach

Grundtvigs Kirke and Bispebjerg