Discover Melby: Heathland, Trails and Culture

Melby combines a vast heathland landscape with distinctive nature trails, Bronze Age history and noteworthy details in Melby Church. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can choose the location based on whether shared experiences in nature, trails of different lengths or cultural discoveries should be the focus of their holiday.

Melby Overdrev: Heathland, Wildlife and Quiet Trails

Melby is home to Melby Overdrev, the largest heathland area in Zealand. The protected area is designated as a quiet zone; larger events are not approved there. This places a landscape at the centre whose character is shaped by heathland and trails through the heath. Heather and almost 200 other wild plants can thrive on the site. Melby Overdrev also provides a habitat for woodlarks and stonechats, as well as adders, other reptiles and insects.

There are different options for planning your day. The North Coast Trail runs through Melby Overdrev. The Sundhedssporet is also located there, a short 1–3 km route for walking or running. Those who prefer a longer circuit can use trails through the heathland. Trails from Melby Overdrev also lead to a sandy beach on the Kattegat where you can swim. This makes it possible to combine nature, exercise and time by the water in your personal travel plans without making every day the same.

Syvhøje and Melby Church

The history of the surrounding area is also unusually vivid. Syvhøje in Melby comprises eight burial mounds; seven of them originally stood in a north–south row. Sheep graze on the mounds. They keep tall grasses and bushes low, thereby helping to preserve and promote the population of the rare sea pink. In 1967, a woman from the Early Bronze Age was found in the northernmost mound at Syvhøje, dated to around 1500 BC.

Further historical details come together in Melby Church. Today, only the fieldstones of the Romanesque church building erected around 800 years ago remain visible from the oldest Melby Church. The murals in Melby Church were created around 1540 and mainly depict ornaments, tendrils and flowers. The three-masted barque “Marie” hangs from the ceiling. Those interested in church art, maritime motifs and the history of older settlements will find several different points of interest here.

Planning Melby as a Base

Melby is a stop on the local railway line. The Melby cross-route is intended for travellers heading to the station and the town centre of Frederiksværk or travelling from there. Along the way, you can change to the Halsninoen or head south onto the Fjordstien. When looking for accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer to spend your days on the nature trails of Melby Overdrev, at the historic sites or using connections towards Frederiksværk. The right location therefore depends above all on your planned travel pace and the experiences you want to combine.

Other Places in the Surrounding Area

Vellerup, Albertslund Municipality, Kikhavn, Annisse, Tikøb, Vejby Strand, Hvidovre Municipality and Vedbæk.

To the higher-level travel overview: Capital Region.