Discover Vangså: Heathland, Dunes and Fishing Village

Vangså combines an impressive heathland landscape with traces of an old fishing village and several marked trails. Vangså Heath is part of Natura 2000 site No. 25 and makes the area particularly interesting for travellers who want to combine nature experiences, history and active days on holiday. Depending on your travel plans, you can focus on the landscape, the development of the settlement, or a cycling and hiking tour.

Heathland, dunes and remarkable birdlife

Vangså Heath is a landscape whose formation and management are closely connected with heathland and bog habitats. The deflation area contains examples of parabolic dunes with dune ridges running from west to east. These formations give the heathland its distinctive landscape character and offer attentive visitors interesting opportunities to observe nature.

As a bird habitat, Vangså Heath is particularly valuable for green sandpipers, cranes and short-eared owls. Management measures have been carried out along the western side of Vang Sø to restore former open heathland and bog habitats. This has created an open landscape with views across the lake. When planning your day, you can therefore combine different nature themes: dune formations, heathland, birdlife and views over Vang Sø.

The history of the fishing village

Vangså was established in the early 18th century. At that time, drifting sand forced local smallholders to look for new places to live. As early as 1683, there was a settlement of farms and houses in the dunes of Vang Klit. In the early 18th century, it was relocated westwards to present-day Vangså. The history of the village is therefore directly connected with the landscape and its changes.

Vangså reached its greatest extent in the 1920s: at that time, there were 34 farms and houses, as well as a school, a mission house and two grocery shops. For 1924, around 40 fishermen with 34 boats are recorded. Such figures provide a concrete picture of the settlement at the time and its importance as a place to live and work, without reducing Vangså to its past.

Hiking and cycling around Vangså

Anyone wishing to explore Vangså on foot can include the Vestkyststien hiking trail in their plans, as it runs through Vangså Heath. National Cycle Route No. 1 also passes through the heathland. The Vestkystruten runs from the south via Vangså Heath to Vangså, providing another opportunity to experience the landscape over a longer distance.

The Vangså Route is also interesting for cycle tourists. It is 23.5 kilometres long and varied, with Vangså Klithede at its centre. The route passes through the fishing village of Vangså and is marked with blue signs bearing the inscription “Vangså ruten”. The signs make it easier to find your way during the ride, while the changing landscapes and village views provide variety.

To the sea and suitable accommodation

There is a car park at the beach, where the public road ends, for visitors wishing to go to the sea. This clearly described destination can be helpful when planning an outing. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Vangså, it is best to base your choice on the focus you want for your holiday: nature enthusiasts should consider their plans for Vangså Heath and Vang Sø, those interested in history should focus on the fishing village, and cyclists on the routes around Vangså.

Other places to consider when planning your trip

If you would like to compare other places alongside Vangså, you can also view Vesløs, Tved, Klitmøller, Vestervig, Hjardemål, Nr. Lyngby, Frøstrup and Helligsø.

For the higher-level travel overview: Thisted Municipality.