Foldingbro: Border History and the Kongeå Valley

Reasons to visit Foldingbro range from its border history to the landscape of the Kongeå Valley. From 1864 to 1920, the town was one of the busiest border crossings between Denmark and Prussia (Germany). A smartphone walking tour reveals the town’s hidden border history; the signposted Kongeåstien runs along the former border river, the Kongeåen. Canoeing and fishing add further appeal. When looking for a holiday rental, you can first decide whether local history, the landscape or activities on the water should shape your vacation days.

Border history in buildings and places

The border-history walk through Foldingbro has a map with eleven geographically located information points. Each point includes before-and-after pictures and historical texts about the building or place in question. This puts individual buildings and sites at the heart of the town’s history, rather than focusing only on the major border routes. The combination of paired images and texts offers two perspectives on each point: its former appearance and its historical context.

A notable place of remembrance is Foldingbro’s Genforeningsstein, unveiled on 12 May 1937. The hill with the stone offers views over the Kongeåen and the broad, relatively flat Kongeå Valley. The inn’s history also goes back a long way: there has been an inn in Foldingbro since 1758, now known as Kongeåkroen. The main building of Kongeåkroen dates from 1910. The inn’s history and the year the main building was built are therefore two distinct milestones in the town’s history.

Valley, trails and nature watching

Protecting the Kongeå Valley preserves, among other things, the Kongeå’s natural, unregulated course. The valley along the Villebøl–Foldingbro section was protected in 1980. Along this section, the trail first follows the Kongeå through the low-lying floodplain, then runs along the valley slopes and the beautiful dry open areas. You can spot kornet stenbræk in these dry areas. If you want to experience different landscapes on an outing, this route offers the described transition from floodplain to valley slope and open areas.

Canoeing and fishing on the water

The Foldingbro–Nielsby canoe route section is 4.8 km long. There is a landing point and toilets along the route in Foldingbro. If you are planning a canoe trip, check the current route information beforehand. The distance and facilities on site give you specific points of reference for planning, without requiring you to infer a particular duration.

For fishing, the river and the put-and-take lake offer different options: Foldingbro is considered a good starting point for fishing in the Kongeåen. The put-and-take lake at Foldingbro Camping is suitable for spinning, fly and coarse fishing. Fishing permits can also be purchased if you are not staying at the campsite, so you can choose your accommodation independently. As regulations may change, check the current conditions before fishing.

Local production and finding a holiday rental

Kongeå Is makes ice cream entirely from milk from Kisbæk in its own micro-dairy next to the ice cream shop in Foldingbro. This is a specific local product story alongside the town’s historical and landscape themes. When looking for a holiday rental, you can use your plans for the days as a guide: will the smartphone walking tour be the main focus, are you most interested in the section through the Kongeå Valley, or are you planning to go canoeing and fishing?

Discover more destinations: Glejbjerg, Bække, Rødding Municipality, Vejen, Hovborg, Brørup Parish, Jels, Holsted.

For the main travel overview: Vejen Municipality.