Randers Fjord

Randers Fjord, Denmark
Map showing the location of Randers Fjord, Denmark

Randers Fjord, Denmark, Northern Europe

Location Norddjurs Municipality
Nearest city Randers
Coordinates 56°36′28.98″N 10°18′44.75″E / 56.6080500°N 10.3124306°E / 56.6080500; 10.3124306Coordinates: 56°36′28.98″N 10°18′44.75″E / 56.6080500°N 10.3124306°E / 56.6080500; 10.3124306
Area 13 square km

Randers Fjord is a 30 km (19 mi) long Danish fjord in Northern Europe leading to the sea of Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden. The fjord is the outlet from Denmark's longest river, Gudenaa. The upper 13 km (8.1 mi), starting at the town Randers, looks more like a broad river than a fjord. The lower 17 km (11 mi) have extensive reed plains bordering the shores[1] To some extent this inhibits the recreational use of and access to the fjord. In some places, the reed beds are harvested for traditional roof thatching.

Two small ferries cross Randers Fjord regularly. One is located half way between Randers and the sea, at the small village of Voer, with a capacity of 3 - 4 cars, crossing the fjord to Mellerup.[2] The other ferry at Udbyhøj is close to Randers Fjords outlet to the sea. This a cable ferry with a capacity of 12 cars. At the town of Randers, the first bridge crosses the fjord, at the point where it becomes the river Gudenåen. The fjord is navigable for coasters up to Randers.

Randers Fjord is one of eight lowland fjords on the eastern side of the 250 km long Danish main peninsula, Jutland. Jutland protrudes north from Germany in central Europe. The neighboring fjords to Randers Fjord are, Mariager Fjord, 15 km to the north, and, Horsens Fjord, 50 km to the south.

Voer, anglers herring, spring 2013

Angling

Anglers from Denmark, as well as from other countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands, travel to Voer in Randers Fjord to catch herring in the season.[3] The season starts in spring and continues throughout summer and autumn.[4] At Voer there is a reed free stretch of bulwark in connection with a shipping channel close to the shore, where the water gets deep fast making it suitable for angling. This relatively deep and narrow stretch also tends to concentrates shoals of herring.[5] Access by car is easy, with space for parking along a dam and unpaved road following the shore a couple of kilometers down from Voer.

For anglers the small marinas a couple of km up from Voer in, Uggelhuse, are also interesting, as fresh water fish, not least, perch, can gather in the marinas to avoid salt water intrusion from the sea in combination with incoming tides.[6] Usually the tidal difference in Randers Fjord is less than 30 cm – one foot.

At Voer lies the Coast and Fjord Centre, (Kyst- og Fjordcentret, in Danish) a nature centre with exhibitions, conference- and accommodation-facilities aimed at informing and teaching about nature and outdoor activities related to Randers Fjord, including the fjords history.[7] At the visiting centre it is also possible to rent boats and to participate in waders-based sessions in the fjord, aimed at various kinds of groups, such as school-classes.[8]

Mellerup-Voer ferry, M/F Ragna
Randers Fjord, anglers at Voer

Coastal tourism

Randers Fjord constitutes the north-west border of the circa 40 km x 40 km peninsula Djursland, a region in Denmark where coastal tourism is a factor.[9] Djursland has 22 sandy beaches located on the three-sided 260 km coastline with in the order of 7.000 adjoining summer-, and out of season-, rentals, primarily situated close to the coast and beaches.[10] All coastlines in Denmark are accessible to the public by law. Djursland has an average population density of 42 inhabitants per square km, as compared to 407 for England and 230 for Germany.[11] Randers at the end of Randers fjord is Denmarks 6. largest town with 60.895 inhabitants.[12] Denmark has a total population of 5.6 million people.[13] The language is Danish, with many inhabitants having a working knowledge of English and also to some extent German - the two main languages taught in schools.

The Innermost part of the Fjord from Voer is part of a Natura 2000-protected area nr. 14 Ålborg Bugt, Randers Fjord og Mariager Fjord[14] and is both a Ramsarhabitat and a bird protection area.

Historic Defence Works

During the Napoleonic Wars, when Denmark and Britain were on opposite sides, Denmark established 214 coastal defence works at strategic points. One of these was at Udbyhøj at the mouth of Randers Fjord, where a total of ten cannon were sited in two gun emplacements north and south of the fjord entrance. Four gunboats and a unit of cavalry completed the defences.

See also

References

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