Thy National Park, National park and Ramsar site in Thisted Municipality, Denmark
Thy National Park is a national park and Ramsar-designated wetland on the northwestern coast of Jutland, Denmark. It covers dunes, heathland, wetlands, forests, and lakes in one connected natural area running along the North Sea shoreline.
The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age, as shown by dolmens, burial mounds, and flint sites still found across the land. The park itself was formally established in 2008, making it Denmark's first national park.
Klitmøller, a small village inside the park, is known as "Cold Hawaii" and draws surfers from across Europe because the wind and waves there are unusually consistent. Walking through the village, you can see wetsuits hanging by doors and boards strapped to car roofs, giving it a feel unlike most Danish coastal towns.
The park has a network of walking and cycling paths, including the West Coast Trail, which can be joined at several points along the route. For longer stays, small villages around the park offer places to sleep, and there are rest spots within the park itself.
Although the park sits on Denmark's Atlantic-facing coast, it shelters one of the largest stretches of sandy dune heath in northern Europe, a habitat type that has disappeared from most of the continent over the past few centuries. Walking across it, you notice that no trees break the view to the horizon, giving a sense of openness that is rare in Denmark.
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