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Grejsdalen Valley

Experience Denmark's deepest and most beautiful valley, Grejsdalen, which stretches from Grejs to Vejle. Do not miss a hike on the popular Grejsdalstien along the valley's steep hillsides and Grejs Å.

Nature of Grejsdalen

Grejsdalen is an erosion valley dramatically created during the last ice age. Grejsdalen is one of the country's deepest and most beautiful valleys with steep hillsides and the Grejs River. From Vejle, Grejsdalen leads north. Initially, houses and former industries lie side by side, but higher up, the protected part of the valley takes over with an exceptionally idyllic landscape and rich birdlife.

Grejsdalen, stretching from Grejs to Vejle, is an erosion valley that is a kilometer-long depression with 50-70 meter high, forested slopes north/northwest of Vejle. During the last ice advance about 18,000 years ago, the ice margin line lay south of Grejs and west of Vejle. In front of the ice, meltwater from the glacier flowed and formed a larger ice lake – 'Bøgager Ice Lake'. The lake was emptied in a dramatic dam breach, where the water masses eroded out into the Vejle River Valley and created the beginning of the north-south running Grejs Valley between Grejs By and Vejle.

Grejs River, with a drop of 50 meters over its 22 kilometers, has a very steep course. Compared to, for example, the Gudenå River, which has a drop of only 60 meters over 158 kilometers, Grejs River is almost a mountain stream. Therefore, you will find a completely different nature than what you see at many other streams in Denmark. Grejs River has its source in the many springs in and around Fårup Lake. The river is in its lower course one of the area's finest streams with meanders and a strong drop. This provides very good conditions for stoneflies, mayflies, and caddisflies, and means that, among others, the grey wagtail, dipper, and kingfisher breed along the river. The river's strong current has historically been utilized by at least 15 water mills. Today, the power of the water is only used by two of the mills.

 

Routes in the Area

There are several options for hiking in the area, including the long Grejsdalstien and in the forests around the valley. Read about the different routes below.

Grejsdalstien, 16 kilometers between Vejle and Jelling

Grejsdalstien is one of the most popular hiking routes around Vejle. The route takes its start and end points behind Vejle Hospital and at the experience center, Kongernes Jelling.

The tour offers steep hillsides and erosion gullies and requires good physical condition in some places. You can experience the tour both on foot and by bike:

Read more about the hiking route in Grejsdalen here

Read more about the touring track for mountain biking here

Routes Starting Around Vejle 

Routes Starting Around Grejs 

What Can You Experience in the Area? 

The Footbridge Over Grejsdalen

On the tour through Grejsdalen, you pass by the new footbridge over Grejsdalen. Take a detour from the trail and enjoy the view from the bridge over Denmark's deepest gorge.
Read more about the bridge here

Animals, Birds, and Plants

In Grejsdalen, you can experience many different species of rare animals and plants. Both the kingfisher and the grey wagtail live here, and up to 270 different plant species have been found, including blue and yellow anemones.

Grejs Cliffs

There is a unique rock outcrop in Grejsdalen. The cliffs consist of tufa or spring lime. This material was a popular building material for some of the first stone churches in Denmark and is used in the area around Grejsdalen, including the churches in Hornstrup, Hover, and Jelling.
See Grejs Cliffs on this map

History of Grejsdalen

In Grejsdalen, along the lower part of Grejs River, there is a former industrial environment that has utilized the river's water power. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, when activity was at its peak, the area had the country's largest concentration of industrial mills.

With its strong drop and stable water flow, Grejs River had good opportunities to utilize the power of the water. Especially in the river's lower six kilometers, where the drop is a full 25 meters, the conditions for mill operation were optimal.

In Grejsdalen, there have been at least 15 mills and small industries. The first major industry was the old grain mill, Grejs Mill, which developed into a large industry. In the 1720s, the water power was used for cloth production.

An example of industry in the late 1800s is the Hammer Works, which in 1867 began production in a former nail smithy. The factory produced scythes, spades, and other tools. The Hammer Works expanded and soon became very significant for the area. The building complex consisted of a manor-like facility with four large wings. Later, a number of new buildings were added, and in 1895 another mill site was established. In the late 1800s, the Hammer Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Grejsdalen.

There was also activity in Grejsdalen in the 1900s. An example is Wittrup's Carpet Factory, which moved to the valley in 1914. The factory produced woolen goods and carpets and developed into the valley's largest factory complex. In the early 1900s, many of the mills also began to produce electricity. Thus, the Electric Mill (from the Lower Grejs Mill), Holm's Mill, and Grundet Power Plant. These mills made Grejsdalen self-sufficient with electricity for decades.

The commercial exploitation of water power has now ceased, and several of the buildings and mills are only partially preserved. Some of the old industrial buildings have been converted into exciting new homes. This includes the Hammer Works and Wittrup's Cloth Factory. The remaining factory buildings testify to an era in the country's industrial development where water power was crucial for the location of industry. Not only the individual factory but the large concentration of industrial activity makes the entire area in Grejsdalen a unique environment.

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