Tarup-Davinde: Lakes, trails and nature with a unique history
South-east of Odense lies Tarup-Davinde – a large natural area where former gravel pits have become lakes, hills, trails and wide-open landscapes. Here, you can swim in clear lake water, walk among young trees and birdsong, cook over a fire or simply find a peaceful spot by the water.
This is nature with character and history – shaped by people, but slowly reclaimed by plants, birds, frogs and butterflies.
From gravel pits to recreational nature area
Tarup-Davinde is not an old, untouched landscape. For more than 100 years, gravel, sand and stone were extracted from the area – materials that have ended up beneath roads, houses and buildings. When quarrying came to an end, it left behind a hilly landscape with deep pits, which have since become lakes and ponds.
Today, the area is a recreational nature area of around 400 hectares, where nature is still developing. The nutrient-poor hills and lakes provide excellent conditions for rich animal and plant life, and the area is particularly known for its many butterflies and moths.
Tarup-Davinde is a place where nature does not try to be perfect. It is new, raw and full of traces – and that is exactly what makes it worth experiencing.
What you can experience
Tarup-Davinde is ideal for both a short outing and a full day outdoors. You can follow the 18-kilometre Tarup-Davinde Trail, choose shorter routes around the lakes or bring your bike and explore the car-free paths and country lanes. There are also MTB trails, bridleways, a dog forest area and opportunities to fish in selected lakes.
On warm days, the bathing lakes are a major draw. You can swim in Davinde Sø, Lille Ibjerg Sø and Troels Sø, and at Lille Ibjerg Sø you will find a beach, a bathing jetty and an open-water swimming course. Please note, however, that the lakes become deep very quickly – even close to the shore.
A good place to start your visit is Det Fælles Mødested, a former farm property from 1928 that has been converted into an open meeting point for visitors to the area. Here, you will find a nature laboratory, storytelling room, small heated room, toilets, outdoor kitchen, fire pits and information about the area. The site cannot be booked, so the facilities are shared with other visitors.
