In my first guidebook, I suggested that you explore Amager by going ‘To the Water’ – and this edition goes a similar way.
A roof like a wave
This walk takes you from Knippelsbro to Amager Strand with a small detour to one of my favorite places: The Maritime Youth House.
This wooden construction was designed by Bjarke Ingels and Julien De Smedt (then PLOT architects) and was built 20 years ago to function as a facility for water-related activities for children – and to co-exist with Sundby Sejlforening yacht club already in area.
It provides both a large outdoor play area for children, but also storage space for smaller boats and kayaks under the curved wooden roof that rises playfully, and invites children (and adults) to explore and enjoy the view of the Sound.
Schools in the Copenhagen area can book a day with activities such as kayaking, swimming in open water or crab fishing in the Maritime Youth House.
From this roof, which rises like a wave from the earth’s surface, you can also consider the Test Stone South, an artificially landscaped area that will house a new yacht club. These plans were abandoned around 2008, but the area remained closed to the public until recently. It is now open to walkers, bird watchers and fishermen.
The only access to the Youth House is through the yacht club, which is open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
The turquoise wonder
When you leave the Maritime Youth House and the yacht club, you continue the trip along the main road, Amager Strandvej.
We are going to Kastrup Søbad, which is also known as ‘The Snail’ – The Snail. But first, let’s take a look at the building you may have seen on the Amager posters published by ViSSEVASS.
Leave the main road and cross the small bridge to the artificial island on which Amager Strand is located. You will immediately see the characteristic turquoise blue of another wood wonder: Helgoland Bath.
This facility is open to the public for a few months in the summer, but to access it the rest of the year a membership is required. Out of season it is favored by both winter swimmers and nudists.
A hug in a spiral
This is not the case for the beautiful Kastrup Søbad (well, maybe the nudist bit), which is open to everyone all year round. Just follow the path along the coast a few kilometers. As you approach the far end of the artificial island, you will already be able to see the wooden structure located on the water a little further south.
Kastrup Søbad was designed by White Architects and built between 2004 and 2005 for immediate success and recognition. This curved, snail-like structure is so inviting a place that reaches out your hand so you can come and take a closer look.
If you visit on a winter morning, you will meet the winter divers (again, expect nudity), who appreciate the wooden walls that provide shelter from the icy sea winds. If you turn up on a sunny summer day, you will see that every square inch of the wooden deck is covered by people – so to really appreciate the lines of the structure, I recommend that you visit when it is a bit cloudy and outside the summer holidays. timer.
For the thrill seekers among you who are looking for a steep dive into the sea, there are platforms three and five meters above sea level. If you bring smaller children, keep in mind that the water around the structure is deep, but the beach itself is shallow and perfect for safely splashing with little ones.
You can also stroll past in the evening and enjoy the sight of both the jetty and the structure, all illuminated. It’s a pretty beautiful sight.
Perfectly located
If a long walk does not suit you, you can reach the wooden wonders by public transport – the nearest metro station for Det Maritime Ungdomshus is Øresund and for Kastrup Søbad it is Femøren.
The distance from the city center is approximately 5 km to the Maritime Youth House and 7.5 km to Kastrup Søbad.
If all this walking has made you hungry, try the café ‘Kystens Perle’ (cafekystensperle.dk) located in the old Kastrup Værk building from 1749 – former glass and ceramics factory and brewery, you will find it next to the small harbor just south of the aquarium ‘The Blue Planet’.
Or if you are just looking for a cup of coffee or a beer on a roof terrace – try Kajakhotellet (kajakhotellet.dk) at the southern end of the main beach area, where you can also rent kayaks, SUP boards etc. .
Source: The Nordic Page