An appealing aspect of camping in Denmark is that you do not need a tent. Instead, you can live in a shelter: a covered outdoor area, often dug into the ground and timbered, or a custom-built wooden structure. The country has about 750 of them.
But all too often – especially during the natural craze that the pandemic has caused – they tend to be booked out months in advance.
Fortunately, thanks to DKK 16 million in support from the AP Møller Foundation, another 300 shelters will be opened throughout Denmark. The first should be ready by the end of August.
This is good news for spontaneous hikers! Finally, there may be room in the inn for people who show up out of nowhere in the middle of nowhere.
Will satisfy the increase in demand
Reservations for campsites and shelters have been rising sharply recently, according to the Danish Nature Agency, which is responsible for the maintenance of the shelters.
Last year, bookings totaled 270,000 – an increase of about 100,000 over the last five years.
People in Denmark are increasingly drawn to the quiet shelters in the immediate vicinity of nature, says the Danish Nature Agency’s ranger Paul Andersen to DR, and they generally have respect for their surroundings and clean up well after their visit.
Andersen rejects the notion that their visits or shelters can be harmful to the environment. “Nature is robust,” he reasoned.