SUP tour along Tåsinge and Thurø
Embark on a scenic SUP tour of 16 km along the coast of Tåsinge, with a short detour over to Thurø.
The tour starts from the harbor in Troense on Tåsinge, the small charming skipper town with cozy alleys lined with older well-preserved houses. Especially Grønnegade, where the small grocery store Storms Hjørne is located, should not be missed for a leisurely stroll. At the top of the hill right by the harbor stands Hotel Troense, the old seaside hotel from 1905, bearing witness to the fact that the town has attracted visitors from the rest of the country for many years.
From Troense Kayak Club, paddle across the narrow Thurø Sound to Mårodden on Thurø. From here, follow the coast towards Thurøbund. During the island's maritime heyday from the mid-1800s to around 1920, there were many shipyards and native schooners on Thurø, and with a water depth of 6-8 meters and shelter, Thurøbund was an optimal place for the winter mooring of large ships. There were often more than 100 schooners anchored side by side here. Today, especially in summer, it's primarily pleasure sailors who anchor at Thurøbund.
The black fisherman's houses
Continuing along the coast, you'll reach the old fishing village of Gambat Havn, where you can experience the Black Fishermen's Huts, charming older fishing huts painted in black tar. From Gambat Havn, paddle a little further into Thurøbund. About halfway in, you can cross over to Fredskov. From the forest, head towards the mouth of Thurøbund. On the way out, you'll pass Kidholm, a small uninhabited island in the middle of the sound. You're welcome to land on the island, or you can enjoy the small cliffs and the island from the water. From the island, cross the sound again to Tåsinge, from where you now paddle along the eastern coast with many beautiful old houses with gardens and small summerhouses right down to the water's edge. After about 1.5 kilometers, you'll pass Valdemar Castle. Just before the landing stage, where the veteran ship Helge from Svendborg docks, is the smaller beach Slotshagestranden, where you can land. From the water, you have a beautiful view of the castle's charming tea pavilion, located right by the water.
Lunkebugten
From the castle, continue paddling into Lunkebugten, also called the Tidal Bay, as the bay empties completely of water at low tide and wind. The bay is very shallow but with clear water and sandy bottom. Your course now heads towards Nørreskoven just south of Valdemar Castle. Here, you can land along the forest and take a walk to the large Ambrosius oak, over 400 years old. The trunk's circumference is over seven meters, and its height is 20 meters. It stands alone on the other side of Nørreskovvejen and is an impressive sight. The tree is named after the Funen poet Ambrosius Stub, who is believed to have sat under the tree and written his poems while staying at Valdemar Castle. From Nørreskoven, you can paddle back along the coast to Troense. Between Troense and Valdemar Castle, you may be lucky enough to encounter fishermen in their small boats, out to empty their bottom nets for eels.
Hejrebugten and Mississippi
You can choose to end the tour in Troense, or you can paddle further along the coast and take a detour into the cozy little Hejrebugt, where there is also a small stream between a reed area, which the locals call Mississippi. Hejrebugten is about two kilometers from Troense. On the trip to Hejrebugten, you'll also pass Ventepose Mølle, located along Thurøsund. The somewhat peculiar name is allegedly due to the fact that due to the mill's limited capacity, one had to wait a long time to get one's bags of grain milled. The water for the mill came exclusively from a spring, so the millpond was quickly emptied, and there was often only enough water to keep the mill wheel turning for a few hours a day. The watermill was in operation until 1934 and is now protected. There is no public access, but the site can be enjoyed from the water.