The Green Clover Leaf Route in Bogense

The Green Clover Leaf Trail in Bogense is a short route through Denmark’s cosiest market town.

Practical information

• The Green Clover Leaf Trail in Bogense is a short route of 2.3 km.
• The route starts and ends by the pylon on the small square at Bogense Old Harbour, between Østre Havnevej and Vestre Havnevej.
• The route is marked with green Clover Leaf Trail signs.
• Bogense is set on a hill, so the route is hilly, with a maximum gradient of 7.1%.
• Parking is available at Bogense Marina and on Vestre Havnevej.
• There are bus routes between Odense, Bogense and Søndersø. You can find your journey on rejseplanen.dk.
• If you want to get to Bogense from somewhere else in North Funen or from a neighbouring municipality, it is possible to book a Flextrafik trip.

Along the route

This is a route where it pays to slow down, use your senses and take time to look around. The Green Clover Leaf Trail in Bogense takes you on a short walk through the old part of town, past historic houses with plenty of lovely details.

The route begins at the old harbour in Bogense, which was built between 1827 and 1844. The first section was dug out by the town’s own residents, because there was no money for the work. The harbour was home to fishing boats and ferries, including services to Klakring in Jutland. There was also plenty of industry here, including a lime works, shipbuilding, fish warehouses, a gasworks and an electricity works.

The watchman’s path

The route follows the old watchman’s path along Bogense Bybæk. This was where the watchman walked his rounds to keep an eye on the town. In the stream, the people of Bogense could wash clothes, fish and fetch water. Industry also used it to discharge wastewater out to sea – for example, a tannery used this method. So that was not the best time to fetch water.

The old town in Bogense

You then enter Adelgade, with its many old and well-preserved houses, and pass one of Funen’s oldest inns, Erik Menveds Kro, which has served as a place to drink since the 16th century.

The route also passes the old, idyllic merchant’s yard from the 18th century and continues along Skt. Annagade, where there was probably once a chapel or monastery dedicated to Saint Anne. Notice the beautiful building with the large staircase – this is the town’s old town hall, used from 1847 to 1921, and in more recent times home to the artistic Hammershøj family.

On the old square, there is a market every Thursday, as there has been for many years. The small buildings around it have housed, among other things, a school and a poorhouse, where H. C. Andersen’s grandmother lived. At number 15, you can see one of Denmark’s smallest houses.

Skt. Nikolaj Church is also worth a visit, both inside and out. The church is dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, and its tower served as a seamark for many hundreds of years.

On the way back along the coast, there is a wonderful view – enjoy the walk.

Food and drink

Bogense has many cafés and places to eat, giving you plenty of options for something tasty to eat and drink. There are also lots of shops where you can buy snacks for the trip.

There are benches in several places along the route, and at the harbour and marina you will find tables and benches where you can sit down for a break.