1-day canoe trip: Klostermølle - Ry
Explore the beautiful nature of the local area on a day trip starting at Klostermølle.
Here, you'll have the chance to experience both narrow river passages and a lake on an approximately 11 km tour filled with natural beauty.
The route is easily accessible and suitable for most people.
Practical Information
Klostermølle – Ry (1-day trip)
Duration: 1 day
Portages: 2 in total – one using a cart, one via a slide
Season starts: From May 1
Southernmost departure point before June 16
Easy transport back to your car with the "Modstrømsbus" (Upstream Bus)
During school summer holidays and on weekends in August, you can ride the Modstrømsbus for free from Ry toward Tørring. It departs from Kvickly in Ry at 15:45.
Trip Description
The starting point at Klostermølle has a portage area where canoes must be transported using a pull cart.
To follow the course of the Gudenå River, turn left after the portage. The river widens, and after a while, the Salten Å flows in from the left.
If you follow this stream about 500 meters upstream, you will reach the Gl. Rye campsite, which offers an overnight option.
Note: It is not permitted to continue paddling further upstream on the Salten Å beyond the campsite. From there, return to the main river and continue the journey. When Salten Å flows into the Gudenå, keep left to head toward Gudensø and Ry.
On the way, you’ll pass Emborg Bridge – a great spot for a break. There are picnic tables, benches, and a covered shelter.
At the mouth of Gudensø, turn right. After approx. 300 meters, you’ll reach a shallow sandy beach where the canoe can easily be pulled ashore. From here, there is access to Øm Monastery.
Øm Monastery
The ruins of Øm Monastery lie nearby and can be visited via a walking path. The monastery was founded by Cistercian monks between 1172–1257 and functioned as a monastery until the Reformation in 1536. In 1561, it was demolished by royal order.
Archaeological findings show that some of the monks worked as physicians, and the monastery also served as a hospital and care home.
Today, the site includes a museum with exhibitions, ruins, and a herb garden featuring historical medicinal plants.
Paddling Toward Ry
The trip continues through Gudensø, where the birdlife is abundant – you may spot grebes, cormorants, herons, and many more.
Alder trees grow along the banks with their roots in the water, and in coves and reed beds, water lilies and aquatic plants flourish.
Note: Paddling is not permitted in these sensitive areas.
The final stretch goes through Ry Møllesø. At the narrow passage, you pass Holmens Camping, where overnight stays and shopping are possible. After about 30 minutes of paddling, you reach Ry.
Upon arrival at the road, keep left. Here you’ll find toilets and an underpass beneath the main road, built in 1998.
After crossing the road, there is one more short portage before continuing into Lillesø. From here, turn right into Ry Harbour, where the trip ends at our base at the far end of the harbor.
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