Søttrup between historic farms and waterways

Those wishing to choose between rural history and water-based activities in Søttrup will find two clearly recognisable themes in the village and surrounding area: historic farms and roads on the one hand, and rivers, swimming and canoe routes on the other. The local history extends from the original eight farms to individual houses with detailed family and usage histories.

Historic farms and roads

Sottrup originally consisted of eight farms; one of them operated a smithy. Sottrup By 12 was formerly a Løgumkloster Festegård, where the Marcussen family lived from 1750 to 1897. Sottrup By 13 was formerly a Løgumkloster Kätnerstelle; a blacksmith lived there in the 18th century. Sottrup By 14, cadastral number 6, was the Sottrup farm that was subordinate to Lindeved.

Sottrup By 17 was built by Bonnich Nicolaisen after a fire in 1930; it was created by merging two farms. Sottrup By 18 was taken over by Bahne Nicolaisen in 1845 and later became the family farm of a branch of the Nicolaisen family. Sottrup By 22 has been an emigrant farm since 1875. The former inn in Sottrup was also a large farm and stood at the corner of Østergårdsvej and Sottrupvej.

The historic hiking route “Ad gamle veje og stier (Nordøst)” follows the old road that connected Sottrup with Lendemark and leads along old roads and paths. It is 10 km long. In the surrounding area, a 10-km route between Bylderup and Lendemark is marked with local signposts. In nearby Bylderup stands Bylderup Church, a Late Romanesque herred church with an apse, chancel and nave, a somewhat newer western extension, and a tower built in 1686. At the entrance, there is information about whom to contact for a tour of the church.

Museums, rivers and canoe routes

The nearby museum “Mellem Slesvigs Grænser” covers the history of the area between the Kongeå and the Eider from the Stone Age to the Second World War; it also presents the history of the border region, including the southern German colonists known as “Potato Germans”. In nearby Bylderup-Bov, canoes can be launched at Ålykke for the section of the Slogs Å up to its confluence with the Grønå. The Grønå canoe route passes through a cultural landscape and, among other places, passes the small village of Nolde west of Bylderup Bov, from which the painter Emil Nolde originated.

In the surrounding area, Ålandets Idrætscenter & Naturbad offers a 560 m² freshwater pool and a newly created beach. Nearby Lendemark Skov has an activity trail, a shelter site and access to a new bridge over the Slogs Å. The nearby Vidåen river system is 90 km long, comprises eight branches and offers a wide range of fishing opportunities.

For more travel ideas, you can also include Bolderslev, Felsted, Kravlund, Bylderup-Bov, Aabenraa, Bajstrup, Hellevad and Genner Strand in your selection.

For the overarching travel overview: Aabenraa Municipality.