Randers Fjord

Randers Fjord, Denmark
Randers Fjord, Denmark, Northern Europe
Location	Norddjurs Municipality
Nearest city	Randers
Coordinates	56°36′28.98″N 10°18′44.75″E / 56.6080500°N 10.3124306°E / 56.6080500; 10.3124306Coordinates: 56°36′28.98″N 10°18′44.75″E / 56.6080500°N 10.3124306°E / 56.6080500; 10.3124306
Area	13 square km

Randers Fjord is a 30 km (19 mi) long Danish fjord in Northern Europe leading to the sea of Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden. The fjord is the outlet from Denmark's longest river, Gudenaa. The upper 13 km (8.1 mi), starting at the town Randers, looks more like a broad river than a fjord. The lower 17 km (11 mi) have extensive reed plains bordering the shores To some extent this inhibits the recreational use of and access to the fjord. In some places, the reed beds are harvested for traditional roof thatching.

Two small ferries cross Randers Fjord regularly. One is located half way between Randers and the sea, at the small village of Voer, with a capacity of 3 - 4 cars, crossing the fjord to Mellerup. The other ferry at Udbyhøj is close to Randers Fjords outlet to the sea. This a cable ferry with a capacity of 12 cars. At the town of Randers, the first bridge crosses the fjord, at the point where it becomes the river Gudenåen. The fjord is navigable for coasters up to Randers.

Randers Fjord is one of eight lowland fjords on the eastern side of the 250 km long Danish main peninsula, Jutland. Jutland protrudes north from Germany in central Europe. The neighboring fjords to Randers Fjord are, Mariager Fjord, 15 km to the north, and, Horsens Fjord, 50 km to the south.

Anglers from Denmark, as well as from other countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands, travel to Voer in Randers Fjord to catch herring in the season. The season starts in spring and continues throughout summer and autumn. At Voer there is a reed free stretch of bulwark in connection with a shipping channel close to the shore, where the water gets deep fast making it suitable for angling. This relatively deep and narrow stretch also tends to concentrates shoals of herring. Access by car is easy, with space for parking along a dam and unpaved road following the shore a couple of kilometers down from Voer.

For anglers the small marinas a couple of km up from Voer in, Uggelhuse, are also interesting, as fresh water fish, not least, perch, can gather in the marinas to avoid salt water intrusion from the sea in combination with incoming tides. Usually the tidal difference in Randers Fjord is less than 30 cm – one foot.