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Våde Ovn at Helligdomsklipperne

A deep, wave-filled sea cave carved into Bornholm’s Sanctuary Cliffs, where granite walls, echoing surf and shifting light reveal the drama of the Baltic coast.

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Hidden within Bornholm’s dramatic Helligdomsklipperne, **Våde Ovn** is a sea cave carved deep into the granite coast between Gudhjem and Tejn. Roughly 18 m long, 6 m wide and 5 m high, with water plunging to around 11 m in depth, this “wet oven” is best appreciated from the coastal path or by boat, where sheer rock walls, echoing waves and shifting light create an almost cathedral-like atmosphere along one of Denmark’s most striking shorelines.

A brief summary to Våde Ovn

  • Helligdomsvej 14, Gudhjem, 3760, DK
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 2 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
  • Monday 12 am-12 am
  • Tuesday 12 am-12 am
  • Wednesday 12 am-12 am
  • Thursday 12 am-12 am
  • Friday 12 am-12 am
  • Saturday 12 am-12 am
  • Sunday 12 am-12 am

Local tips

  • Wear sturdy footwear with good grip; paths and rocks around Helligdomsklipperne can be uneven and very slippery in wet weather.
  • Bring a light jacket or windbreaker even in summer; the exposed north coast and shade near the caves can feel markedly cooler than inland.
  • If you plan to see Våde Ovn from the sea, check boat or tour schedules in advance and allow time to combine the trip with a walk along the coastal path.
  • Stay well back from unfenced cliff edges and supervise children closely; the drop to the sea is steep and the rock can crumble at the margins.
  • Photographers should aim for early morning or late afternoon, when low-angle light enhances textures in the granite and reveals more detail inside the cave mouth.
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Getting There

  • Car from Gudhjem or Tejn

    From Gudhjem or Tejn, Våde Ovn is reached via the Helligdomsklipperne visitor area near Bornholms Kunstmuseum. Driving from either town typically takes 8–12 minutes along the coastal road. Parking at the museum and nearby lots is generally free, but spaces can fill in peak summer midday. From the parking area, expect a short walk on signed paths with some stairs and uneven ground; this section is not ideal for visitors with limited mobility.

  • Local bus along the north coast

    Bornholm’s regional buses connect Gudhjem and Allinge/Tejn with a stop near Bornholms Kunstmuseum on Helligdomsvej during the day. The ride from Gudhjem normally takes around 10–15 minutes, and from Allinge or Tejn around 15–25 minutes. Standard single tickets on Bornholm buses are typically in the range of 25–40 DKK per adult, with discounts for children and multi-trip cards. Service is less frequent in the evening and outside the main summer season, so check the timetable in advance. From the bus stop, you walk on marked paths and stairways down toward the cliffs.

  • Coastal walk from Gudhjem

    Strong walkers can follow the coastal path from Gudhjem to Helligdomsklipperne, a scenic route of roughly 6 km that usually takes about 1.5–2.5 hours one way depending on pace and photo stops. The trail includes rocky sections, roots and some short, steep parts, and can be muddy or slippery after rain, so sturdy footwear is important. There is no entrance fee for accessing Våde Ovn from this path, but the walk is not well suited to pushchairs or those with balance difficulties.

  • Summer boat trip with walking return

    In the summer months, a small tour boat commonly runs between Gudhjem harbour and the Helligdomsklipperne area, passing close to cliffs and caves such as Våde Ovn. The cruise usually lasts 40–60 minutes round trip, with the option on some departures to disembark near the cliffs and walk back along the coastal path. Typical adult fares are in the range of 120–180 DKK, with reduced prices for children. Sailings depend on weather and sea conditions, and can be cancelled in strong wind or heavy swell.

Våde Ovn location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Clear Skies
  • Weather icon Windy Conditions
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
  • Weather icon Hot Weather
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Discover more about Våde Ovn

A Sea-Carved Chamber in Bornholm’s Granite Coast

Våde Ovn is one of the best-known grottoes along the Helligdomsklipperne, a wild stretch of cliff coastline between Gudhjem and Tejn on Bornholm’s north shore. Here the Baltic has bitten into the ancient granite for thousands of years, creating deep clefts, freestanding pillars and caverns locals call “ovne” – ovens. Våde Ovn, the “wet oven,” is a sea cave where water still fills the chamber, so the waves remain the sculptor. Unlike the narrower Tørre Ovn (“dry oven”) higher up the rocks, Våde Ovn opens directly to the sea. It measures about 18 m in length, 6 m across and 5 m high, with water depths reaching roughly 11 m. Even on calm days the sound of the swell rolling in and out turns the cave into a resonant echo box, reminding you that everything here is shaped by the rhythm of the Baltic.

Part of the Sanctuary Cliffs Story

Våde Ovn is only one feature in a dense cluster of rock formations that together are known as Helligdomsklipperne, or the Sanctuary Cliffs. Names like Lyseklippen, Helligdomsklippen, Sorte Gryde and the Apostlene add a sense of drama and folklore to the landscape. Walking the coastal path, you move between viewpoints high above the water and sections where the trail drops closer to the sea, giving shifting angles on the caves and their churning inlets. In earlier times this coastline was associated with holy springs and local pilgrimage traditions, which helped give the area its “sanctuary” name. Today, the sacred feeling comes more from the raw meeting of rock, water and weather. On clear days the granite glows warm against the blue sea; in mist or overcast light, the cliffs feel brooding and elemental.

Experiencing Våde Ovn from Land and Sea

From the clifftop paths you mostly experience Våde Ovn by looking down into its dark mouth as the sea surges in. Boat trips along the coast edge in closer to the cave and nearby formations, offering a low, sea-level perspective on the sheer walls. From this angle you see just how sharply the rock drops into deep water, and how the entrance frames shifting patterns of light and shadow inside the chamber. More adventurous visitors sometimes explore the grottoes by kayak or on guided snorkelling excursions in suitable conditions, gaining an intimate feel for the underwater contours that mirror the cliffs above. This is strictly weather-dependent coast, and the same forces that make Våde Ovn impressive also demand respect: swell, slippery rocks and sudden changes in conditions are all part of the experience.

Wild Coast Atmosphere beside the Art Museum

One of the curiosities of Våde Ovn’s setting is how close this rugged coastline lies to Bornholms Kunstmuseum on the plateau above. Within a short walk you move from clean-lined architecture and curated galleries to rough-hewn cliffs and sea caves. Many artists have drawn inspiration from this meeting of culture and nature, painting the Sanctuary Cliffs in every season. As the day fades, the area around Våde Ovn becomes particularly atmospheric. When the low sun strikes the cliff faces, the granite takes on coppery tones and the cave mouths turn into dark apertures in the glowing rock. Even after the light has gone, you still hear the waves working in the unseen spaces below, continuing the slow process that created Våde Ovn in the first place.

Seasons, Light and the Mood of the Cave

Våde Ovn’s character shifts with the seasons. In calm summer weather the cave can seem almost inviting, its water a deep green-blue mirroring the sky. In autumn and winter, with stronger winds and heavier seas, the same space feels inhospitable and powerful, spray blowing high against the cliff and the entrance seething with foam. Fog or low cloud can draw the landscape inward, muting colours so that texture and sound become the main impressions. On bright, clear days visibility along the coast is superb, and you can trace the line of rock formations in both directions. No matter when you come, the appeal of Våde Ovn lies in watching and listening: a single, focused encounter with the long dialogue between stone and sea on Bornholm’s north coast.

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