Bro til Bendixminde (Børnenes Bro), Odder

A sweeping bridge over the Stampemølle valley

Bro til Bendixminde is a long, elegant pedestrian and cycle bridge carrying you high above the green valley carved by Stampemøllebækken on the western edge of Odder. Its lightly curving deck stretches for roughly 90 meters, rising to about 10 meters above the lowest point of the valley, so you have the sensation of floating over the treetops while still staying close to the surrounding landscape. The bridge threads through a small belt of woodland, with glimpses of the stream below and open sky above. From its deck you can look one way towards the older streets of Odder’s west side and the other towards the developing Bendixminde district, where new homes gradually fill what was once open land. The structure feels both urban and rural at once: a piece of infrastructure that also works as a scenic balcony over meadows, shrubs and gently sloping banks.

Connecting everyday life and a new neighborhood

The bridge was built to solve a simple but important challenge: how to link the established western part of Odder with the new Bendixminde housing area without forcing people to make long detours or mix with heavy traffic. By spanning the valley in one broad sweep, it creates a direct, car‑free corridor where children can reach school and residents can access town on foot or by bike. Its popular nickname, Børnenes Bro – the Children’s Bridge – reflects this role as one of Odder’s safest and most attractive school routes. The gentle gradients, wide deck and clear sightlines are designed with everyday users in mind. What could have been a purely functional crossing has been shaped into a place where the journey itself is part of the pleasure of living in the area.

A calm place to pause and look around

Although it is part of the local traffic network, the bridge also works as a small destination in its own right. The surrounding trees filter city noise and you mainly hear the wind, birdsong and, on quiet days, the faint sound of water passing below. Many people slow down on the highest section to look along the valley, watch the light change over the fields or simply take a moment between home and town. At each end, paths curve away into nearby streets and green spaces, making the bridge a natural link in short evening walks and longer strolls around Bendixminde. The views change with the seasons: bright new leaves in spring, long grasses and wildflowers in summer, warm colors in autumn and open, wide skies in winter when the trees stand bare and the valley feels larger.

Design that balances height and accessibility

Structurally, Bro til Bendixminde balances the need to pass high above the valley floor with an accessible route that people of all ages can use comfortably. Instead of steep ramps, the approaches stretch out the climb, creating a slow, almost imperceptible ascent. The deck is broad enough for cyclists and walkers to pass each other without stress, making it suitable for prams, wheelchairs and everyday cargo bikes. Discreet railings and simple detailing keep the focus on the landscape rather than on the construction itself. From a distance, the bridge reads as a fine line gliding across the valley, while up close you notice the rhythm of supports stepping down the slope. It is a contemporary piece of infrastructure, yet modest enough to sit easily among trees, grass and water.

Part of a growing green network in Odder

As Bendixminde continues to develop, the bridge anchors a wider network of soft paths and green corridors in western Odder. It encourages short, non‑motorized trips between homes, schools and local services, and helps keep the valley itself free from road building. In this way, the structure supports a more sustainable pattern of movement while preserving the character of Stampemøllebækken’s small but important landscape. For visitors, Bro til Bendixminde offers a brief but memorable perspective on how a growing town can expand while still giving priority to walking, cycling and everyday contact with nature. For local residents, it is simply part of the daily rhythm: a graceful overpass that turns a practical crossing into a small scenic moment on the way from one side of Odder to the other.