Bovbjerg Lighthouse
Bovbjerg Lighthouse is a lighthouse in many ways. It is a cultural center, exhibition, lighthouse and cafe run by a large and committed group of volunteers with a "Lighthouse Aunt" to keep an overview.
It is also located on top of Bovbjerg Klint, Geopark West Jutland's most important geosite. Bovbjerg Lighthouse was built in 1877 as one of the first lighthouses on the west coast. The lighthouse was to guide shipping at a time when there were an awful lot of shipwrecks. It is whitewashed red to avoid confusion with the church towers in Ferring and Trans. The lighthouse stands on Bovbjerg Klint 41 meters above sea level, and the tower itself is 26 meters high. The flame height is 62 m, and the light from the current 300 W halogen lamp through the original Fresnel lens can be seen 16 nautical miles from the coast in clear weather. The lighthouse character is two flashes of 2.5 sec. per 15 sec. The lighthouse was automated in 1965, and the last lighthouse keepers left the site in 2003. The lighthouse is still in operation, but today only the upper part of the tower with the lantern itself and the machinery is owned by the Danish Maritime Authority. Lemvig Municipality purchased the lighthouse from the Danish Maritime Authority in 2006 and then transferred the lighthouse to the Bovbjerg Lighthouse Foundation, which operates the lighthouse today with two employees, 130 volunteers and a support association with 600 members.
Exhibitions and cultural center
Bovbjerg Lighthouse contains a fine exhibition about the former lighthouse keepers and life at the lighthouse, as well as the many strandings that have occurred along the coast. There is also a smaller exhibition explaining the geology of the Bovbjerg cliff. There is a nature guide who, together with the lighthouse's volunteers, including a geologist, offers guided tours of the area. The lighthouse also publishes a leaflet about the lighthouse and its surroundings, as well as a special leaflet about the geology of the site. Bovbjerg Lighthouse is a cultural centre - both in the narrow and, not least, in the broad sense of the word "culture". You can hear classical chamber music and experience advanced theatre, as well as encountering a large and varied selection of popular activities. Visual arts, music, dance, theatre, events and lectures are some of the headlines. The lighthouse's volunteer art committee arranges new art exhibitions in the lighthouse's fine exhibition rooms every month, and special events for children are arranged, as well as markets and exercise runs. Bovbjerg is one of the biggest attractions in the area and receives more than 50,000 guests annually. Some of these people visit the lighthouse's café, which offers meals based on local ingredients. The lighthouse also has a partnership with local producers who supply goods to the lighthouse's small shop.
The connection to the Geopark West Jutland
The Bovbjerg Lighthouse Foundation and Geopark Vestjylland have entered into a cooperation agreement that includes courses for volunteers, development of new experiences and dissemination at the lighthouse and along the cliff.