Find calm and connection at Holmely

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Holmely

Set among the rolling hills, lakes and forests of central Jutland, Holmely offers a gentle escape into nature. Guests come for quiet walks, e-bike tours, and evenings around the fire, where vegetables from the garden are turned into delicious bonfire meals. Homegrown hospitality, quirky ideas, and a deep love for the landscape shape everything here.

Just south of Mossø, tucked away in Jutland’s scenic lake highlands, Holmely offers a peaceful getaway with glamping tents, treetop shelters, and farmhouse rooms, all framed by open meadows and woodland. Owner Heidi Holm explains; “This area is completely unique. We live right in the heart of Søhøjlandet, with the Gudenå rising nearby, deep forests, and some of the highest viewpoints in Denmark. You feel immediately that there is something special about it.”

Passionate about the area’s landscape, Holmely is designed intentionally to increase visitors’ connection to it – fire pits, outdoor bathtubs and nature experiences, help guests settle into a slower rhythm and immerse in the surrounding landscape.

Beer tasting and gourmet bonfire food is one of Homely’s most popular events, created in collabo ration with chef Xenia and the local Olsens Brewery.

Rooted in landscape and life experience

Born and raised in central Jutland, Holm returned after years of travelling abroad, studies, and a demanding career in advertising. “I ended up burning out and realised I needed to come back to something more grounded,” she says.

In 2020, she bought the old homestead that would become Holmely and slowly began transforming it into a place where people could truly connect with nature. Covid accelerated her plans as Danes sought outdoor escapes. “People wanted to be outside, to find calm in nature. From there, glamping grew, then e-bike tours, and then new ideas just kept coming.”

Den Genfundne Bro and Gudenåen are just some of the attractions visited on e-bike tours.

Today, the retreat offers 18 overnight spaces across glamping tents, treetop shelters and farmhouse rooms. In addition to accommodations, guests can (during high season and/or via pre-booking) enjoy a breakfast buffet in the farmhouse’s cosy living room, a packed lunch, gourmet-style meals cooked over the fire, tapas boards, or a delicious ready-made meal prepared with vegetables from the garden, ready to be cooked over the bonfire. “People love that – when they arrive, they can go straight to the fire pit, and cook their own dinner, without having to shop first,” says Holm.

Find calm and connection at Holmely

A special employee event

Inspired by nature, Holmely offers a range of facilities and activities for travellers as well as for companies seeking to create a special meeting or employee event. An old tool shed has been restored into a rustic, atmospheric space for company events, workshops and creative retreats, while the main house has a spacious living room that can also host meetings for smaller groups. Both spaces are intentionally low-tech, encouraging connection, conversation and presence.

Outdoor activities cater to guests of all ages. Gourmet, culture and nature E-bike tours remain especially popular among older visitors, while younger guests often gravitate towards the treetop shelters, glamping tents and the outdoor bathtub experience.

One of the retreat’s most distinctive experiences is the gin walk. “We walk about 7.5 kilometres through the valley and forest and stop four times for selected gins with a bit of history behind them. When people walk together, talking comes naturally,” Holme explains. “And, the gin helps the conversation along too,” she adds with a laugh. After the walk, many groups gather for campfire food and social dining.

An event popular with both businesses and private groups is the Beers and Bonfire gourmet dinner, which pairs beer from local breweries with gourmet food cooked over the open fire. Another popular activity for company retreats is wood carving, which in safe, expert hands lets participants try their hand at chainsaw wood sculpting.

Peace, presence and the spirit of the place

For many visitors, the true appeal of Holmely lies in its atmosphere – spacious, quiet and deeply rooted in nature. “People have forgotten how still it can be,” Holm says. “Here you can see far, feel the weather coming in from the west, watch the sunsets and enjoy the many birds, insects and small animals that thrive in our wild nature.”

The retreat is intentionally simple and sustainable. Furniture is mostly reused, and the grounds are left wild with nettles, thistles and native plants that support local insects. “It may look a bit rough to some, but it’s full of life. I want guests to see what real nature is,” stresses the owner.

Ultimately, Holmely is a place to breathe, reconnect and rediscover the value of slowing down. “If I feel stressed, I go outside and dig up potatoes. It brings you back into your body,” Holm reflects. That down-to-earth honesty defines her retreat – a quiet place shaped by landscape, creativity and the desire to create space for others to find calm.