Nature

The Great Forest of Dronninglund

Hikes in the Great Forest of Dronninglund (Dronninglund Storskov)
Follow the marked paths around the forest. You can get a booklet or a detailed map of the forest and the various paths at Brønderslev Business and Tourism (Brønderslev Erhverv og Turisme, Bredgade 60, 9700 Brønderslev (+45 99455200)) or from the little house at Dronninglund Castle (Dronninglund Slot).  
  
Knøsen/Knaghøj
The landscape of the Great Forest of Dronninglund is very hilly and among other things, you can hike at Knøsen/Knaghøj. With its almost 450 ft (136 metres) above sea level, this is the highest point in Vendsyssel. In addition to this, there are many barrows and burial mounds that can be found around the area.

The chapel
Close to The Beech of Love (Kærlighedsbøgen), you will find the chapel. It was built in 1938 by the forest ranger, who was a Catholic. 

The troll rock
South of the chapel, you will find the troll rock (Troldestenen), one of the big rocks which is known to have been thrown at Gl. Kirk. The troll rock is also known as the wishing rock. Legend, if you crawl on top of the rock and really wish for something, it will come true - but only if you don´t tell anyone what you wished for.

Is it really true?
On the very specific spot in the forest (Storskovvej 14-18), the laws of nature are turned upside down. The water actually runs uphill which is supposedly should run downhill. You will notice this inexplicable phenomenon especially if you´re biking. When you drive downhill in a neutral gear, you have to step on the pedals to keep moving or you can freewheel going up.

Visit the forest yourself and experience the inexplicable! 

The Jutlandic Ridge

The country around the jutlandic ridge has a lovely scenery and unique nature. Here you can experience fertile fields, great forrest areas and moors.
 
The highest point in Vendsyssel
When you stand on Knøsen which is the highest point in Vendsyssel, you are 136 metres above sea level.

The entire area surrounding Dronninglund is very hilly. You can find many barrows and burial mounds scattered around the area.

Sømosen
With its history of the life of former times, the moor Sømosen is well worth exploring on feet. Up to the present, the hillsides of the moor is a meeting place for market people, jugglers, artists, knifegrinders and musicians. 

Biking and hiking routes
Throughout the entire municipality, there are various well-marked biking and hiking routes and sleeping accommodations on cosy and primitive nature camp grounds.

You can get maps and more information about the biking and hiking routes from Brønderslev Business and Tourism (Brønderslev Erhverv og Turisme, Bredgade 60, 9700 Brønderslev)

Rent a bike
Rent a bike at Asaa Camping and ride your bike around the beautiful countryside.  

The Great Wild Moor

The Great Wild Moor (Store Vildmose) was once called: a vast and desolated moor of considerable extent. Despite the changes, The Great Moor still has a character of its own and a visit here is quite a wonderful experience for all nature lovers.

There are still about 450 hectares of moor land where you can see a rich wildlife and vegetation.

There are guided tours in The Great Wild Moor. Please contact the Wild Moor Museum (Vildmosemuseet) for further information (+45 98 82 43 44). 


Myths and legends about The Great Wild Moor
 
Trolls and robbers 

The stones at Sandbjerg in The Great Wild Moor
The new church bell at Børglum Convent bothered the giantess in Thise. She claimed her needs to the troll with whom she had been engaged for hundreds of years and then he decided to smash the church bell with a giant rock. He tried three times and failed miserably. The first rock hit Aabybjerg, the second Sandelsbjerg and the third on the hills of Thise. None of the rocks hit Børglum Convent and the stepping rocks are now gathered at Sandelsbjerg in The Great Wild Moor.

The robbers stepping stones in The Great Wild Moor
Back in the old days, the moor was a scary place because it was large and high moor where anyone could get lost, fall and sink in - or possibly get attacked by robbers. The robbers are said to have lived at Sandelsbjerg. They arranged the stepping stones shown on the picture in a very clever way. It happened once in a while that the robbers were pursued after their twenty raids. The robbers knew that the stepping stones in The Great Wild Moor could protect them from the pursuers because they did not succeed. They fell down onto the moor as they had not been able to jump higher.  

The story of the farms nr. 1-19 in The Great Wild Moor
Around 1930, there were problems with cattle tuberculosis and the government decided to use The Great Wild Moor as a quarantine area for the healthy animals.  The farmers from all over the country sent their cattle to The Great Wild Moor, so that they could have their stables disinfected.

There were 19 farms built, each consists of two stables and a barn - but no farmhouse. They also established a main building called The Central Farm which housed the farmer bailiff and the farmhands. Every summer and winter, the farmhands rode from the main building to the farms and took care of the cattle.

When the tuberculosis was eradicated, they rebuilt part of one of the stables into a residence and then the farms were leased. It was a frugal life. It was first in the 1970´s when the Copenhagener acquired a taste of potatoes from The Great Wild Moor. The farmers experienced better harvests by then. Before, they bought the farm from the government. The farms at The Great Wild Moor got each character gradually but as of today, the farms still called farm nr. 1, farm nr. 2 and so on. They do not use road numbers.

The School of Nature - Naturskolen

The School of Nature (Naturskolen) is located at Håndsbækvej 144, 9740 Jerslev.

Naturskolen is located in the middle of the forest and theres is a lake just on the other
side of the road which is called Hærvejsruten 3. 

There are small cottages on top of the hill beside Naturskolen where children could use.
There is a table and benches just beside the road closer to Naturskolen and a huge field
behind the building. 

For more information

The Marguerit Route

The Marguerit Route is made for car drivers and there are 14 turist routes around Denmark that leads to around 1.000 big and small attractions. The marguerit route is around 3.700 km. 

The marguerit route is inaugurated by Queen Margrethe II on April 21, 1991 and the route is named after the Queens favourite flower, the marguerit.

The marguerit sign is made of white and yellow with brown background which can be seen on the routes. The brown colour is the international colour for signs of attractions.

The Salt Meadows by Asaa and Geraa