Lerkenfeldt Ådalstien – 10 km hike through nature and cultural history

The Lerkenfeldt Ådalstien trail takes you through the varied natural and cultural landscape surrounding the Lerkenfeldt Å river, connecting the villages of Gl. Ullits, Vesterbølle and Gedsted.

The approximately 10 km waymarked circular trail passes through a landscape of small hillocks, streams, old earth banks, fields and meadows. Depending on the season, you may be lucky enough to spot kingfishers, mallards, nightingales, grey herons, roe deer and other wildlife along the way.

But the walk is about more than nature. The river valley is rich in stories about the landscape and the people who have lived here over the centuries. Along the way, you can discover stories of old earth banks, Prussian soldiers, a modern-day goat – and the mystery of a possibly buried pig.

The route is waymarked with green arrows. Find a map and further information about the trail on Udinaturen.

Along the Lerkenfeldt Å

The Lerkenfeldt Å winds its way for 38 km through Himmerland, from Mejlby west of Rold Skov to Lovns Bredning. Shortly before reaching the inlet, the river passes close to the villages of Gl. Ullits, Vesterbølle and Gedsted.

For centuries, life in the three villages has been closely connected to the river and the surrounding landscape. The Lerkenfeldt Ådalstien links the villages and gives you the opportunity to explore the river, the valley and the small village communities on foot.

Along the way, you can enjoy beautiful views, varied landscapes, abundant wildlife and fascinating stories from the area’s cultural history. There is also plenty of opportunity to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the river valley.

The old earth banks

One of the distinctive features of the area is the many well-preserved earth banks between Gl. Ullits, Vesterbølle and Gedsted. Several of them are more than 200 years old.

The banks were typically used to enclose cultivated land or mark boundaries between different plots, providing an insight into how the landscape was used in the past.

In 1978, the former Danish conservation authority, Overfredningsnævnet, highlighted the cultural, agricultural and landscape significance of the earth banks and concluded that they should be preserved intact.

Could there be a pig buried here?

At Vesterbølle Churchyard, you will encounter the story of Mikkel Kjeldsen, lord of the Lerkenfeldt estate – and an old mystery.

Mikkel Kjeldsen died suddenly after being accused of killing a farm labourer, a crime for which he risked being hanged. His sudden death fuelled rumours that he was not actually lying in his grave. According to the story, he had a pig buried in his place and disappeared.

The rumours only grew when stories began to circulate that Mikkel Kjeldsen was occasionally seen in the castle gardens at midnight after his supposed death. So who – or what – is actually buried at Vesterbølle Churchyard?