Børsmose Church is not like most village churches, with a spire rising over open fields. The small whitewashed church stands alone in the western part of Ål Parish, sheltered by dense planting and surrounded by the Oksbøl military training area. From the road, it only really comes into view when you are almost there.
Around the church, the cemetery lies within wire fencing, while taller and lower woodland stands outside. The areas around the cemetery are protected nature areas, and the place has a rougher western Jutland character than a classic, neatly trimmed churchyard. Here, sand, heather and vegetation help set the tone.
What makes the place special is not only the church, but the landscape it stands in. Oksbøl Shooting and Training Area took on its present character after the major expropriation, and many abandoned houses with blacked-out doors and windows still remain in the area. Visitors may move around the terrain from sunrise to sunset when there are no exercises or shooting; access can be closed, and the information boards at the access roads are therefore part of the experience. The church is open when staff are present and for church services.
Børsmose Cemetery is not laid out like a classic, tightly clipped cemetery. In 2015 it was described as Varde Municipality’s first heath cemetery – and as far as is known, also the country’s first.
The transformation is taking place slowly: hedges have been removed, heather and marram grass planted, and existing graves remain for the rest of the protection period. The place stands apart by the church, surrounded by military training grounds and protected natural areas, where the manicured appearance feels less at home.
