13 kmHaltrup Heath
A short heath walk with heather and sand dunes as a natural contrast to the forest.
Klelund Plantation lies between Holsted and Hovborg and feels more like a landscape than an ordinary forest walk. Here, plantation, heath, forest, and bog meet, and in some places the inland dunes are still visible as traces of the open, windswept heathland that was here before the forest.
The deer park is not a neat park with animals on demand. Red deer, roe deer, and wild boar live in the area, and wolves have also been recorded here. That changes the pace in the forest: you look farther down the roads, between the trunks, and across the clearings for movement, tracks, and disturbed soil.
From the observation tower in the northern part of the deer park, you get a view over the treetops and parts of the heath-like landscape. For children, the anthill playground is a more down-to-earth destination, where the play is about balance and getting around without touching the ground.
Klelund is a private forest with sensitive nature and wildlife, so visitors must stay on roads and larger paths, on foot or by bicycle. During the wolves' breeding season, parts of the deer park may be closed off. Here, the silence is not decoration around the experience, but part of the place itself.
On Agerbækvej in Klelund stands the memorial stone for a British Handley Page Halifax bomber that was shot down by a German night fighter on 26 February 1944. All seven on board were killed.
The stone stands close to a car park, Myrelegeplads, and a lookout tower. Behind the memorial stone, a depression from the crater can still be seen, while the forest around the site is today associated with the deer park, red deer, and wild boar.
In June, the adult Glanville fritillary is on the wing, and here it sits calmly on a yellow, dandelion-like flower. The green grass around it gives a typical summery impression of an open, low-growing habitat where the butterfly can find nectar between flights.
Fritillaries are recognized by the network pattern on their wings, with orange patches framed by dark lines.
The rose-pink flowers are open among grass and low leaves, as is often seen with dove's-foot cranesbill in June. The plant is low-growing and delicate in appearance, with small flowers and lobed leaves that make it visible in the green ground cover in Klelund Plantage
Dove's-foot cranesbill is known, among other things, for its hairy stems and small, notched petals
The green hairstreak almost blends in with the twig where it sits in the summer light of June. The blurred brown-green background highlights the bright color and calm posture, while the photo from Klelund Plantage shows a close moment in low vegetation
The green color gives the butterfly good camouflage when it sits still among leaves and twigs
The dark burnet sits quietly on the thistle’s purple flowers and feeds in the summer warmth. In July, thistles are important nectar sources for many insects, and in the green grass the flower heads stand out clearly with a visit from the six-spot burnet
The red spots on the wings make the six-spot burnet easy to identify in the field
The yellow and black caterpillars sit close to the green plant and are feeding during the summer. In July, cinnabar caterpillars can often be seen on common ragwort, where their vivid colors make them easy to spot in the vegetation at Klelund Plantation
The cinnabar caterpillars' sharp yellow and black stripes serve as a clear warning signal
Den brune sommerfugl har sat sig roligt på den gule blomst, mens juliens vegetation står tæt omkring den. Engrandøje ses her på engbrandbæger i Klelund Plantage, hvor varme sommerdage giver god aktivitet blandt blomster og insekter
Engrandøje kendes ofte på sin brune farve og de tydelige øjepletter på vingerne
Klelund Observation Tower stands at the northern end of the deer park and rises 26 meters above forest, clearings, and heathland-like landscape. It was built in 2014 and is one of the places where Klelund’s size becomes clear.
From the tower, you can look out for red deer, wild boar, and perhaps a wolf in the distance. The deer park is open from 6 a.m. until sunset; keep to roads and larger paths. The tower is unsuitable for people with walking difficulties.
Wild boar were released into Klelund Deer Park from 2016: first 24 animals and the following year 9 more, brought from Tofte Forest. More recent information describes the population as around 50 animals.
They are not just animals you may be lucky enough to spot. When they root in the soil and wear down the vegetation, they create open, light-filled patches and variation in the forest. Keep a distance of at least 50 meters, and do not feed them.