Monday, April 12, 2010

Bulbjerg, North Jutland by the North Sea


Bulbjerg, like a lump of gold in the evening sun


Bulbjerg, ab. 20 km northwest of Fjerritslev.


Photographers at the cliff


Pretty black-legged Kitti-Wake and blue sky


The Kitti-Wakes on the cliff


A miracle that the nest is not falling down


Skarreklit - the rest of a high limestone knoll


The old sea bed behind Bulbjerg


It is difficult to handle the towel in the west wind.

The 47 m high limestone cliff lies close to the North Sea with a unique view from the top. The limestone was once used as a building material, i.e. for churches. The limestone was sawed out from the foot of the cliff and carried the long way up to the top by poor fishermen and peasants.

Bulbjerg is named Denmark's only bird cliff, the closest we can get to the combination of a steep cliff and open sea. Here breed ab. 450 couple rider and a few fulmars.

Up to WWII was a bathing hotel at the top of the cliff, but it was blown to pieces by the Germans, who made Bulbjerg a part of the Atlantic Wall with cannons and observation-posts from where the German soldiers could monitor ship- and air traffic. A couple of bunkers are furnished as toilets and nature-exhibitions.

Skarreklit was a high limestone/flint knold which would not let itself cow by the strong North Sea . Skarreklit stood in sun and storm for hundreds of years until it had to give up and tipped over in the sea in a storm in 1978.

Vestkyststien Agger - Bulbjerg is a hiking and cycling route of ab. 80 km. The route continues south to the border and north to Skagen. The hiking routes can be used in their full lenght or in etapes.

Bulbjerg has grown smaller this year. About two tons has slipped into the sea. It is the change of frost and thaw which gave crevices in the limestone. The slip cannot be seen from the top of the cliff. Skov og Naturstyrelsen warns that Bulbjerg might be in danger of slipping down. People should keep a good distance.


photo 2006/2007: grethe bachmann

3 comments:

Kittie Howard said...

I gasped when I saw your top photo. Bulbjerg is beyond beautiful. Such majesty. And the Kitti-wakes are amazing. And, close-up, they look almost delicate, like they could talk. It's sad how such a beautiful place was once a tool of war. Lovely post, Grethe, thank you!

Thyra said...

Hej Kittie! Thanks! It was such a fine light that evening which made the cliff look like a lump of gold. And now comes a time where the light is on. It has been such a dark grey period. Hurray for the sun!

Besta said...

For noen nydelige bilder:) Jeg kommer gjerne igjen:) Takk for koselig hilsen hos meg.
Ha en fin helg.
klem fra marilyn