Klostermølle in Winter

present buildings

channel by the mill

Benedictine monks established ab. 1050-110 a kloster, named Voer kloster, close to the big lake Mossø in the lake distrikt in the middle of Jutland. It was one of the first klosters in Denmark, and it was probably also the monks, who established the 1300 m long dam, which forces the waters of the Gudenå river into a channel. Here was a waterfall which was able to run a watermill, also named Klostermølle today. (meaning "mill at the kloster"). The kloster was abandoned after the reformation and there are now only rests of foundations under the yard between the present buildings.

Nature school and center.

the drying barn

new bridge

The drying barn is built in three storeys. Here was a paper factory. It is now a workshop, where the forest district dry wood and make wooden objects for the public. In the corner of the barn with a view to the delta and the river Gudenå is a bird-tower. In the present buildings is a nature school. Here is also nearby a camping for canoeing tourists from 16 June until 31. December. In the mill buildings are exhibitions.

 

lots of ice at the mill today

along channel

a view from center to Mossø lake

in meadow, no geese today

but mother duck and father duck

marsh titmouse

a nice little nuthatch

Along the channel is a walking path, no disturbance from cyclists or skateboarders etc. Sands have been laid out on the moist ground. It's a good place to take a walk. Here in winter are not many people in the area, but in summer is it a lively place, both swarming with people and with birds. And there is a variety of plants along the river and in the area around the nature center - and many plant-relicts, like medical herbs, from the time while it was a kloster-center. Now on this icy cold day is not much life. A few birds high up in the trees. A nuthatch and some tits. 

Sorry, the woodpecker disappeared!

the delta seen from the bird tower.

Well, a winter's day - a very short day out. It is still very cold with an icy eastern wind. No need to stay out longer  than a couple of hours and the light will soon disappear. How wonderful it will be in just a month - I'm sure! More life - snowdrops and crocus and eranthis and anemones as some of the first flowers, all the birds singing, butterflies suddenly emerging in sunny sheltered places ...the humming of bees........... it is easy to dream, isn't it?

Black alder at the channel

the channel - here is the kingfisher - on occassions!

Rye church

The church in Rye lies on the top of a hill and is seen far away. Its old name is Sct. Sørens church, and Søren was a farmer's boy, who run away from working with the plough. He became a monk, and later a priest and died as bishop in Cologne in Germany ab. year 400. One thousand year later people "discovered " that a well in the forest at Rye was made sacred by Søren, and a pilgrimage began to the church and the well. So the Sct. Søren church in Rye thus was one of the centers of the spiritual life in medieval Denmark.

Various great events happened in this church. Here were also elections of the Danish king. Christian 3. was elected king by the Jutland nobility here on 4. July 1534. This election was the start of the fall of the Catholic church in Denmark.

the mystic farm

At last I took a photo of a farm which we often pass after the church. It always looks so desolate - as if no one lives there. However, there are signs of activities. Maybe the living house is built behind the stables close to and sheltered by the wood. And maybe they have a nice garden there!


photo Klostermølle 12. february 2011: grethe bachmann