The Hills of Høvblege on the Island Møn

Ulvsund Bridge

From the summerhouse at Zealand we crossed the Ulvsund bridge on our way to the island Møn. Close to the coast we took a little break on a bench outside Kalvehave church where we enjoyed the beautiful view across the sound.




















Møn is a  lovely island, this time we went for some special hills at Høvblege, known for their botanic richness. Along the road through the island are many interesting churches, they are especially known for their fantastic colourful and storytelling medieval frescoes, which fill the walls of the whole church, fx the church in Fanefjord, Elmelunde, Keldby and Borre. I have visited these churches some years ago, and if you are interested in the frescoes you can search the churches on my blog Church and Manor.

City Stege at Møn

We went through the city Stege after some shopping and went on south, close to the main road was a pretty golf course, where some sculptures were placed as if they were playing golf, and seen while passing they looked very much alive.
































The hillside at Høvblege lies in a scenic landscape with a magnificent view to the Baltic Sea. That day the sea and the horizon were one blue smoky line. On a clear day you can see all the way to the island Rügen. In the Middle Ages people lived in fear in this district because of the Wendic pirates from Rügen who harassed the southern isles of Denmark. The Danish king had to build fortifications and strongholds to keep them at bay. All those castles and strongholds are gone now and so are the Wendic pirates All that's left are some place names.

















The hillside has a unique biodiversity of plants and insects. There are paths from here to Klinteskoven on the eastern part of Møn or from at place by the road between the villages Mandemarke and Busene. Here is a parking place from where you can walk up into the hills and to the paths.

Dactyhorliza maculata (Skovgøgeurt)

Here is a small section of the plants I saw that day. The Dactyhorliza maculata with pink flowers grows in light-open deciduous forests and in calcareous pastures with spread trees and bushes. It is protected in Denmark.

Sainfoin (Esparsette)

Sainfoin Esparsette grows in calcareous soil (see my post about the plant on blog Thyra from January 10th, 2010).

Mignonette ( Reseda)

Mignonette/ Reseda a fragrant plant, was used for perfume and by the Romans to dye silk yellow.

Greater Butterfly Orchid (Skovgøgelilje)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, (Skovgøgelilje) with white flowers is common in East Jutland and on the Isles but rare in other parts of Denmark. It is protected. A protected orchid must not be plucked, digged up, gathered or destroyed. Some of the habitats of the Greater Butterfly orchid are protected. Flax and Fairy Flax (please see my post about this plant on my Thyra blog from 21. January 2009).

Fairy Flax (Vild Hør)

The area at Høvblege is a large hillside with pastures and grassland , there is a beautiful view across the eastern part of Møn and to the Baltic Sea, and in optimal weather- and wind conditions there are good opportunities to watch the migration of birds of prey in the spring time. The place at Høvblege is famous for its botanic rarities, but also for some butterflies, which are found only in a few localities in Denmark. It is a varied and exciting locality to investigate.

Marsh Harrier

Time passed and it was late in the afternoon when we left Møn -  on the way we saw a marsh harrier by the coast - and suddenly an elegant red kite which was enjoying doing some hovering high above in the air.

Red Kite

 

photo: Høvblege June 2012: grethe bachmann