Bjerre Forest, As Vig and Horsens Nørrestrand in June 2011

Elverdammen

Uth church

It was a tour down to the Horsens district in the first week of June and it was a hot day,  a lovely summer's day. We passed the church of Uth before we came to the first destination, Bjerre Skov, about 11-12 km southeast of Horsens in the broad peninsula between Horsens and Vejle. Bjerre Skov is also called Bjerge Skov at times. A part of the forest is a nature forest, which is untouched by humans for many years.

The carps

tadpoles

In this part of the forest is a little idyllic forest lake, Elverdammen (The Elves' Pond), which is also called Bjerge Skovsø. The lake is almost overgrown with waterlilies in summer. It is a pretty and quiet place, and a place like this is exactly what the carps in the lake prefer. They are not always visible, but on this warm day in June they were playing and splashing and making a noise, which could be heard far and wide. I think the carp is an interesting fish with a long history. The Romans farmed carps and this pond culture continued through the monasteries of Europe and to this day. In China,Korea and Japan farming took place as early from ab. 300 B.C. There is an increasing popularity in the United States for carp eggs used for caviar. In the corner of the lake the water was thick with tadpoles. Soon they will become little toads and hop upon land. Thousands of little toads. I was once in a place, where it happened  - and it was impossible to walk without stepping on those little guys. It was terrible!

New lake

Near the forest lake, in the edge of the nature forest was recently established a new lake, and we went there to see how nature liked that. It takes a few years before flora and fauna really begin to show their way of living, but it will not last long before the first signs arrive.  Birds soon discover a place like this -  and plants, yes, they come by themselves -  and it is always exciting to see, how such a new nature reserve will be in a few years. A bird's observation tower has been placed in the edge of the forest.

A rare little insect, a large red damselfly (it has red eyes)

lovely blue forget-me-not

Skjold vicarage

The tour now continued down the peninsula to the coast and we took a rest at As vig by the beach. It was one of the days, where you want to come out to the fresh water to get some sea air. We passed Skjold church with a pretty vicarage . We used the time at As Vig  for our coffee break, coffee and Wiener pekan cakes! Many people were enjoying the beach and the good weather. Many boats and canoers on the sea. I was thinking about how wonderful it was to finally be here in the summer sun; the winter had been so long and there had been an awful time in April and May at the hospital. But now it was summer and everything was okay. Life is beautiful.

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Horsens Nørrestrand

We drove back north again through the pretty landscape with little country houses and well-kept farms to Horsens Nørrestrand, a nature reserve.It is a low watered lake north of the town of Horsens, separated from Horsens fjord by a sluice. The nature at Nørrestrand is very much varied and the mix of various nature types give a rich flora and fauna. The place was laid out as a nature reserve in 1977. Until 1982 was hunt allowed but the reserve is now totally listed.

the path

The path along the reserve was beautiful. The air was filled with a scent of wild herbs and the birds were singing. It was a perfect summer's day. There was a sad break though. A dead little roe deer kid on the path . I don't know how it had been killed.

The terrain is very hilly and the path runs all the way downside the hills.  Hereford cattle was grazing in the forested hills, and they were obviously happy to have the opportunity to rest below the shady trees in the heat. I have often thought about those large, bare fields where there are no shade to find for the cattle. Now I could see that they really like that.

photo June 2011: grethe bachmann

Sweet Hereford cow.