Vokslev Kalkgrav/ Chalk Pit at Limfjorden in North Jutland and the neighbourhood.......

Binderup Å river

Vokslev kalkgrav ( chalk pit) is situated in North Jutland close to Limfjorden and 3 km from the small town Nibe. It is like most other North Jutland chalk pits digged out and made accessible. It is a very exciting and beautiful place with an ancient geological history - and when you stand looking down the slope to the Binderup å-river which runs through a narrow valley down there, then it is difficult to imagine that this little water stream has been running there ever since Ice Age.



Here at Vokslev was once a lively industry, here was digged chalk for more than 100 years. Todays visitors often come to see profiles in the chalk,  if they are interested in the geology or in the chalk-industry. The profiles in the chalk show both the soft, white chalk from the Cretaceous period, which was used for building-material and the hard chalk from the tertiary period, which could be sawed out for building-stone. The chalk pit gives good opportunities for fossile-hunting (mostly sea urchin and bryozo).

At the mill

The chalk pit in Vokslev is unique caused by the demarcation-line between the deposits, which places it  among geological localitites of international importance. The stratum was deposited in the sea about 65 milllion years ago, the demarcation-line is marked by a thin layer of clay. In the Cretaceous period was the land dominated by dinosaurs, and there were only few rat-like mammals. The fossils show that on the line between the Cretaceous period and tertiary period disappeared 2/3 of all animal- and plant-species during a very short time. The dinosaurs died out.

It has not yet been finally clarified what happened in this largest event in life's existence on earth, but maybe the guess of  the riddle is found in the thin layer of clay. Where this layer of clay is found in various places on earth it shows that it contains rare elements and minerals, which normally are not found on the surface of the earth, but is known from meteors. Maybe the earth was hit 65 million years ago by a colossal meteor, which whirled up dust and earth into the atmosphere. The sun was eclipsed, maybe for decades, and most animal and plants became extinct. An effect like this can also happen in a large volcanic eruption, but the discovery of a 300 km large, assumed impact-crater in Mexico - age 65 million years - seems to reinforce the meteor-theory.

Mullein

But today the reptiles live a good life in Vokslev chalk pit. Both sand lizard,common lizard and slow-worms are seen in the sunny chalk pit  -  also viper and grass snake. The chalk pit has a rich flora, and several various trees and bushes attract many butterflies and other insects. Here is also a rich bird life.

Ancient privy

Blå mosaikguldsmed(Aeshna cyanea)

Parsnip sent out its summer-scent

 

Common Ragwort, poisonous

The idyllic Binderup å-river has avoided destructive regulations. The river has a good fall and a bottom of stone and gravel. In the water is a rich life of small animals and a large population of trout. At Hule Mølle (mill) are fish-steps for the sea-trout.


The exhibition at Vokslev kalkgrube describes the history of the chalk pit and the cultural environment around the river and the mill. There is a parking-place and a resting place with tables and benches.
Vokslev kalkgrube is a part of a biking-route called "Geologisk set" ( Geologically seen) = "Vokslevruten".
Fishing license at Møllegården for a 500 m long stretch af Binderup river south of the mill.
The chalk pit is owned by the Danish state, while the river valley and the slope at the river are private.

Along the Vokslev-nature path on a windy day in the sunny flower-field.

Nibe

The small town Nibe (ab. 4.500 inhabitants)  has a beautiful place by Limfjorden. It started as a fishing village in the Middle ages, especially had it a rich herring-fishing and trade with the Hanseatics, which  brought wealth to the town. The old part of town has kept some of its medieval mark in the cosy streets with the low houses.

Troldkirke

Troldkirke.
Upon a hill with a fantastic view to the waters of Limfjorden lies one of the finest long dolmens in Denmark. It is about 60 m long, 12 m broad and surrounded by 47 large stones, of which the gable stones are several meters tall. The dolmen is called Troldkirken (the Troll-church), because a troll on the other side of Limfjorden once got mad at Sønderholm church. The troll hated the bell-ringing and threw a giant stone across the fjord in order to crush the tower. The stone ended at the place Troldkirke. It is the cover stone, which weighs supposedly 6-8 tons.

Klitgård Fishing-place

Klitgård fiskerleje (fishing-place). The decision here is to create settings for leisure-time in connection to Limfjorden and to secure the special nature- and culture values of the area, which can be used for spare-time fishing and as a storage yard for little boats etc. - and a recreation-place - fx for bird-watchers.Technical plans are not allowed, only as a parking place. The area has to be kept clear of technical plans, considering the fine situation close to the coast.



Source: Kulturhistorie,.dk, Politikens store Danmarksbog, Se dit Danmark.

photo Vokslev 2007; Nibe,Troldkirke, Klitgård 2006: grethe bachmann.

Hanklit and Feggeklit, Mors in Limfjorden

Hanklit: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan Foto


Hanklit, 55 million years old.

I often get mails from Danish-Americans or Americans with Danish roots, mostly via my other blogs. I got a mail from a helpful American with a Danish name. One of his family lines came from the island Mors near Hanklit. I have found some old photos from Hanklit and Feggeklit.

The protected cliff Hanklit is Denmark's largest moler cliff. It is placed on the northwestern coast of the island Mors in Limfjorden. It rises to a height of ab. 60 m from the beach. From the top is a fantastic view. The contents of Hanklit is a mix of volcanic ash and moler, and the layers are visible as dark volcanic ash stripes, alternating with moler stripes. In the moler layers are fossils of fish, snails, insects and plants.



My son photographing the view to Limfjorden by the big red stone on the beach.


Two boys looking for interesting stones on the beach.

An old legend from Mors says that when God was about to create Jutland, he first made a small test-model. It was so beautiful that he couldn't bear to throw it away, so he made the waters of Limfjorden a little broader to the west and placed the model here. The model was later named Mors!


In a field close to the Hanklit-parking place a goose seemingly was watching the cattle on the hill. When we approached the fence to take some photos, the goose became absolutely heated and was hissing until it lost its breath!


Feggeklit


Cattle an swans with young ones at Feggesund (the sound)

Feggeklit is another protected moler cliff at the northern tip of Mors. It is about 24 m high, ab. 1 km long and 300 m broad. It was an island in Stone Age. From the narrow beach can be noticed geological layers from the childhood of Earth. The layers are alternating like at Hanklit. The dark stripes are in numbers 146, which corresponds to the number of volcanic eruptions. Like at Hanklit are here many fossils.

Southwest of Feggeklit are pretty beach meadows with a rich bird life, i.e. avocet, big plover, lapwing, common snipe and a few yellow wagtails. Upon Feggeklit itself and the beach meadows are rare plants like Vår-potentil (Potentilla tabernaemontani) and Liden Snerre ( Galium sterneri).

A little south of Feggeklit is the moler museum in Sejerslev, open in the summer season. Here is a rich collection of 55 million year old fossils of plants, trees, birds, fish and insects. Near the museum is a gravel pit, where people can go fossil-hunting and thengo to the museum to have their finds examined.

From the parking place it is possible to go up on the steep cliff to enjoy the view or walk along the cliff. At extreme high tide and strong western wind it is not possible to walk along the beach.this usually happens in the winter season.

It is not allowed to dig for finds or cleave stones in the cliff.



Beach meadows with cattle at Feggesund.


The memorial stone by "King Fegge's grave" at Feggeklit.

The northern part of Mors with Hanklit, Skarrehage and Feggeklit is part of the moler landscape of Limfjorden. According to legends was Feggeklit created, when the sorceress from Dybhav had to visit her family in Thy. She filled her apron with earth in order to get across the waters without getting her feet wet. The apron broke and the cliff rose high above Limfjorden.

The legend about king Fegge and prince Hamlet.
According to legend a royal castle was situated at Feggeklit. In the castle resided two kings. They were the brothers Fegge og Horvendil. Since the kingdom was too small for two kings, they ruled by turns three years at a time; he, who did not rule the land, went sailing as a pirate and stayed away for three years. Horvendil was married to the beautiful Geruth, with whom he had the son Hamlet. King Fegge fell in love with Geruth. When Horvendil came back after three years as a pirate, king Fegge killed him. Now Fegge was sole king, and he married Geruth. Prince Hamlet was sent away, but one day he came back and killed king Fegge, revenging his father.

King Fegge was buried at the western side of Feggeklit with his golden sword. At present has been raised a memorial stone. The legend forms the basis of Shakespeare's tragedy about prince Hamlet. He has placed his scene at Kronborg castle, but the legend origins from Feggeklit.

Source: Politikens store Danmarksbog ; Feggeklit og Skarrehage molerværk, Feggeklit Færgekro.


photo 2002: grethe bachmann