Hvidbjerg Plantage - Rettrupkær Sø Hike

On a trip through Hvidbjerg plantation, 1.6 km

The tour goes through the 43 hectare Hvidbjerg Plantage, which is rich of bird life. In the plantation there is located an artificial forest lake which ensures drinking water for animals and birds.

Rettrupkær Lake was completely overgrown and had become a peat bog, but in 2004 the lake was restored, and by the lake you can now observe many diverse wading, swimming and salt meadow birds.

The lake is privately owned, hence no access to the lake itself, but from the small bird sanctuary north of the lake and from Rettrup Kærvej you can find a great view of the lake.

Hvidbjerg Plantation

Hvidbjerg Plantage is approximately 43 hectare and was established in the 1920s as a job-creating project for the unemployed in the then Brøndum-Hvidbjerg Parish municipality.

When the plantation was established, only mountain pines were planted as it was the only species that could be grown on the heath.

Throughout the years, the plantation has been revived with other tree species. For a period, the plantation alomost consisted entirely of silver fire but today more exciting and nature-rich mixed forest is present.

The plantation has a rich birdlife supported by the many bird´s nest boxes provided and set up by Hvidbjerg School. Additionally, you can come across deer and in rare cases fallow deer.

On sunny days, vipers bask in the southwest part of the plantation. In the southern part of Hvidbjerg Plantage, there is located a single smaller burial mound, Lille Mosehøj, from the Stone Age single burial culture.

The mound has a clear burial from an extraction in the late 1800s.

The former scout camp

East of Rønbjergvej there is a land clearing in the plantation surrounded with a rampart. The site is a former scout camp, which is now overgrown with heather. In August there is a good opportunity to pick blackberries.

The hunting shack

In the western part of the plantation, there is a hunting shack that is known locally as "Skråvejen".

The hunting cabin is always open and is for freely use by all persons passing, if only you leave the cabin in the condition in which you found it.

Immediately north of the hunting shack is an area planted with some large beech trees. When the plantation was established, a small homestead existed here.

The hunting association conducts joint hunts in the plantation four times a year, where signage indicates that the plantation is closed to the public.

”Skovsøen”

The forest lake south of the hunting shack was artificially created in 1996 to ensure drinking water for the plantation's wild animals and birds. A few benches have been set up by the lake.

The riding trail

In 2005, a 3.4 km long horse path was built along the entire edge of the plantation. If you arrive at the plantation with a horse trailer, the car park at Rønbjergvej is a great starting point.On part of the hiking route in Hvidbjerg Plantage you follow the horse trail. Here you must be aware of riders and that the path can be uneven and slippery under wet conditions.

P: The Narrows (N 56° 30.073', E 8° 54.026')

L: 1.6 km

Marking: Yellow