Skygge: Discover nature, trails and history

For a stay in Skygge, the landscapes around Bølling Sø and Skygge Å offer points of interest for nature and culture enthusiasts. The lake, paths through valley and woodland areas, and the history of peat extraction each offer a different focus. The river courses also tell the story of changes to the landscape.

Bølling Sø and Skygge Å

Today’s Bølling Sø was created through a nature restoration project carried out over several years and completed by 2005. The entire lake area and the surrounding land are protected. Reeds, meadows and dry grassland around the lake provide habitats for numerous animals and plants. Nature conservation and the restored lake landscape thus shape the natural environment.

The course of Skygge Å has also changed: in August 2016, a newly meandered section about 900 metres long was inaugurated. East of Skyggevej, Skygge Å joins Elkær Bæk and Bording Å; from there, the watercourse is called Karup Å. As a birdwatching site, Skygge Å extends from Bølling Sø to Klode Mølle.

Trails and outdoor activities

The Perlen Bølling Sø walking trail is 11.6 kilometres long and loops around the restored lake. It starts and ends at Klosterlund Museum, where free parking is available. Toilets are located both at the museum and at Dværgebakken. This information can help you factor the starting point and length of the walk into your day’s plans.

Another marked trail runs west of Bølling Sø along Skygge Å and across the valley to Stenholt Skov. The marked Hærvejssti runs from north to west through Stenholt Krat. This trail can be used at any time of day or night. Geocaching enthusiasts will find several geocaches along Skygge Å northwest of the lake.

Water activities are subject to rules that apply to specific areas: fishing is permitted in the western half of Bølling Sø. Non-motorised boats and sailing boats are also allowed there. Both activities are limited to the same part of the lake, not the entire lake.

Peat history and cultural traces

Klosterlund Museum is housed in a former peat factory. It presents the history of the peat industry and heathland cultivation around Bølling Sø. On selected summer days, volunteers demonstrate how peat was once extracted by hand and with machines. The demonstrations are seasonal; if you would like to see them, you can take the dates on offer into account when planning your visit.

Along the route I fortidens fodspor, various stops offer additional perspectives on the past. These include audio stations with dramatised stories, a corten-steel figure of a peat cutter, a pair of binoculars, a hunting game for Stone Age hunters, and a quiz about the Tollund Man. Together, these features offer different ways to engage with history, from storytelling to small interactive activities.

Further historical traces can be found at Klode Mølle. A dam was built there across Skygge Å, creating a pond to the southeast in the direction of Bølling Sø. A mill house with an undershot waterwheel was built by the pond. The former settlement pattern can also be identified: in Skygge By, five farms stood along Klosterlundvej until at least 1866.

A practical stop by Skygge Å

Fiskehytten ved Skygge Å is located at Vester Moselundvej 4. Members of Silkeborg Fiskeriforening can use the hut free of charge after making a reservation. This option is for members of the association and requires a reservation.

Discover more destinations: Gjern Kommune, Funder, Store Bredlund, Ans, Vrads, Ry, Guldforhoved, Bording

For the broader travel overview: Silkeborg Kommune.