Hyllinge - Næstved

The southwestern Zealand landscape is, like most of Denmark, shaped by the last ice age, where massive glaciers gradually melted away 15,000 years ago, leaving a landscape with large elongated moraine hills and meltwater valleys.

Today, you can see the valleys as depressions and streams, e.g., Saltø Stream and Susådalen. The moraine land is the surrounding hilly terrain with elevations such as around Hashøj and Flakkebjerg.

Along the former railway line, there is a very varied plant growth. Typical hedgerow trees include hazel, field maple, rowan, maple, bird cherry, but also oak and beech grow on the former railway embankments. Additionally, many flowering shrubs grow, e.g., sloe, lilac, hawthorn, elder, and hazel.

The plants along the Footpath are typically hardy species that grow in places influenced by human activity. Such areas are called ruderal (from Latin rudera = 'rubble'), as the soil is often stony, compacted, and rich in nitrogen.

This habitat is characterized by a number of extreme conditions: full sun, lack of shelter, poor drainage, but also rapid drying. This places great demands on the plants. They must be hardy with a large seed dispersal, and the seeds must be able to lie dormant in the soil for a long time waiting for optimal conditions.

Typical plants in this habitat include shepherd's purse, pigweed, plantain, butterbur, speedwell, and various species of fireweed and dandelion. In the autumn, large amounts of blackberries can be found along the path.

There is a rich birdlife in the vegetation along the path. Warblers, thrushes, and smaller songbirds find both shelter and protection. In the autumn, there are plenty of berries and fruits on trees and shrubs. Above the fields, the kestrel can be seen hunting. With rapid wing beats, it almost hovers in the air looking for mice and insects. The buzzard and the marsh harrier can also be seen gliding over the fields.

Roe deer and hares are regularly seen along the stretch. In winter, the roe deer gather in larger family groups called 'spring'. Roe deer are good at adapting to human traffic, so as long as you stay on the path, you have good opportunities to experience the elegant animals up close.

Hyllinge Church

The beautiful old church of Hyllinge parish dates back to the 1300s and is located on a ridge on the southwestern edge of the town. The church has been in use since 1560 and until 1921, wher.../read more at friluftsguiden.dk.