Afoot – Travel bloggers hiking among seal pups and white-tailed eagles

From Roskilde to Herslev in Skjoldungernes Land

Skjoldungernes Land National Park is located in central Zealand and covers an area of 170 km² around Roskilde Fjord.

There are two well-known routes: the Fjord Trail, a 275-kilometre-long hiking and cycling route, and Skjoldungestierne hiking trails, which actually consist of two routes of 30 and 10 kilometres that cross each other.

We had planned a hike of around 12 kilometres, starting from Roskilde Station and ending in the small village of Herslev, from where it is possible to take bus 207 back to the station.

The scenic area offers a wealth of paths and small roads, providing countless opportunities to plan a great walk – whether it is just a day trip or you wish to stay overnight along the way.

Roskilde Fjord

From the station, we walked through the town down to Roskilde Harbour, where we joined the Fjord Trail, which we followed on and off for most of the way. Hoarfrost mist had settled over the landscape, giving it a dreamy and quite distinctive atmosphere – and the clouds had completely hidden the sun.

Even in grey weather, it was really lovely here. And there is just something about walking along the water. It does something to you.

Along this section of the route, you pass right by the psychiatric hospital, Sct Hans Hospital, which since 1808 has served, among other things, as a poorhouse colony, a mental asylum and a tuberculosis sanatorium.

Boserup Forest & white-tailed eagles

We followed the Fjord Trail into Boserup Forest. Most of the route runs along the coastline, but in a few places the path turns inland. It did not take long, however, before the trail bent again and led us back towards the water.

Along the coast in Boserup Forest, we passed several really lovely shelter sites, located right at the edge of the woodland with views across the fjord. Some need to be booked in advance, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. They are very popular, so either way it pays to arrive early.

As a little extra Boserup Forest bonus, we have heard that the forest is supposed to be exceptionally beautiful in spring, when the wood anemones are in bloom.

At the edge of the forest, we reached the old Kattinge Works, which previously served as both a grain mill and a cellulose factory, but today functions as a nature and activity centre run by the City of Copenhagen.
With views across Kattinge Bay, we unpacked our lunch and firewood. Not the worst place to enjoy lunch and a cup of hot tea.

Suddenly, all the small birds out on the fjord took flight, and a few seconds later two white-tailed eagles flew straight over us. They were heading towards the small peninsula of Bognæs, where a breeding pair of white-tailed eagles has been established since 2007.

Not that we actually knew they were white-tailed eagles at the time. We simply thought they were a pair of very large birds of prey. But when a man shortly afterwards asked whether we had seen the eagles, we could calmly reply that we had.

Herslev Brewery

We now headed out onto the country road, enjoying the view across Store Kattinge Lake, which among other things is a gathering place for thousands of tufted ducks, and set our course for Herslev. We still had not seen any sign of the sun. After a couple of kilometres, we reached Herslev, where we had planned a visit to the farm brewery Herslev Brewery, which offers both a farm shop and a wonderfully cosy Tap Room & Café.

We had not booked a table, and when we arrived, the place was completely full. Fortunately, we were allowed to take two spare seats at one of the tables, so we could warm up and sample the beers. A perfect place to wait for the next bus – or the one after that…

Next time, we will make sure to time it with one of their lunch platters, as they looked rather tempting – and we should probably add that booking a table is a very good idea, especially on Saturdays.

BONUS INFO: The Skjoldungs, after whom the national park is named, were a legendary Danish royal dynasty originating from Lejre. They are known, among other sources, from the Skjoldung Saga and the epic poem Beowulf.