Almindingen Forest

Exciting sights in Almindingen - visit the Bison forest

Visit the beautiful forest Almindingen on Bornholm. Almindingen - or "all men's possession" - is Denmarks fifth-biggest forest with an area of about 6.000 hektar or nearly 15,000 acres. Go for a hike or join a guided tour to the bison forest. Almindingen offers a lot of exciting sights. Visit the old castle ruins Lilleborg and Gamleborg, the large erratic boulder, that rocks, when you try to move it; Bornholms largest rift valley Ekkodalen (echo valley); Rytterknægten, Bornholms highest top of 162 metres or 531 feet above sea level; the lakes Bastemose and Svinemose - and do not forget to visit the European Bison (Visent) in the inclosure at Christian X. Vej.

Join a guided tour to the Bison forest

In a fenced area by Chr. X's Vej, there is a herd of bison of about 15 animals. You can go and see them - or join a guided tour in the bison forest, which Naturbornholm offers. You can read more in this article: Meet a bison in Almindingen on Bornholm

The nature centre NaturBornholm offers guided tours to the Bison forest once in a while. Find more information on their website → here.

Hans Rømer - the forests first warden

At the end of the 18th century, hardly any tree was left at the area, that we know as Almindingen forest today. In 1822, the young forest warden Hans Rømer was hired to replant the forest. This day today, you still can see the signs of the huge effort that was made to replant the forest - the tremendous stone walls along the forest, to keep the grassing deer outside of the new plantings. 

After 1850, the rest of the common grazing in Højlyngen was replaced and much became forest. Today, only scattered remains of Højlyngen remain in Alminding

Sleep in the forest

In Almindingen Forest you are allowed to encamp for free, in the area between Bolsterbjergvej and Åsedamsvej but stick to the rules, which you can find at the Naturstyrelsen website.

Read more about wild camping on Bornholm.

Also check out the Danish Website udinaturen.dk where you find an interactive map of large, small and primitive campsites. (choose “Sov under stjernerne”, then “frit teltningsområde” and “primitiv overnatningsplads”).