Suserup Skov – Primeval Forest

A Living Primeval Forest on the Shores of Tystrup Lake

Where the slope's broadleaf trees meet the still waters of Tystrup Lake, one of Denmark's most extraordinary natural areas lies hidden. Suserup Skov near Sorø is not just another beautiful forest on Zealand — it is a living window into the primeval forest that once covered all of Denmark. Here, trees have been allowed to grow, die and fall for over a century, exactly as nature itself dictates.

The forest stretches down the steep slope towards Tystrup Lake in central Zealand, and from the very first step between the trunks, you sense that something is different. Enormous beeches and oaks tower alongside fallen timber and moss-covered trunks in every stage of decay. This is precisely what makes Suserup unique: no fallen trees are removed, no branches are cleared, and no new trees are planted. Everything is left to nature's own processes, as it has been since the late 1800s.

6,000 Years of Unbroken Forest History

Soil samples have revealed that forest has stood on this site for at least 6,000 years — an unbroken chain of tree generations reaching all the way back to the Stone Age. This makes Suserup Skov one of the most important research areas for forest ecology in Northern Europe. The forest is owned by the Sorø Academy Foundation and is part of the Danish Nature Canon — a recognition of its exceptional status in Danish natural history.

The mixed deciduous forest harbours a remarkably diverse tree community. Beech and oak dominate the highest canopy, while alder, elm, ash, maple and lime fill the middle layer. In the understorey, you will find hazel, hawthorn and — if you are lucky — wild pear trees and crab apples, all self-seeded and spread by wind and birds over centuries. The oldest trees in the forest are estimated to be around 400 years old, and their mighty trunks and gnarled crowns bear witness to a timescale entirely different from the one we humans usually operate within.

A Walk Among the Giants of the Past

A marked trail leads around the entire forest, and it is important to stay on the path to protect the delicate forest floor ecosystem. The walk is short — roughly an hour at a comfortable pace — yet the experience is intense. Light filters down through the dense canopy, casting a greenish, almost submarine glow that shifts with the seasons. In spring, wood anemones bloom like a white carpet across the forest floor, and in autumn the forest turns deep gold and russet, mirrored in the glassy surface of Tystrup Lake.

Woodpeckers and owls accompany you along the trail, and with a little patience you may spot the white-tailed eagle, Denmark's largest bird of prey, which winters at the Tystrup-Bavelse Lakes. The forest's many hollows, crevices and dead trunks provide habitat for rare fungi, beetles and bats that thrive precisely here, where humans have stepped back.

Things to Do Near Suserup Skov

Suserup Skov sits like a jewel in the magnificent Tystrup-Bavelse landscape, often called Zealand's answer to the Silkeborg Lake District. Tystrup Lake, at 662 hectares, is one of the largest lakes on Zealand, and the connected Bavelse Lake to the south gives the entire area an almost lake-highland character. The River Suså winds through the landscape, and the area is popular for canoeing and kayaking. The Sjællandsleden long-distance trail passes close by, and several shorter hiking routes make it possible to combine the forest visit with a full-day adventure in the rolling moraine landscape. The town of Sorø lies just a few kilometres to the north, with its medieval abbey church, Sorø Lake and the Academy Gardens. Discover even more experiences in the area at destinationsjaelland.dk.