Søllested offers various ways to explore cultural history and spend time outdoors. Its development as a railway town, a Romanesque church, and trails through forests and open countryside offer different focal points. When planning, you can decide whether architecture and local history or outdoor activities on the trails should shape your stay more.
Railway History and Historic Buildings
Søllested’s well-preserved cultural environment as a railway town developed gradually from the 1880s, after the railway between Nykøbing and Nakskov was built. The town’s development can also be understood in terms of the changes prompted by railway construction during this period. Another historic landmark is Lollands Højskole, which operated in Søllested from 1905 to 1996.
Søllested Church is a towerless Romanesque church built of granite blocks. The burial chapel was erected on the north side of the nave in 1642: Eric Steensen and his wife Barbra Murmand built it for Søllestedgård. The church and chapel thus represent different historical periods of construction. If you are interested in architecture, you can consider the Romanesque building and the 17th-century burial chapel as distinct but locally connected aspects of the church’s history.
Finds from the Søllested grave are on display at the National Museum. If you specifically want to see them there, check their current exhibition status in advance. This allows you to distinguish this connection to local history from a visit to the historic sites in Søllested.
Garden, Glacial Erratic and Castle Site
The garden at Søllestedgård includes, among other features, a linden gazebo, a bridge over the moat, and a linden avenue. Adam Christopher Knuth planted the avenue around 1759. The date and name give the garden a specific historical connection; the bridge over the moat and the linden gazebo add two further architectural features to the description.
The glacial erratic Søllestedgårdstenen lies about 50 metres south of Søllestedgårdvej. Parking is available by the roadside. This provides both the stone’s approximate location in relation to the road and information about the available parking.
Aalstrup, a protected historic castle site, lies in the wider surroundings of Søllested. It is surrounded by moats on all four sides; the address is Rødbyvej 45, 4920 Søllested. This information situates Aalstrup as a separate historical point of interest in the wider local area.
Trails, Forest and Time Outdoors
Søllested Forest is privately owned. Visitors may use its paths and trails on foot or by bicycle from 6 a.m. until sunset. Bear this time limit in mind when planning a visit to the forest; use is restricted to the specified paths and trails and the permitted modes of travel.
The Kirkestien combines cycling, hiking or running with experiencing church heritage and open countryside. Its focus is therefore described differently from that of the private forest: for Søllested Forest, visiting hours and permitted modes of travel are explicitly specified, while the Kirkestien combines activity with enjoying the landscape. These details can help you distinguish between different interests when planning your day, without assuming a particular route length or walking time.
Trylleparken in Søllested has exercise equipment, green picnic areas, and a covered shelter with a fire pit. The focus here is on exercise and spending time outdoors; the covered shelter adds a sheltered spot to the park’s facilities. These features are therefore different from the historical themes of the church, garden, and castle site.
Also important for planning: Brasseriet at Søllestedgaard is closed and will no longer operate there. When choosing what to do based on your interests, you can treat the historic buildings and local history, on the one hand, and the opportunities offered by the trails and park, on the other, as separate focal points.
Discover more destinations: Rødbyhavn, Vesternæs, Holeby, Gloslunde, Herritslev, Vesterborg Parish, Maribo, Horslunde.
For the main travel overview: Lolland.
