A 25-kilometre nature and activity trail runs through most of Ringsted Municipality: the Ringsted Oplevelsessti connects walking trails, wetlands and opportunities to observe nature. There are also traces of medieval history, museums and a lake with marked swimming routes and space for your own boats. Ringsted thus reveals many different sides, from quiet landscapes to royal tombs and the history of technology.
Walking and nature at Haraldsted Sø
Between Høm in the south and Haraldsted in the north, the Ringsted Oplevelsessti shares part of its route with long-distance trail 6, the Sjællandsleden. Facilities along the trail include marked routes, toilets, birdwatching towers and shelters, as well as Bike Friends and Hike Friends. Birdwatchers can look out for white-tailed eagles and other birds of prey along the way. Sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed. A white-tailed eagle nests at a secret location in Humleore Skov and forages particularly around Haraldsted Sø.
On the shore of Haraldsted Sø, a nature trail crosses numerous streams and wetlands, with sections running over wooden bridges. Vrangeskov adds to the landscape with its twisted beech trees, slopes dotted with spring-fed streams and views across the lake towards Ringsted. Near Vrangeskov, Haraldsted Sø has a marked 1,000-metre swimming lane for long-distance swimming; check local conditions before swimming. Visitors may launch their own canoes, kayaks, SUP boards or rowing boats from the municipal bathing jetties. Rules for using the water may change.
Haraldsted Sø stretches for about five kilometres, covers approximately 200 hectares and winds through narrow passages. At 263 hectares, Gyrstinge Sø is the largest lake in Ringsted Municipality. These figures give two specific measures of the lakeside landscape: Haraldsted Sø is also described by its narrow, winding shape, while Gyrstinge Sø stands out for its size within the municipality.
Rare plants and protected landscapes
The 460-year-old Allindelille Fredskov is known for rare plants, including the fly orchid. The protected part of the forest covers about 65 hectares. Kværkeby Fuglereservat tells a different nature story: Gunnar Goddik established it in 1970 in a disused gravel pit with surrounding peat cuttings. Together, the two places show how varied the region’s nature is, from rare plants in an ancient forest to a reserve created in a former extraction landscape.
Royal tombs, monastic history and museums
Sct. Bendts Kirke is home to the tombs of Danish kings and queens. Ringsted Kloster also has a long history: it was founded in the 1080s and is one of Denmark’s oldest monasteries. It remained a Benedictine monastery until the Reformation in 1536. The Knud Lavard Pilgrimsrute begins at Knud Lavard’s tomb in the church and ends in the village of Haraldsted.
The Ringsted Museum presents the town’s history through the centuries in permanent and special exhibitions. Historical films from Ringsted are shown in the cinema area, where children can try making flour with an old hand mill. The Ringsted Radiomuseum offers a different perspective on history, with 50 exhibitions on the development of technology from 1885 to around 2010. About 1,000 items are on display from a collection of approximately 5,000. Ringsted Vindmølle is Denmark’s only working gallery smock mill. It mills organic wheat flour, organic wholemeal wheat flour, organic rye flour, organic Graham flour and organic rye flour from sifted flour.
At the Ringsted Middelalderfestival, fire shows, music and theatre meet the family area, Valdemars Værksted. The historical festival takes place in Klosterlunden in central Ringsted and was first held in 2009. The programme may vary between editions. If you are planning to attend a particular edition, check the dates before you travel.
Discover more destinations: Ringsted, Haraldsted, Jystrup Midtsj, Møn Island, Slagelse, Vordingborg Municipality, Køge Municipality, Solrød.
For the broader travel guide: Zealand.
