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The countryside around Hirtshals is rich in flora and fauna. Hirtshals has three dune plantations, all of which are well worth a visit: Lilleheden Klitplantage, Tornby Klitplantage and Uggerby Klitplantage.
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Tornby Klitplantage is situated 4 km south of Hirtshals. It is a high-lying, west coast plantation exposed to the wind. The vegetation boundary towards the sea follows a 15-25 metre high, former sea cliff, which has been penetrated by numerous deep cuttings formed by streams. At the foot of the cliff is a raised Stone-Age sea bed, which in a 300-metre wide belt is covered with lush turfed dunes with a front of white sea dunes. Since the 16th century, the parish of Tornby Sogn has been plagued by sand migration - a fate that has affected much of the rest of the north and west coasts of Jutland.
Mountain pine as the primary tree speciesThe idea of planting trees in the dune landscape has been around for many years, but was not adopted in Tornby parish until the years 1910-1930 following the state acquisition of a 526-hectare area. As in previously established dune plantations, the mountain pine became the primary species of tree. Around in the plantation there are groups of coniferous trees such as Serbian spruce, Japanese larch and Douglas fir, in addition to a large number of more rarely used species. Beech, oak, sycamore, alder, grey poplar and other deciduous species are planted in shelter-belts and smaller groups throughout the plantation.
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Rare species of Nordic origin
In the open coniferous forest of common mountain pine, white spruce and sitka spruce in the plantation's western, rolling dune landscape, distinctive plant communities with rare species of Nordic origin can be found - propagated as seeds by wind and birds.
In the clearing, in light thicket and along roads and paths in the plantation, where the soil content of lime and nutrients is richer and light is sufficient, the flora is abundant and varied.
Deciduous bushes such as sea buckthorn, glaucous dog rose, hawthorn, common elder, redcurrant and gooseberry form an almost impenetrable thicket. There are also plant communities with a wide range of species featuring calcicoles species. Blood-red crane's bill, upright hedge-parsley, common agrimony, lesser meadow-rue, hound's tongue, hairy bittercress, hairy rock-cress, astragalus glycyphyllus and various thistles - all rare in North Jutland - are all quite common in the area.
Uncommon species The lime-rich and nutrient-rich turfed dunes and dune areas at the foot of the former coastal cliff are further enriched at the southern end by several marshy areas formed at the former mouth of Liver Å. A number of distinctive and varied plant communities are found in the area. In willow thicket (dominated by eared willow, creeping willow, Salix repens var. argentea and salix hastata) and in reed vegetation, unusual species such as grass-of-parnassus, marsh stitchwort, knotted pearlwort, common skullcap, marsh helleborine, early marsh orchid, dactylorhiza purpurella ssp. majaliformis, centaurium vulgare, as well as several species of gentian and eyebright can be found. |
Tuesday, February 16 2010
Marked hiking trails
In all three dune plantations there are marked hiking routes - although only a hiking map of Tornby Klitplantage has been produced.
Tornby Klitplantage has four marked hiking routes: Blue and Yellow of approx. 2 kilometres; Green is about 4 kilometres long; Red is the longest route at 6 kilometres in length.
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