Discover Holte

When looking for a hotel in Holte, your interests can shape how you explore the surrounding area: Grevinge Skov combines a hilly woodland landscape with traces of earlier woodland use and other aspects of its history. Holte has its own local history, passed down through the generations. For your trip, you can consider the paths and landscape of Grevinge Skov, the history of the woodland areas, and Holte’s local history as separate interests.

Grevinge Skov: Landscape, paths and activities

Near Holte lies Grevinge Skov, a deciduous forest in hilly terrain by the reclaimed Sidinge Fjord. The forest has numerous paths and trails, but no marked hiking or running routes. When planning your visit, it is therefore important to distinguish between paths that are available and signposted routes. The official approach is from the edge of Herrestrup via Holtevej; there are parking areas at several points around the forest. Check the latest directions and parking situation before your visit.

Horse riding is permitted throughout Grevinge Skov. Depending on the season, you may find chanterelles, boletes, trumpet mushrooms and other mushrooms; care is needed when identifying and collecting them. A treasure hunt is another possible activity. As its availability is managed externally, it is best to check in advance whether participation is currently possible.

Forest history and visible traces

The history of today’s Grevinge Skov goes back to smaller woodland areas. When reforestation began, Holtemose Hegn was one of two small woodland areas within what is now the forest. In 1779, the enclosure of Holtemose Hegn and Lykkens Hegn began. Three generations of foresters from the same family also helped plant Grevinge Skov.

Another historical trace is the former emergency airfield at Vig: traces of it can still be seen in Grevinge Skov. The emergency airfield had 10 to 12 aircraft parking spaces.

Neolithic monuments

Horsebjerg, a Neolithic long barrow, is located in Holtemose Hegn. Hamlet’s Grav is a long barrow from the same period in Grevinge Skov. The local history of monuments also includes sites whose stones have not survived. Southeast of what was then Holte Sø, or Kjelmose, a passage grave with five supporting stones and a large capstone stood on a small rise. Its stones were removed in 1828 and reused to build the bridge at Svinninge Vejle.

There was also a long barrow near Holte Mose, on cadastral plot 4b, with 51 kerbstones; it was later dismantled. Comparing it with Horsebjerg and Hamlet’s Grav highlights the different historical status of these sites: alongside the monuments described in the woodland area are monuments whose stones were removed.

Holte’s earlier local history

Holte once belonged to the so-called “Skovbyerne” or “Birkebyerne”—the forest or birch villages. Four farms are recorded in Holte in 1750. The traditional settlement extended from east to west. The names Holte Sø and Kjelmose also belong to the area’s earlier history: this was the name given to the low-lying area north of the forest road.

Another chapter concerns Holte’s forester’s house. It was demolished in 1912 and replaced by a brick house made of red brick. Together, the settlement’s layout, traditional field names and woodland monuments tell a local history that cannot be reduced to a single attraction. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider nature trails, the history of Grevinge Skov and Holte’s own past as separate interests.

Discover more destinations: Vig, Lumsås, Nørre Asmindrup, Nyrup, Ebbeløkke, Bøsserup, Hørve, Havnebyen.

For the wider travel overview: Odsherred.