The dolmens Valby Hegn: Full of History and Fresh Air

Valby Hegn is located close to the town of Helsinge. Here, it is possible to get your heart rate up and learn about the past. 

Megalithic Tombs

In Valby Hegn, you'll find North Zealand's best-preserved collection of Neolithic graves. The six long barrows are approximately 5000 years old and were used for burying the dead. When the barrows were constructed, there were no forests, but rather open landscapes, and the barrows could be seen from afar. At each barrow, there is an audio narration that tells the story of the Stone Age.

The long barrows were built in the later Stone Age and the Neolithic Age about 3,500 years before our time. Today, there are known to be 4,700 barrows in Denmark, in addition to those that have been removed over time. Until the mid-1800s, it was believed that the long barrows were places of worship and that the capstones had been sacrificial stones or altars. For a long time, it was also believed that the barrows were imitations of, for example, the pyramids. Today, we know that the first barrows in Western Europe were built about 1000 years before the first pyramids.

When burying the dead, they were given grave gifts in the form of pottery, stone axes, amber beads, and arrowheads. No grave gifts have been found in the barrows in Valby Hegn.

Practical Information

There is parking available at the edge of the forest on Bukarvej and Løgelandsvej. For cyclists, the local cycle route 702 passes through Valby Hegn. Movia bus routes 360R and 361 stop at Bukarvej, and from the bus stop, it is only a few hundred meters to the forest.

Health Trail

The forest has well-maintained paths and is suitable for walking, cycling, and horse riding. One of the trails, the health trail, has various natural exercise stations and serves as a heart trail. Close to the parking lot on Burkarvej, you can find a guide on how to use the trail and measure your BMI and fitness level.

The health trail is 2.6 km long, and the surface makes it suitable for wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties. There are handicapped-accessible tables and benches along the route. About 300 meters into the forest, there is a cleared area with grass and a covered barbecue area.