Rebild Bakker

Rebild Bakker is a spectacular and beautiful hilly moor landscape. Visitors will encounter different impressions with every season: in spring everything blossoms in light green colours, in late summer the heather is in full bloom, covering the hills, during fall the landscape glows in wonderful warm red, brown and yellow colours, and in winter the nature is in hibernation - dark or covered snow-white duvet.

There are numerous fascinating hiking/walking trails in the area, such as the Rebild Bakker trail, which guides you through breathtaking, unique and interesting places. 

The geology of the hills

Rebild Bakker offers high elevations, beautiful views, springs and streams. When reaching the top of the hills, you will feel elevated above the landscape. However, the hills are actually created by deep meltwater furrows. The eroded ground have created a plateau, and, therefore, from a geological perspective the high hills are actually ‘fake hills’. 

By the end of the Ice Age a displacement in the chalk subsoil in Lindeborg Ådal have presumably created a furrow for the meltwater, by which the tunnel valley emerged. The melting occurred in stages and in the hills you can see terraces in various levels, which are the remains of bottom of the sea during the Ice Age. The hilly terrain is moraine that is furrowed by meltwater, arctic earth relocation, sand drift etc. During the Stone Age, the sea reached through the river valley to the road between Rold Storkro and Lars Kjærs House. For this reason, it is possible to find fossils at Skillingbro limestone quarry. 

Sønderkol is one of the highest points in the area - 102 metres above sea level. The effort of reaching the top pays off. You will be met by an exceptional view - From the top you can view the location of the annual rebild celebration, Gravlev Lake and you can observe the unique formations of the hills, the numerous walking paths, and grazing sheep that contribute in maintaining the unique heather landscape in the hills. 

Various shrubs and bushes can be found in the hills. The beautiful hills are covered by heather, crowberry, lingonberries, blueberries, dwarf cornel, clubmoss, arnica, juniper, etc. The thickets consist of beech and scattered oak trees. 

If the area is left untouched, the vegetation will spread to the entire area. In order to hinder the landscape turning into forest, the tree growth is removed by hand or machinery where it is neccessary. In addition, grazing sheep and cattle are utilized as nature management of dwarf shrubs, heather, crowberry and others. 

The springs - such as Ravnkilde and Kovadsbækken - are created by groundwater that presses through the limestone in the soil. The springs contain unique insects, because the changes in temperature of the springs are minimal, around 7 degrees year-round. The flora in the spring area is also rare and vulnerable. Therefore, it is not allowed to walk in the springs. In the meadows surrounding the calcareous water, there are beautiful orchids, which should not be picked.

The Rebild Celebration

The Rebild Celebration has been a tradition since 1912, where Danish-Americans gave Rebild Bakker to the Danish state, whilst simultaneously establishing the first Danish National Park. 

One day a year, the hills are filled with festivities and colours. It takes place on the American Independence Day, the 4th of July, where tourists, Danish-Americans, locals, world famous speakers, and sometimes royals, gather and participate in the celebration. 

There is a special atmosphere in the hills, when thousands of people gather to bond and strengthen the relationship between Americans and Danes. 

Attractions and events

Rebild Bakker is arguably the center of the tourist area surrounding Rold Forest. Many smaller museums are located in or close by, such as Museum Rebild, the House of Lars Kjær, Top Karens House and Rebildcentret with Thingbæk Limestone Mines. 

At the top of the hills, you can experience Opera in Rebild, which takes place every year on the second Sunday in August. At this event visitors can experience fragments of famous operettas and operas, performed by Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and Jyske Opera, often featuring famous opera artists. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy the lovely stanzas under the open sky, in the amazing setting of Rebild Bakker. 

Every year there are Christmas markets in Rebild. One of the Christmas markets “Rebild Julemarked” is an outdoor market with Christmas spirit, horse carriage rides, hot Christmas beverages and delicacies, which is visited by approximately 5000 people every year.