Hærvejen ved Bølling Sø- Engesvang, Danmark - Ancient Traces and Roads on Waymarking.com

Hærvejen er en historisk rute i Jylland. Vejens alder skønnes for nogle forløbs vedkommende at kunne føres op mod 4000 år tilbage (højanlæg, bebyggelser m.v), men skriftlige kilder findes først fra begyndelsen af middelalderen.
Hærvejen løber fra Hirtshals eller Frederikshavn i nord til Padborg i syd og er en rute på ca. 500 km.
Hærvejen var anvendelig til at transportere en hær, og i det 11. århundrede skal en vendisk hær have trængt langt op i Jylland ad vejen. Af samme grund opførte beboerne omkring vejen fæstningsværker og diger, af hvilke der stadig kan findes nogle i nærheden af Hærvejen. Navne som Oksevejen og Studevejen hentyder til den handel, der foregik mellem Jylland og landene mod syd, idet kød var en af de vigtige varer, som danskerne kunne bytte med mere eksotiske varer sydfra.
Hærvejen går forbi Bølling Sø, en rute på 15 km, og har gået begge veje rundt om Bølling Sø – afhængig af tidspunkt i historien. Men også afhængig af om der har været sne eller is, har ruten skiftet.
En del af ruten ved Bølling Sø går gennem et moseområde, hvor der i 1950 blev fundet verdens bedst bevarede oldtidsmenneske, Tollundmanden.





Hærvejen (the army road) is the name given to an ancient trackway in Denmark. It has been known by several other names throughout history, most importantly "the Cattle Road" (Studevejen) and "the Oxen Road" or "Ox Road" (Oksevejen).

The age of the road is estimated for some courses to be traced back up to 4000 years but written sources exist only from the beginning of the Middle Ages.
The trackway runs from Hirtshals or Frederikshavn in the north of Jutland to Padborg in the south and is a route of approx. 500 km.

The road runs more or less along the watershed of the Jutland Peninsula, known as the Jyske Højderyg (Jutland Ridge). By using this route one could avoid rivers, or ford them close to their origins where they were still shallow. As time went by this route was improved with paved fords, embankments and bridges. Concentrations of mounds, defensive ditches, settlements and other historic landmarks can be found along the road.

The road was primarily a trade road. The most important commodity was livestock (especially the eponymous oxen), but also amber, hides, honey and fur went south. Annually up to 50,000 head of cattle came along the oxen road. It was used for military invasions northwards and many defensive constructions can be found straddling the road up through Jutland.

The army road (Hærvejen) passes Bølling Lake, a 15 km route, and has gone both ways around Bølling Lake - depending on the time in history. But also depending on whether there has been snow or ice, the route has changed.
Part of the route at Bølling Lake goes through a marsh area, where in 1950 the world's best preserved ancient man, the Tollund man, was found

(source: wikipedia)

Feature Discription: The army road passes Bølling lake, where the Tollund man was found. Web address for the route: [Web Link] Secondary Web Address: [Web Link] Beginning of the road: Hirtshals and Fredrikshavn End of the road: Padborg

Visit Instructions:
We ask that if you visit the site, please include a unique picture with your impressions of the location. If possible, and if you are not too shy, please include yourself and your group in the photo. Extra points will be given for your best buffalo imitation or if you are licking something salty.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.