Kirke Hvalsø brings together the history of Hvalsø Church, cultural offerings in the town and the nature of the Bidstrup Forests near Hvalsø. The church stands in the middle of Kirke Hvalsø, at the town’s highest point. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century; in the 14th century, a ribbed vault replaced its original wooden ceiling. This clearly distinguishes the early construction period from a later structural change.
Church and Culture in the Town
The cultural calendar also includes a range of events: Hvalsø and Særløse Churches hold services, concerts and talks every year. Every March, Hvalsø Bio hosts the Filmfestihvalsø film festival; the festival tradition dates back to 2004. The cultural hall at Hvalsø Kulturhus is suitable for concerts, theatre performances, talks and exhibitions.
The cultural centre also houses the library in Hvalsø. It has a lounge area where you can read while looking out over the town. Søtorvet is in the older part of Kirke Hvalsø: its buildings date from 2018 and have coloured rendered facades. They house shops and apartments; the specific range of shops may change. Together, these places showcase different aspects of everyday life and culture in Kirke Hvalsø.
The Bidstrup Forests: Landscape and Trails
The Bidstrup Forests are near Hvalsø, between Roskilde and Ringsted. The landscape includes forests, heathland, forest meadows, bogs and lakes. Springs rise in the hills, while clear streams and rivers run through the area. A route through the forests offers views of the landscape shaped by the Ice Age in Elverdamsdalen and passes old forest meadows with flowers, insects, butterflies and fallow deer.
There are trails of different lengths for walks: the red-marked Hjertestien is five kilometres long and runs through the northern part of the Bidstrup Forests towards Hvalsø. The approximately 35-kilometre-long Skjoldungestien runs between Roskilde, Lejre and Hvalsø; check the route and conditions before setting out. Another signposted 4.5-kilometre circular route starts at the Storskoven car park and leads to a work of art in the Bidstrup Forests. Mountain bikers will find “Det hvide spor” in the forests: the route is 9.5 kilometres long and technically demanding. The information about distance and difficulty makes the differences between the options clear.
Individual nature spots also offer their own highlights. At Avnsø, there is a bathing jetty as well as tables and benches where visitors can eat food they have brought along. Kildeengen is home to rare butterfly and plant species, including the engperlemorssommerfugl, which is listed on the Red List, and the engblomme, which is also listed. Visitors can try scythe mowing at the annual Le-Festival at Kildeengen. At the northern end of the Bidstrup Forests, towards Hvalsø, there is a designated dog forest where dogs may run free under supervision.
Plan Excursions and Travel
There are also two Natureventyr adventures to choose from for an outing in the forests: “Yrsa i den gyldne skov” is in Storskoven near Hvalsø, while “Skovlingesaga: Tordenfødderne kommer!” is in Bidstrup Skov near Hvalsø. The old school and church path from the vanished village of Lerbjerg to Hvalsø offers views of Elverdamsdalen. These trails and activities differ in length, theme and type of experience, making it easy to tailor the nature part of your stay to your interests.
Hvalsø has a regional train station with connections to, among other places, Copenhagen, Høje-Taastrup, Roskilde, Holbæk and Kalundborg. Check the current timetable for your journey. If you would like to combine cultural events with nature excursions, it is worth considering the dates of the events and the trail distances together. For a library visit, it is best to check the current opening hours.
Discover more destinations: Kirke Såby, Ordrup, Lejre, Kisserup, Gershøj, Kirke Hyllinge, Kyndeløse.
Return to the main travel guide: Lejre.
