Lille Blåkilde

Lille Blåkilde is located west-northwest of Nørreskov and is one of the largest springs in the Rold Forest area. The spring has a water flow of approx. 90 litres per second and drains an area of 10-12 km².

Lille Blåkilde is a current spring, where the water flows up through several small craters – often with a limestone bed. This can be seen, for example, just below the large stones at the upper part of the spring by the path. After around 70 metres, the spring’s outflow runs into the Lindenborg River.

Limestone, plants and rare nature

The limestone is clearly visible beneath the trees on the right-hand side of the steps leading up from Lille Blåkilde. On the left-hand side of the steps, the limestone is covered by a thin layer of topsoil. Here you find the rare natural habitat known as calcareous grassland.

Several lime-loving plants grow on the slope, including oxlip, sanicle and narrow-spiked marsh orchid. There are also a few remaining plants that show the slope was covered by forest until a few years ago, including Solomon’s seal and baneberry.

The area is protected, and digging up plants is not allowed.

Wildlife at the spring

The spring’s most famous inhabitant is the caddisfly larva Apatania muliebris. The species is normally found in streams near the coasts of the Arctic Ocean, as well as in the fast-flowing mountain streams of Norway and the Alps.

It would not normally be expected to occur under Danish climate conditions, as it cannot tolerate the high summer temperatures usually found in Danish streams. The species dies if the water temperature remains above 10 °C for a longer period. In Lille Blåkilde, however, the water stays at 7.5 °C all year round, so it never reaches the critical temperature.

The spring is also home to a number of more common spring-dwelling animals. At the outlet into Lindenborg Å, brook lampreys can often be found in May, attached to the riverbed.

According to the protection regulations, it is strictly forbidden to collect animals or wade in the spring.

Traces of people in the area

It is not known whether Lille Blåkilde had religious significance in ancient times. A few hundred metres south of the spring, however, there are remains of an ancient road, showing that there has been human activity nearby.

The ancient road leads through the forest and out into the river valley. Here, a ford can still be traced south of Lille Blåkilde’s outlet into Lindenborg Å.

How to find Lille Blåkilde

Along Buderupholmvej, you can park at the Frueskoen car park or Havndalspladsen. From here, follow the yellow marked trails leading to Lille Blåkilde.

Lille Blåkilde is marked as point of interest 3 on the maps of Rold Forest and Rebild Bakker/Gravlev Ådal.