Rø on Bornholm: Forest Trails and Nature Nearby
Accommodation in Rø
Near Rø are Rø Plantation, ravines and forest lakes, as well as marked hiking routes of varying lengths. Options range from a loop of about 3 kilometres to a trail of around 6 kilometres through several ravines. When planning, it is also important to consider the sometimes steep trails and the limitations for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility.
Forest landscape and its history
Rø Plantation lies close to Rø. This forest area covers about 600 hectares and is around 150 years old. Birch and coniferous trees shape the forest, which also includes forest lakes and beech woodland. Nordre Borgedal ravine has a different character, with steep rock faces rising on both sides. Conifers grow on the northern rocky slope, while birches and Scots pines grow in the ravine.
Borgedalssø is also part of this landscape. The artificial lake lies in Søndre Borgedal ravine. It was created following a severe storm in October 1967: after trees had fallen across large parts of the plantation, the stream was dammed. This created a water reservoir where timber could be stored and protected from rot and insect damage. The lake thus connects a visible landscape feature with the history of forest use.
Choose hiking trails by distance and destination
Two marked trails over Borgen are described in Rø Plantation. The approximately 3-kilometre Stien Borgen trail starts at Borgedalssøen, passes the refuge fortress and returns to the starting point. If you are considering a longer loop, compare it with the approximately 6-kilometre Borgedalsstien: it also passes the refuge fortress, but additionally runs through Nordre and Søndre Borgedal. The routes therefore differ both in length and in the parts of the landscape they cover.
Borgen is an Iron Age refuge or settlement fortress. People from the surrounding area could seek shelter there with their livestock and possessions in the event of an attack. This distinctive site is also a destination on both trails mentioned above. Another landmark in the plantation is Stenvarpen, a small stone mound at 119 metres above sea level. During the heathland period, it served as a waymarker and marks the highest point in the forest area. If you are planning a longer route, note that the 67-kilometre Højlyngsstien also runs through Rø Plantation.
For a different focus, the 750-metre Flagermusesti offers a short route: it starts at Flagermusehuset and is marked with reflectors that help with navigation in the dark. If you can visit shortly after nightfall, you may be able to see bats on screens, along the trail and at the entrance openings in the gable. If this visit is important to your plans, check in advance whether it is possible.
Plan for the terrain, mobility and a break
The Stien Borgen and Borgedalsstien trails pass through steep, difficult terrain in places and are not suitable for pushchairs. Rø Plantation is only partly suitable for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility: the hiking trails are not accessible by wheelchair, and the forest roads have steep gradients. These details are therefore important when choosing a route for a particular mobility need or when travelling with a pushchair. Trail conditions may change; check them before your visit.
Cycling is permitted in Rø Plantation on purpose-built paths and roads that appear suitable for an ordinary bicycle. For a break, there is a public fire pit in the northern part of the plantation near the car park on Mortingevej, with tables, benches and a basic toilet. As visitor facilities can change, it is advisable to check their condition before relying on them in your plans.
The address Sigtevej 14, 3760 Gudhjem, can help you find Flagermusehuset: the building is opposite this address, and there is a large car park 50 metres from the building.
Bornholm and finding accommodation
Rø is part of the wider destination of Bornholm. The island can be reached by ferry, plane, bus or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes; check the current timetable for your trip. Getting to the island and getting around the area near Rø are separate parts of your planning.
If you are looking for hotels in Rø, the nearby landscapes and trails can help you choose where to stay: consider whether you would like to include a short marked loop, the ravines and refuge fortress, or a longer trail in your plans. Also take the described gradients and limitations into account.
Discover more destinations: Østerlars, Arsballe, Kås, Gudhjem, Tejn, Klemensker, Østermarie, Listed.
Go to the main travel overview: Bornholm.
