Øster Lem Hede

Reflections on a landscape
The heath offers a magnificent view of Ringkøbing Fjord and across towards the sand dunes alongside the North Sea. It is 75 m above sea level. Øster Lem Heath is among the largest areas of preserved Iron Age fields in Denmark.

A major part of the fields was protected in 1935. Shortly afterwards, archaeologist Gudmund Hatt mapped the area and boundaries around the fields and carried out excavations. Dutch and Danish archaeologists have since conducted more investigations.

Iron-Age people cultivated an area of at least 3 sq km. Sites of houses from the earliest farming time have been found in the northwestern corner of the protected area. Explore the area and you will fi nd low ridges forming fi eld boundaries. In many places, the spread of heather and grass provides clues for tracing the lines.