Gribskov is the second largest forest in Denmark, a broad expanse of beech and spruce on the north Zealand plain. Walking or riding here, the first impression is of light. Beech trees in spring have a green so fresh and bright that it is almost unreal, and in autumn they turn bronze and gold, and the forest floor is carpeted with leaves. The ground is gently rolling, with small lakes and bogs hidden between the trees, and red deer and roe deer live in the woods.
The forest was once a royal hunting ground, and the kings of Denmark came here for deer and boar. Close by, Esrum Lake is the biggest lake on Zealand, and on its shore stands Esrum Abbey, founded by Cistercian monks in 1151 and later turned into a royal hunting lodge. Nødebo, the village at the edge, has a small church and a well-known folk high school, and the whole area has a quiet, cultivated feel, with farms, thatched houses and lines of old beech along the roads. The Danes have a strong love of forests, and the practice of wandering freely among the trees is part of daily life.
The riding is easy and relaxed. Roads through and around the forest are narrow, smooth and tree-lined, with gentle bends and occasional dips, and the speed limits are low and strictly enforced. Cameras and police checks are common, and the penalties are steep, so keep to the signs. Cyclists are everywhere, and in summer the roads fill with families on bikes, so go gently. Deer cross the road at dusk, and a collision with one is serious.
Hillerød, a town of about thirty-one thousand people four kilometres away, has fuel stations, shops and cafés, and its castle, Frederiksborg, is among the finest Renaissance buildings in Scandinavia, standing on three small islands in a lake. Nødebo has a small shop and a tavern. Take your lunch and eat it by the lake. The best seasons are May, when the beech buds open, and October, when the colours burn. Denmark's weather is changeable, so carry a rain jacket, and wear layers in all seasons.