Udstilling - Nordladen

Nordladen is an interpretive center with an exhibition and illustrations by Jens Gregersen. Here, stories are presented about the annual cycle of the area’s birdlife, the landscape, the huts, and hunting throughout history. The Tipperne Peninsula is a young landscape formed over a couple of hundred years from the 17th century. The original connection between the North Sea and Ringkøbing Fjord was then at the level of Skjern Å, by Skodbjerge on Holmsland Klit, but it migrated south all the way to Hovstrup in the old Lønne parish. With the large migrating water masses and corresponding violent sand drift, massive amounts of sand, clay, and plant material were deposited in the area that is now the Tipperne Peninsula. To limit the severe sand drift that threatened the area south of the fjord, residents in Sdr. Bork around the year 1800 built dikes, called “værn” (defenses), made of stakes, seaweed, and heather, just as they planted marram grass. The “værn” gave its name to the southern part of the peninsula, which became overgrown with grass and developed into the meadows we know today. The peninsula is divided into two today. The northern part, Tipperne, is a bird sanctuary, which was protected in 1928. The southern part of the peninsula, Værnengene, is privately owned and was protected in 1974. Tipperskellet was formed by drawing a line from Lønborg Church to what was then the southernmost house on Holmsland Klit. The name Tipperne is believed to originate from the word “tip,” which means a growth of grass clumps. The character of Værnengene makes them attractive hunting grounds with rich birdlife and impressive wide views. Over 300 small, charismatic huts are located on the dunes Store Mjøl, Lille Mjøl, and Grønbjerg, which were built as hunting and fishing huts from the 1930s-1960s. Originally, the primitive huts were built from whatever material was available in the area – from old fish crates to chicken coops and even small buses. With a size between 8 and 30m2, most huts consist of only one or two rooms, and there is neither water nor electricity. Although the huts were built illegally at the time, the Conservation Board has since decided that the huts are part of a culturally valuable environment. The huts stand as witnesses in the landscape to a harsh time when hunting and fishing were essential for survival. Today, the huts are still used as hunting lodges but also for other family and leisure activities.