Denmark’s Mons Klint: The Landscape That “Looks After Itself”

Salome Liptak

Only a short trip from Copenhagen, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers an unparalleled glimpse into the 70-million-year-long saga of a unique ecosystem. 

Chalk cliffs and the Baltic Sea. Salome Liptak.

On the eastern coast of Mon, a small island in Denmark, almost 4 miles of undulating chalk cliffs are a striking physical record of geological time. The cliffs, made up of 70-million-year-old seabed that was banked and compacted from the pressure of Ice Age glaciers, haven’t stopped changing since. Their soft chemical structure makes the cliffs “friable,” or easily eroded, which constantly exposes new layers of fossils. Because of this, the lapping waves of the Baltic have continued to sculpt the cliff face, and in turn, the cliffs’ minerals enrich the water close to the shore, giving it a distinct milky-turquoise color. 

Alongside its historic cliffs, Mons Klint harbors a unique ecosystem. The area is the country’s sole habitat for the large blue butterfly, whose unique life cycle requires a specific diet of wild thyme and marjoram in the larval stage before it is found by a red stinging ant and carried back to its nest; after spending four seasons in the anthill, the butterfly finally pupates in July. The lime-rich soil of Mons Klint’s beech forests also makes it the perfect habitat for 18 out of 45 Danish species of orchid, many of which are particularly rare to find elsewhere in Denmark. Further, as an important roost for migratory birds, Mons Klint and its surrounding forests offer a rare glimpse into the rhythms of the more-than-human environment. In the words of The Danish Nature Agency, this is a forest that constantly adapts and “looks after itself.”

Stairs to the beach through the beech forest. Salome Liptak.

I first learned about Mons Klint when I was researching opportunities to get outdoors while interrailing in Europe. As trains mostly connect larger urban hubs, it can be hard to plan outdoor trips without renting a car. Thankfully, Mons Klint, as a popular destination for Danes, is accessible by public transport 

Having since been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2025, the site has also become a part of the island’s UNESCO biosphere reserve as well as Scandinavia’s first-ever Dark Sky Park. I was most excited to experience Mon’s extremely low light pollution levels, which make the Milky Way, Andromeda Galaxy, as well as comets and meteors visible to the naked eye at different times of year.

Milky Way. Salome Liptak.

Beyond stargazing, other outdoor activities, like hiking, fossil hunting, horseback riding, surfing and paddleboarding, are big draws for tourists. Guides for these activities in the park can be found on the Mons Klint GeoCenter website. It is most common to camp or stay in cabins and bed-and-breakfasts along the coast, with more budget-friendly options further inland. For international visitors travelling from Copenhagen, the nearby town of Borre is only two hours away by car or private bus and three to four hours on public transport routes, which can be mapped out online using Rejseplanen’s journey planner. If using public transport, the most direct route involves taking a Danske Statsbaner train to Vordingborg, then a bus to Mon’s biggest city, Stege. Here, a free bus will take tourists directly to the entrance of the 497 steps that lead to the base of the cliffs. It is also common to rent bikes from shops in Borre and Klintholm to ride into the park, as the wide, scenic roads along the coast and through Mon’s farmland make the ride an activity in its own right.

This being said, as more people discover the wonder of Mons Klint, it is of the utmost importance to protect the delicate ecosystem to which it is home. With rises in tourists, Mon locals have expressed concern for the wildlife, adopting the slogan “Don’t Mess with Mon” after incidents of tourists violating Leave No Trace principles, such as walking off marked trails or leaving trash behind. More information on Denmark’s specific ecological regulations and best practices is available through The Danish Nature Agency. The ever-changing landscape and ecological symbiosis that make up the wonder that is Mons Klint also make it sensitive to human interference. The geological drama that sculpted these cliffs is best enjoyed as a respectful observer, so it can continue to unfold for millions more years.

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Salome Liptak

Salomé is a student at Sarah Lawrence College studying literature and writing. She is passionate about storytelling (both true and fictional) and its power to reflect the world as it is, or imagine what could be.

The Case for Slow Travel

While many travelers hope to get the most out of their journey with faraway plane rides, consider slowing down and finding your way to the road less traveled. 

Walking on the beach at Møns Klint. Libby Scaperotta. 

In the spring of 2022, I studied abroad in Copenhagen. My friends and I took advantage of the amazing public transit and metro system to get nearly everywhere. So, when it came time to plan an adventure to the limestone cliffs of Mons Klint, we didn’t even consider renting a car. Instead, we quickly opened our phones to the public transit app to route our trip the night before. 

It’s the next morning, and the clock strikes 4:55 a.m. My roommate and I bounced out of bed, hopping into the clothes we had laid out the night before and grabbing our pre-packed bags before heading next door to knock on the neighbor’s apartment. With some begrudging groans from the boys next door, in under 10 minutes we were out the front door and headed toward the metro station. 

Our journey began with a metro ride, two trains and two buses. After being dropped off and walking a short distance to the next bus stop, we waited patiently for what we thought would be the last leg of our trip, which never came. We had miscalculated a seasonal closure of part of the route’s timing. This led to the eight of us walking the last three kilometers of the trip on a beautiful sunny day in the Danish countryside. We walked among neighborhoods with quaint homes, beside farm animals and through pastures until we were dropped off at the magnificent cliffside of Mons Klint. 

A friend walking along the backroad in the Danish countryside during our adventure to Mons   Klint. Libby Scaperotta.

We repeated this process backward at the end of the day. But, as we waited at bus stops and train stations while the sun set, we giggled, shivered, danced and dreamed of a large pizza. 

Although this journey to Mons Klint would have taken probably a quarter of the time had we just rented two cars for the group, the day’s adventure was unforgettable. 

When traveling, we often try to maximize our two weeks of paid time off with ambitious plans to travel far by plane or private vehicle. 

Yet, I am here to convince you to try slower travel. Try taking public transit instead of driving and see where the adventure may lead you. Or, try slowing down on your backpacking trip and volunteer in an area instead of packing up so quickly. 

Traveling slowly is not only less costly for your wallet but also for the environment. My first introduction to a flight emissions calculator was a deeply upsetting experience that made me reconsider how I fly. Slower travel, which emphasizes public transport or staying in one place, may be a better option for eco-conscious travelers who hope to explore while still being mindful of their carbon footprint. 

If you are interested in slowing down your travels, I highly recommend a volunteer experience or work exchange. These will allow you to stay in one place and save on accommodation and meals while immersing yourself in an area’s pace of life and community. From there, you may be able to take short day trips or weekends away in areas that you may have never otherwise explored. There are several platforms that my friends and I have used to find and plan work exchanges: WWOOF, Workaway and Worldpackers. 

You can even integrate slow travel into your daily life. Grab your local public transit card and explore the destinations you may get to by bus or train! You might find a sweet town, a new beach or an adventure within arm’s reach. 

Slowing down can be good for you and the earth. And, it may even allow you to decide for yourself if exploring the road less traveled does make all the difference.

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Libby Scaperotta

Libby is a recent graduate from Middlebury College, where she studied Environmental Policy and Geography. She enjoys travel, photography, and spending time outdoors with people she loves. She plans to pursue a career dedicated to environmental work and wishes to share important stories that may inspire action. 

VIDEO: Islands in the Sky

Located 200 miles northwest of Scotland, the Faroe Islands is a self-governing territory officially part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The archipelago consists of 18 small islands connected by bridges, road tunnels, ferries and causeways. This video shows the beauty of these tiny islands, which travelers often overlook due to their remote location and small size. However, they boast steep seaside cliffs, secluded coves and deep valleys. The film captures the islands at all times of day, from stormy mornings to rich sunsets.

Denmark Reckons with the #MeToo Movement

Years after the #MeToo movement first began, Danish women are demanding gender equality in the workplace. After allegations of sexual harassment across multiple industries, leaders are committing to change. 

Nyhavn Canal in Copenhagen, Denmark. D Rishi. CC BY 2.0. 

On paper, Denmark has some of the highest markers of gender equality in the world. Around 40% of Danish parliament representatives are women, and the country’s first female prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, was appointed in 2011. Parental leave is split equally between Danish men and women, and Danish men often spend as much time caring for the home as Danish women. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report ranked Denmark as 14th globally, which means that Denmark’s gender divide is statistically very small. 

Despite Denmark’s pride in gender equality, Danish women are speaking out against the misogyny and sexual harassment that permeates Danish work culture. At a comedy awards show in August, entertainment personality and host Sofie Linde broke the silence on sexism in the Danish entertainment industry in a bombshell speech. Following her speech, over 1,600 women signed a letter in support of complaints about sexual harassment in the media industry. 

This public acknowledgment of sexual misconduct has emboldened more women to speak out. Over 600 doctors and medical students have signed a petition to end gender-based harassment in hospitals, universities and laboratories. In the political sphere, over 300 female politicians have called for reform, using 79 anonymous testimonies to illustrate the overt sexism that plagues the Danish government. Camilla Soee, one of the politicians  spearheading this movement, told the BBC: "Once and for all, we wanted to prove that sexism and sexual harassment is part of the political environment."

Former mayor of Copenhagen Frank Jensen. Jenny Andersson. CC BY 3.0. 

As these women confront the men who have both enabled and engaged in widespread sexism in the workplace, many powerful men have been pressured to step down from their positions following allegations of misconduct. The mayor of Copenhagen, Frank Jensen, resigned from office on Oct. 19, 2020, after multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. In a statement to The Copenhagen Post, Jensen said, “I want to be a positive part of the culture change process that has been launched with the second wave of MeToo. I want to go from being a part of the problem to being a part of the solution.”

The Danish pride in gender equality has led to mixed receptions of this movement. Because of the Danish perception that Denmark is gender inclusive and equitable, many Danes believe that feminism is an unnecessary movement. In a poll conducted by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project, only one in six Danes reported themselves as a feminist. The same poll found that two in five Danes believed that the #MeToo movement was unnecessary. As #MeToo finds new footing in Denmark, perhaps attitudes toward Danish feminism will evolve. The women leading this movement are determined to make a lasting impact in the fight for women’s rights.

Sarah Leidich

is currently an English and Film major at Barnard College of Columbia University. Sarah is inspired by global art in every form, and hopes to explore the intersection of activism, art, and storytelling through her writing. 

7 of the World’s Absolute Best Bike Trips

While cycling may not be a traveler’s first instinct for exploring a new country, bike tours combine adventure with immersion to offer an eco-friendly approach to travel. Cycling through a country can be a great option for people of varying fitness and ability levels who want to discover regions that may be inaccessible by car. Most commonly, such trips are led by tour companies, but some, like the Carretera Austral in Chilean Patagonia, are meant for independent travel. These seven routes offer the very best of bicycle-based travel.

Parachute Memorial at Sainte-Mère-Église church. Herb1979. Pixabay

1. Normandy: Caen to Sainte-Mère-Église

On this route, bike through the history of World War II in Normandy, France. Begin in Caen, home to the WWII Peace Memorial, before visiting the monuments and landing beaches of D-Day. Ride through Bayeux, home to the Museum of the Battle of Normandy, the Bayeux War Cemetery and the Bayeux Tapestry. This itinerary, perfect for history buffs, offers pastoral plateaus, a deep dive into history and stunning shoreline. 

This tour is for all travelers regardless of cycling experience and can be organized independently, as accommodations and directions are easily available. For a more structured experience, Discover France offers this six-day trip that includes a bike, meals and accommodations for $1,500. 

A sunset in Goa, India. Swami Stream. CC BY 2.0.

2. India: Mangalore to Goa

On this coastal journey, bike along the Arabian Sea in western India. This 200-mile trip includes at least two days of biking and promises spectacular views the entire way along the NH66 highway. Goa is known for its seafood, and the coastal towns of Udupi and Gokarna offer some of the best dining that this part of India has to offer.

This route is best taken between October and March, when the weather will be cooler. While there are not guided tours, the single-road nature of this itinerary makes it easy for travelers to guide themselves, choosing to spend a night in any of the countless coastal towns. While bike rental is an option, purchasing a bike is comparable in price and will cost around $100. 

Valle de Cerro Castillo along the Carretera Austral. Claudio. CC BY NC ND 2.0.

3. Chile: Carretera Austral 

This stunning “Southern Highway” runs through the northern stretch of Chilean Patagonia. Bike past the famed Cerro Castillo mountain while heading south toward the Patagonian glacial fields and fjords. This route runs just over 700 miles and has challenging sections and easier stretches, but travelers can choose to bike any length of the road. This route offers the best of Patagonia’s natural landscape and an off-the-grid travel experience. 

While Carretera Austral is perfect for experienced independent travelers, there are also guided tours such as this 10-day trip from Keteka Travel that includes accommodation, meals and a bike. Independent travelers will want to map out their route beforehand and have experience in camping and bike-packing. Travelers should arrange to visit between September and February during Chile’s spring and summer.

Beaches along the coast of South Africa. South African Tourism. CC BY 2.0.

4. South Africa: Western Cape Pass

This route, perfect for the experienced rider, is a nine-day journey out of Cape Town and into the mountains surrounding the cape. Swartberg Pass, considered one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the world, is a highlight of this journey. Visit off-the-map regions like Klein Karoo while passing by epic mountains and farms. 

While there are not guided tours of this itinerary, Bikepacking.com has created a detailed guide for bike lovers. The remote nature of this trip requires camping and backpacking experience and careful planning, but Bikepacking.com has all the information needed to ensure safety and a successful trip.  

The Six Attributes Garden in Kanazawa, Japan. Bryan. CC BY-SA 2.0.

5. Japan: Kanazawa to Toyama 

Explore Japan’s Noto Peninsula on one of the country’s most famous bike routes. Begin in Kanazawa, renowned for its historic preservation and beautiful gardens, before biking around the peninsula to Toyama, a city at the base of the Japanese Alps. 

For experienced riders, this route will take around three days. For less experienced riders, expect the journey to take about a week. 

Check out KANcycling’s guide on the “Noto Tour” for more information on this trip. The route allows riders easy access to amenities like hotels and restaurants for stops along the way. 

Copenhagen’s Christianshavn neighborhood in winter. Kristoffer Trolle. CC By 2.0.

6. Denmark: Copenhagen and Zealand

This route begins in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital and a city known for its bike friendliness. From Copenhagen, bike up the coast of Zealand, Denmark’s largest island, and visit medieval towns and white sand beaches. In Helsingor, stop by Kronborg Castle, the setting of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” and spot Sweden across the Oresund Strait.

This trip from World Cycle Tours is for bikers of all abilities and begins at $850 for a self-guided weeklong tour. Denmark’s terrain is mostly flat and all of the bike paths are paved. Denmark is truly more than bike-friendly, and travelers can elect to easily plan their own itinerary through affordable bike rental.

The Danube River in Passau, Germany. Joisey Showaa. CC BY-SA 2.0.

7. The Danube: Germany to Hungary 

Bike through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary on one of the most popular biking routes in Europe. Follow the Danube River southeast from Passau, Germany, and pass through Vienna before exploring the underrated Slovakian capital of Bratislava. From Bratislava, continue down the Danube to Budapest, Hungary, a city famous for its 19th-century architecture.

This 14-day trip from Experience Plus is for bikers of all levels and ages, and provides bikes, accommodation and meals. The trip costs $5,500 for two weeks of travel, but travelers can easily arrange their own itineraries and pick up a bike from Vienna Explorers, who will allow rental from Passau to Budapest for $400 for 14 days.

Sarah Leidich

is currently an English and Film major at Barnard College of Columbia University. Sarah is inspired by global art in every form, and hopes to explore the intersection of activism, art, and storytelling through her writing.

Degrowth and Christiania – I saw How Copenhagen’s Collective Living Experiment Can Work

Since the first squatters arrived in 1971, the self-proclaimed Freetown of Christiania has inspired radical thinking and social experimentation. Affectionately described as “loser’s paradise”, the squat became a haven for young people unable to access affordable housing in Copenhagen, and activist pioneers from all over the world.

In July 2012, Christiania struck a deal with the Danish state to “normalise” its status. The change was fraught: after 40 years of illegal occupation, a community of activists fiercely opposed to the idea of private property had to establish a foundation and purchase the entire site, with the exception of some features, which were heritage listed.

The deal enabled Christiania to buy itself free of speculation, as a common resource for everybody and nobody. Today, Christiania receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, making it the most popular tourist destination in Copenhagen after Tivoli Gardens and the statue of The Little Mermaid.

Growth and the good life

It’s considered normal for cities and states to measure success in terms of economic growth. But critics point to the treadmill of addictive consumption, property speculation, long working hours, debt, waste, one-upmanship, fast food and short-lifespan technologies that unending growth sets in motion. Opposing this trend, communities such as Christiania pursue “degrowth” by prioritising human relations over market relations; maximising sharing, togetherness, social justice and the health of the planet.

The pressures to conform with mainstream society can be divisive for the 800 or so residents managing their lives communally in Christiania. Big decisions are made through a decentralised democratic structure: 14 area meetings and a “common meeting” must reach consensus between artists, activists and cannabis dealers on Pusher Street.

A self-built home. seier+seier/Flickr., CC BY

In 2012, a minority of residents wanted to be allowed to buy and sell homes that they had built or renovated for themselves. The final deal with the Danish state prevented this. Residents have the right to occupy, but not to buy or sell their homes or businesses. The whimsical variety of domestic architecture that has evolved makes Christiania visibly distinct from surrounding up-market neighbourhoods.

The residents’ resistance

I know from my brief time living in Christiania as researcher in residence in 2010 that degrowth values were practised there long before this term became associated with a broad movement of alternative, ethical and ecological actions.

From the outset, it was the Christiania way to renovate and adapt rather than to tear down existing buildings, and to build with reclaimed materials at minimum costs. This also made it possible to get by on a low income, with reduced hours in paid employment, giving residents a way to resist the earn-to-spend treadmill.

Christiania is known as a place where nothing goes to waste. Numerous craft skills and social enterprises thrive on a culture of making do and mending. Elsewhere in Copenhagen similar local livelihoods fail to flourish under profit maximising conditions. The community has won prizes for comprehensive garbage collection and recycling. The collectively run Green Hall trades in salvaged and repurposed building materials.

Stage made from compressed cardboard for ‘Dancing at the Trasher’, 2010. Helen Jarvis.

Six years on

This summer, Christiania hosts a festival of degrowth, to show that it is ethical and green to resist the burden of conspicuous consumption. The festival coincides with an exhibition of archives on the history of the place, which forms part of the sixth International Degrowth Conference taking place just across the Öresund Bridge in Malmö, Sweden.

Social investment with the Christiania people’s share. Helen Jarvis.

One example of grassroots degrowth since 2012 is the 12.8m Danish Kroner (£1.5m) raised from a social model of investment: the “People’s Christiania Share”. The scale of this crowdfunding (shares are symbolic and have no financial value) outstrips previous experiments with alternative currency. These include payment of a Christiania wage for community jobs – for example, working in the bakery, gardens, laundry, waste collection or machine hall – which functions much like the degrowth policy of basic income, where everyone is paid a minimum stipend.

By comparison, police estimate the cannabis market on Pusher Street to be worth 635m Danish Kroner (£74m) annually. While social models of investment benefit Christiania, profits from the hash market drive growth and speculation elsewhere. Recognising this conflict, residents chose in May this year to shut down Pusher Street temporarily. Younger residents are driving this shift from individual freedom (to profit from criminal activity) to mutual responsibility (for future generations and the planet). This coincides with broad based support for the recent crackdown on intimidating cannabis markets in Christiania.

The festival of degrowth will introduce visitors to a “village of alternatives”. My research shows that Christiania is an inspirational space to think differently about conventional standards of living, precisely because of the absence of private property. A collective shift in mindset can be achieved here, which would not be possible in neighbourhoods of conventional single family homes.

Making the magic

Yet puzzles remain, when it comes to practising sustainable degrowth at scale. One reason why Christiania’s car-free landscape is so “magical” is that residents live at remarkably low density: at first glance, they seem to live in a public park.

Low-density living. Shutterstock.

While this site might otherwise be expected to accommodate several thousand people in high density social housing, the legal safeguards of the 2012 deal endow Christiania exceptional experimental status. This allows residents to take risks with living creatively on a low income, enjoying close friendships in place of material consumption.

There are lessons here for places where degrowth is dismissed as impossibly Utopian, limited to fringe green debates and reduced goals of “sufficient living standards”. In the UK, state sponsored private property and ownership impose smaller private homes, rather than collective ownership of private and shared spaces.

But from Christiania, we learn that smaller private spaces only benefit sustainable degrowth when combined with collective ownership and generous community space for shared use: people come together to share skills and collectively manage scarce resources to reduce consumption. The hope is that as young green activists gather in Christiania this summer, thousands of visitors will look favourably upon collective living as the new normal.

HELEN JARVIS is a Reader in Social Geography at Newcastle University.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION

DENMARK: Watch a Group of People Make this Immigrant Bus Driver's Day

As a country sitting atop the world ranks being named the 'happiest country in the world,' Denmark has quite the reputation to live up to these days. Beneath the surface though, an unhealthy distain for immigrants is a perculating issue inside its own borders. Such was not the case for this fantastic group of Danes who decided to show a Somalian immigrant, and bus driver, their appreciation; on his birthday no less. Faith in humanity, restored.