Ekkodalen (Echo Valley), Bornholm

A valley carved deep into Bornholm’s bedrock

Ekkodalen, or Echo Valley, is the most impressive section of Bornholm’s longest rift valley, a geological fracture that runs roughly 12 kilometres across the island. Here, the bedrock has split and sunk to form a straight, green corridor framed by vertical rock faces up to 20 metres high. The valley is typically around 70 metres wide, so you feel enclosed yet never hemmed in, with the sky always visible above the cliff rims. The slopes on the northwest side carry a more than 200‑year‑old durmast oak forest, one of the reasons the area is protected. Below, the floor of the valley is a mosaic of meadow and wet ground, kept open by grazing cattle so that the rock walls remain clearly visible. Running through it all is the brook Læsåen, meandering quietly past sedges and wildflowers.

The famous echo and a historic spring

Ekkodalen is named for its echo, created as sound rebounds off the vertical rock faces. The most celebrated spot to test it is H.C. Ørsted’s spring, a clear source tucked just off the main valley path. For centuries, the spring was considered a sacred and curative well; in the early 20th century it was even nicknamed the Radium Spring because of the water’s reputation for purity. Standing by the spring, voices bounce back distinctly on still days, and local tradition has grown up around calling out playful phrases and waiting for the valley’s answer. Even when the surrounding vegetation softens the effect in some seasons, the combination of water, rock and forest gives a strong sense of place and local folklore.

Forest paths, viewpoints and gentle exploration

Visiting Ekkodalen is mostly about unhurried exploration. Easy, almost level trails follow the valley floor, suitable for leisurely strolls and families with children. More adventurous routes, such as the path up Fuglsangsrenden, climb the escarpment where water and ice have carved natural passages into the rock, in some places helped by simple steps. Above the cliffs, viewpoints like Loklippen and Queen’s View look out across the valley, the surrounding Almindingen forest and the gentle contours of Bornholm. From the upper paths, you see the sharp line of the rift, the stone walls that once marked forest boundaries, and the patchwork of open pasture and dense woodland below.

Traces of foresters, farmers and past travel

Human history is woven through the landscape. The historic forester’s residence Rømersdal stands within the valley, built in the early 1800s by Hans Rømer, the man who organised Almindingen into a managed forest. He enclosed the woods with an impressive stone wall that still runs along parts of the valley, a reminder of the conflict between common grazing rights and emerging forest management. In the early 20th century, a small excursion railway once linked Åkirkeby with Ekkodalen, bringing day‑trippers into the forest. Today that line has vanished, but the sense of the valley as a traditional outing spot remains, reinforced by the presence of a classic forest restaurant at the entrance and picnic‑friendly clearings along the meadow.

Seasonal moods and natural detail

Ekkodalen changes character with the seasons. In spring, lily‑of‑the‑valley carpets the forest floor and fresh leaves brighten the oak canopy, while the brook runs high with meltwater. Summer brings deep shade under the trees and cooler air on the valley floor, a welcome contrast to the island’s sunny coasts. Autumn paints the oaks in rust and gold, with mist often clinging to the cliffs in the morning. In winter, when snow or frost outlines the vertical rock faces, the underlying structure of the rift valley becomes especially clear. Throughout the year, birdsong, the lowing of cattle and the murmuring stream provide a soft soundtrack to walks, underlining how this is both a dramatic geological feature and a quietly lived‑in piece of Bornholm’s interior.