Høgdal Visitor Farm, Them

A historic farmstead where time stands still

Høgdal is an 18th‑century farmstead set in gentle hills and woodland close to Them and Silkeborg, part of the scenic Søhøjlandet lake district of central Jutland. The main farmhouse and outbuildings were first established in 1796 by Jens Jensen Lemming and remained in the same family for five generations, a continuity that helped preserve the farm’s layout, interiors and stories with remarkable integrity. The last generation to live here, brothers Jens and Peder Jensen, farmed the land until the 1970s. Their decision to maintain old tools, furniture and routines turned Høgdal into a kind of accidental time capsule. Today the municipality and local enthusiasts care for the site as a visitor farm and cultural‑historical centre, where you can wander through low‑ceilinged rooms, timbered barns and cobbled yards that feel little changed from the late 19th century.

Living museum of Danish rural traditions

Inside the farmhouse, rooms are furnished with wood‑fired stoves, heavy tables, simple bedsteads and shelves of everyday utensils that show how a modest farming family organised work and home life. In the outbuildings you find stalls, haylofts, tool sheds and workshops, revealing the seasonal rhythm of sowing, harvesting, animal care and repair that once defined this landscape. Rather than display cases, Høgdal focuses on living demonstrations and practical activities. On selected days, the yard fills with the smell of baking, the sound of hand tools and the chatter of workshops. The emphasis is on touching, trying and asking questions, making it easy to imagine how much labour went into even the smallest household task in pre‑industrial Denmark.

Workshops, events and everyday crafts

Throughout the year, the farm hosts changing cultural‑historical events. Depending on the season, you might join a guided mushroom walk in nearby woods, follow animal tracks with a nature guide or hear fiddle music drifting across the courtyard on traditional music days. Indoors and under cover, staff and volunteers run hands‑on workshops that explore historical crafts in a playful way. Activities can include carding and spinning wool, grinding grain with small coffee mills, making simple toys, or shaping beeswax and needle‑felt figures. Many of these sessions are designed for school classes and family groups, but individual visitors are often welcome to join on open days. The goal is not just to explain old techniques but to let you feel the materials in your hands and understand the patience they required.

Animals, courtyard picnics and quiet corners

Even outside opening hours, Høgdal’s setting remains inviting. Paths loop around the buildings, and you can often greet the resident goats, cats and chickens as they roam the paddocks and sheds. The farmyard, with its uneven cobbles, timber facades and flower‑bordered edges, makes a charming spot for a simple packed‑lunch picnic on a fine day. When the visitor centre is officially open, basic facilities such as restrooms are available, and staff can share stories about the brothers who once lived here and the wider landscape around the farm. The surrounding fields and woodland edges offer small vantage points where you can look out over the lake district and imagine how similar farms once dotted these hills.

A gentle step into the Danish countryside

Høgdal’s scale is intimate rather than grand, making it easy to explore at a relaxed pace. It works well as a half‑day stop combined with walks, lake views or other cultural sights around Silkeborg. The atmosphere is unhurried and grounded, with an emphasis on tactile experience, storytelling and simple rural tranquillity. Whether you come for a specific workshop, bring children to meet the animals or simply wander between farmhouse and barn, the visit offers a clear window into the everyday realities behind Denmark’s rural past. In a region known for outdoor adventures and lakeside scenery, Høgdal adds a quiet, human‑scale glimpse of how that landscape was once worked and lived in.