Dronningestolen Viewpoint, Nordskoven, Silkeborg

A forest hill with a royal name

Dronningestolen is a modest but characterful 65-metre hill tucked into the north-western corner of Nordskoven, one of Silkeborg’s great belts of woodland. Its name, which translates as “the Queen’s Seat,” reflects an older Danish use of the word “stol” for an elevated seat or throne, hinting at the spot’s long-standing status as a natural lookout. The name is closely linked to the nearby viewpoint Kongestolen, the “King’s Seat,” and together the two suggest a royal pair presiding over the lake-dotted landscape. Local historical writings connect the naming tradition to 19th-century royal visits to the Silkeborg area. During the reigns of Frederik VI and Christian VIII, the surrounding forests and hills drew the attention of the Danish court, and later accounts point to Queen Caroline Amalie as a likely inspiration for Dronningestolen’s title. Standing here today, it is easy to imagine the appeal of presenting such a natural balcony to a visiting monarch.

Shifting views in a living forest

Before the forest fully spread over these hills around 1900, Dronningestolen offered an almost unbroken panorama over Silkeborg and many of the nearby lakes. Over the decades, forestry work and natural growth transformed the viewpoint, with trees gradually obscuring or redirecting the line of sight. Modern forest management has left a deliberate, narrow clearing from the hilltop, creating a kind of visual corridor rather than a 360-degree vista. Through this opening you now look across a slice of Silkeborg with its red roofs and church spires, framed by the darker green of Nordskoven. The sense of height is not dramatic in alpine terms, but the contrast between dense trees at your back and the town unfolding below gives the spot a distinctive, almost stage-like quality. The landscape feels curated by time and forestry rather than by architecture.

Part of Silkeborg’s hilly walking country

Dronningestolen sits within one of Denmark’s most undulating forest regions, the lake plateau west of Silkeborg. The hill is often combined with neighbouring tops on longer walks, linking with routes over Langdalsåsen, Birkehøj and Ulvehoved to create a chain of viewpoints and ridgelines. Paths wind through beech and conifer stands, dipping into hollows and climbing back to light-drenched clearings. The ascent itself is short but can be fairly steep on some approaches, with roots and uneven ground reminding you that this is genuine woodland rather than manicured parkland. In wet weather, the tracks can be muddy and a little slippery, emphasizing the outdoor feel despite the proximity to town. The reward is a quiet vantage point where you can pause, drink in the scenery and sense the wider network of hills stretching beyond the treetops.

Atmosphere through the seasons

The character of Dronningestolen shifts with the seasons. In spring and early summer, fresh beech leaves filter the light with a soft green glow, and birdsong carries up from the slopes below. On clear autumn days, the view slice becomes a tapestry of gold and rust as the forest changes colour around the town. Winter strips back much of the foliage, often expanding the sense of space and lending the hilltop a starker, more contemplative mood. Because the viewpoint is close to Silkeborg yet surrounded by trees, there is a blend of seclusion and connection. You are aware of the town—its sounds, its faint traffic murmur—yet shielded enough to feel momentarily removed. It is a place as suited to a thoughtful pause on a solo walk as it is to sharing a thermos of coffee on a bench with a companion.

Stories in the name and landscape

Beyond the view itself, much of Dronningestolen’s appeal lies in the stories attached to its name and setting. The paired viewpoints of king and queen reflect a wider tradition in Danish place names where elevated spots are linked to authority, legend or ceremony. The Gudenå valley and the Silkeborg forests have long been routes of travel, timber and trade, and Dronningestolen is one of the named points that anchor this cultural landscape. Standing at the edge of the clearing, you can read the landscape as a layered narrative: the royal associations in the toponymy, the rise of Silkeborg as a town in the 19th century, the evolution of the forests from open hills with sweeping views to today’s denser woodland. Dronningestolen may be a small hill, but it feels like a quiet chapter in the broader story of Denmark’s lake district.