Giant white hole

The biggest man made hole in Denmark is found just outside the small town of Faxe at a place called Faxe Kalkbrud. The hole is the result of a very long history of mining for chalk at this quarry which has actually been going on for nine hundred years and continues till this day – hence it is best to visit during the weekend when the machinery at the quarry is not operating and you can enjoy the quiet at the quarry.

The chalk at Faxe was created on the sea bed millions of years ago. The chalk comes from ancient corals – the corals in Faxe aren’t the traditional colourful corals you will find at a normal tropical coral reef. These corals were deep water corals which grew at deep water where the sun couldn’t reach and the water is cold. These kind of corals are normal to spot today – but the ancient corals at Faxe is the oldest deep water coral reef found anywhere in the world.

The age of the chalk around Faxe make it a good place to search for fossils if you bring your own equipment you can search any time of the day. If you don’t there is the option to rent equipment at the top of the quarry.

When you look down to the quarry there is a good view of the white chalk with some blue lakes in the middle. The landscape can give an impression of a tropical landscape on a sunny day I guess – on a rainy day it doesn’t feel all that tropical.

If you walk down on one of the many rainy days in Denmark be aware of the slippery mud which can make it a little tricky to get down to the bottom of the pit and up again. You can walk around the area and enjoy the white landscape – but the best view is from the top of the quarry looking down.

There are several view points along the rim of the quarry from where you can look down. One of the best places is at the geological museum. Another good observation point is at the hostel which has possibly the best view of any hostel in Denmark since it is located right at the edge of the quarry. There is a little café on the first floor of the hostel which is probably a good place for a coffee with a view – unfortunately all cafes in Denmark were closed when we went to Faxe Kalkbrud.