Have you ever felt the damp earth beneath your feet? Welcome to Ankermyr a hidden gem nestled in Bornholm’s Slotslyngen. This is no ordinary bog. Ankermyr holds secrets. Its name Ankermyr meaning anchor bog comes from the unique shape of the surrounding cliffs. They resemble an old-fashioned anchor.
Ankermyr’s acidic waters are famous. They harbor a large population of bloodsucking leeches. These aren’t your average garden variety leeches. These are large orange ones. They’ll attack if you disturb the water. Even in the 1980s you could rent leeches at the Allinge pharmacy. They were used for medicinal purposes.
But Ankermyr’s mysteries run deeper. In the 1950s scientists studied its peat. They looked for pollen. This revealed the area’s vegetation over thousands of years. The peat showed a gap from 1300 to 1700. Why? Because during that time the peat was used as fuel for Hammershus Castle.
The surface of Ankermyr is beautiful. White water lilies float on the dark water. Along the edges sphagnum moss grows. This peat moss thrived in the acidic soil. The entire Slotslyngen area was open moorland in the Middle Ages. Even today the soil remains acidic. Only plants that tolerate this grow here. Look for heather blueberries and juniper. In spring look for lily of the valley and woodruff.
Near Ankermyr is a medieval road. It’s called Schweder Kettings Vej. It was built by poor Bornholm farmers. The type of stone changes every two meters. This shows how far a cartload of stones could be carried. This road leads to a large quarry Moseløkken.
Moseløkken quarry provided granite for grand buildings. The granite was used for the National Museum’s columns and Carlsberg’s four elephants in Valby. The quarry also has a museum. Here you can learn about the history of stone cutting. You might even try your hand at it.
Nearby are fields with Bronze Age petroglyphs. These are rock carvings. They depict ships people blowing horns and solar crosses. Some are painted others aren’t. The carvings are a visual story. They’re a message from people who lacked words.
Ankermyr is more than a bog. It’s a window into Bornholm’s past. It’s a place of beauty silence and unexpected life. Take a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet. This truly is one of Bornholm’s hidden treasures.