Katbjerg is on the 555 between Hørbo and Mariager. Hørbo is about halfway between Århus and Aalborg. We actually went here from Hohøj at Mariager, but from the E45, I'd say you need to get off at junction 36 to avoid having to go through the town and simply follow the 555 towards Mariager.
Once on the 555 and heading east, the Katbjerg complex is just past the village of Katbjerg, on the left (north). Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund was one of the best 3 or 4 sites we saw in Denmark and one of the 'best' long barrows I have ever seen!
Visited 4 April 2006 Complex consisting of Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund - a superb langdysse (long barrow), Rishøj - a dug-out barrow (probably a runddysse, or round barrow), and Jordhøj and Ormhøj - 2 more complete-looking barrows that we only saw from a distance, due to time constraints.
Between Hobro and Mariager on route 555 at Katbjerg, you find one of the most imposing Danish long barrows.
Moth couldn't find any printed information about the monuments at Katbjerg at all which is almost criminal, because the long barrow is the finest long barrow we had ever seen. Yes, seriously!
This monument was untrashed and probably not much restored. It was long – perhaps 25 metres and rectangular with a continuous line of big kerbstones. And tall, too some up to 3ms high! The mound billowed upwards along the entire length of the monument, completely undenuded. Down one side are two low passageways, each leading to a large intact chamberof grand proportions, one of them has uprights of more than 2m high!
No fancy horned forecourts here though; instead just really whopping stones at each end. Oooh! Oooh! OOOOH! This place blew our minds.
It was partly excavated in 1960. The finds, fine pottery from the middle Neolithic period and flintstone knives, are in the National Museum.
Access: Area to park right next to Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund. We didn't have time to go up to or into Ormhøj or Jordhøj. It looks like a walk of a few hundred metres back along the road would be the best approach, but you may be able to reach them from Rishøj.
Visited 4 April 2006
Aaargh!!! Through the big lens, Ormhøj and Jordhøj look like real beauties, but we were out of time having spent quite a while at Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund and Rishøj.
To be honest, I hadn't realised they were so close to Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund until we were heading away. How I missed spotting them from Rishøj, I don't know, but it was probably too late by then!
So if you're lucky enough to visit, the only information I've found is that Ormhøj has an oval chamber 5 meters long with a rare smaller chamber behind it. Excavated in the 1890s, finds of earthenware post and flint knives are in the Danish National Museum (Copenhagen).
Access: Area to park right next to the monument and fairly even, flat grassed area around the monument.
Visited 4 April 2006
Amazing! This should be a showcase site - it's probably the 'best' long barrow I've ever seen, anywhere. It's long, high and virtually complete, has 2 chambers with access and a truly spectacular retaining kerb with stones up to 3 metres tall!
One chamber is larger than the other (I can't remember which!) and is a bit easier to get into, though the squeeze through the passage is fairly tight even for a 5' 8"er. Once inside though, the chamber is, I think, around 2 metres high (in places at least). Unfortunately, I don't have photos of this one, as Jane was using the camera.
The passage to the smaller chamber is a real 'crawler', as you may be able to see from one of our photographs, but is just as rewarding as the larger one.
The langdysse was 'partially excavated' in 1960 and I wonder if it was restored at the same time, as it is so pristine. The tiny amount of information I was able to find online in English was very brief. The only other thing it said was that finds of middle-neolithic pottery and flint knives are in the Danish National Museum (Copenhagen).
A short walk from here to Rishøj which I'm afraid is not in such good condition, but well worth a look.
Access: Area to park right next to Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund. Walk for around 100 metres along the edge of a field the west of Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund. When we were there, the field was ploughed and the small 'verge' at the edge is pretty uneven underfoot.
Visited 4 April 2006
Disappointing when arriving straight from the gem that is Kongehøjen ved Voldstedlund, in many other contexts this would be a pleasing site.
Though dug out around the chamber, the mound is large and enough of the chamber stones are intact to give more than a semblance of what the monument was.