I heard about the hunting forest for the first time when I was very young. It was during my very first visit to Denmark. A family friend took us on a trip to Kronborg Castle, and on the way, we drove past a dense stretch of woodland. He mentioned something about “jagt,” or hunting, a word that instantly caught my attention. As a child, it sounded mysterious, yet I recognized the meaning in Dutch, jacht also means hunting. That small linguistic connection lingered in my mind.

After thirty years, I finally revisited the site, choosing Gribskov as it was the easiest part of the Par Force Hunting Landscape to reach by car, with a road cutting directly through the area and no need for a long hike. I was also visiting a friend who lives nearby, which made the trip even more convenient. I even checked the location on Google Maps at “Parforcejagtlandskabet i Gribskov” to see the spot where eight roads meet, forming the classic star-shaped junction that is so iconic of the Par Force design. Gribskov, part of the UNESCO-listed Par Force Hunting Landscape of North Zealand, preserves a royal hunting system created by the Danish kings in the 17th century. Here, the straight forest roads radiate from central star points, a geometric design reflecting Baroque ideals of order and control. Hunting in this forest was not merely a sport, but a ritualized display of royal power, with deer pursued in a carefully orchestrated manner until the king could make the final, symbolic kill, a striking example of human authority imposed upon nature. Driving along the narrow road of Kildeportvej that cuts through Gribskov, I passed under a tunnel of dense trees that filtered the sunlight into soft, shifting patterns. The forest felt tranquil and almost timeless, with the silence broken only by the sound of the wind brushing through the leaves, and, unexpectedly, by the roar of a train passing nearby, a reminder that history and modern life intersect even here.

Overall, the experience was somewhat underwhelming. While I appreciated the historical and environmental significance of the forest, seeing it in person did not live up to the royal grandeur described in its UNESCO listing. Still, my visit to the Par Force Hunting Landscape deepened my appreciation for how people once shaped the world around them, and how those shapes still quietly endure beneath the trees of North Zealand. Even if the full heritage value is hard to fully grasp, I truly appreciate that Copenhagen is fortunate to have such a large and beautiful forest nearby, offering both environmental benefits and a peaceful space for leisure. A visit here, combined with trips to nearby Fredensborg and Frederiksborg Castles, offers a glimpse into the old-time royal way of thinking, where controlling nature and laying out star-shaped roads was a way of demonstrating absolutism, all while enjoying both nature and culture.