The Little Mill and Sulkendrup Mill
The mills wheels turn merrily at Lille Mølle – one of Denmark’s best-preserved watermills, and Sunday coffee and cake are served at Sulkendrup Mølle overlooking the lake, while the sun shines down from a cloud-free sky. Hop on your bike and enjoy these two scenic gems.
Lille Mølle is scenically situated by Ørbæk Å river in Æbleskoven wood (the Apple Wood), south of Nyborg. It is one of Denmark’s most beautiful and best-preserved watermills. It is fully operational with two mill waterwheels and has a unique history. The mill is from 1672 but burnt down in 1827. The three-winged, half-timbered building Møllegård (mill farm) was built following the fire, and it belonged to Holckenhavn Manor until 1900.
From 1764 to 1971, the mill was run by six generations of the same miller family. Mill expert Anders Jespersen restored the mill from 1970 to 1980. The current owners bought the mill in 2008 and painstakingly restored it to its former glory. The mill can be visited by appointment, and a tour can be booked. It is even possible to book at room at the mill. For further information, please visit lillemøllen.dk.
Hans Christian Andersen is said to have once visited Lille Mølle. On 12 September 1849, he visited Holckenhavn Manor and wrote in his diary “Went for a ride out to the fat miller’s wife”. At the mill, there is a sign with a sketch drawn by him. Can you spot the motif that he drew?
The white-throated dipper can be spotted near the mill in the winter, and the kingfisher can be seen from time to time by the millpond.
There is a car park in Æble Skov wood opposite the mill. You can go for a walk in the wood and the narrow gorge along Ørbæk Å river.
Ørbæk Å is something quite special when it comes to water mills. The river drops 38 metres over a 3.5 km stretch and, over time, its waters have operated five watermills. Two of these, Lille Mølle and Sulkendrup Mølle, are preserved to this day.
There is no actual walk between the two mills, but each one represents a piece of cultural history and is idyllically situated by its mill lake. Two beautiful green experiences.