Stevns Klint

Stevns Klint is a chalk and limestone cliff on the east coast of Zealand, stretching for about fifteen kilometres along the Baltic Sea south of Copenhagen. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site because it shows, more clearly than almost anywhere else, the boundary layer left by the asteroid impact that ended the age of the dinosaurs.

That thin dark band, known as the fish clay, runs through the pale cliff face between the older white chalk and the younger limestone above it. Fossils of sea urchins, corals and other marine life are common on the pebble beach below. On the cliff top stands Højerup Old Church, built close to the edge and later partly lost to the sea, its remaining nave now secured above the drop. The Stevns Klint Experience explains the geology, and Stevnsfort, a fortress cut into the chalk during the Cold War, can be visited underground. Show more

A walking trail follows the cliff top past viewpoints, the old Boesdal quarry with its lime kiln and Stevns lighthouse. The small harbour of Rødvig with fishing boats and the market town of Store Heddinge round off the area, which is rural, quiet and open to the sea.

Stevns Klint is an easy day trip by car from Copenhagen. Stairs lead down to the beach at several points, but the cliff edge is unstable and falls do occur, so marked paths and safe distances matter. Late spring to early autumn is best for walking and fossil hunting.