A Day With The Deer

Yesterday, Micki and I met for an afternoon of bicycle riding and photo taking in Klampenborg, at Dyrehaven and Bakken. I didn't have any particular theme for my photos, I just wanted to test out the zoom lens and distance shooting. The deer were the perfect subjects yesterday. It is rutting season right now in Dyrehaven. As we rode our bikes into the park, Micki and I were greeted by the loud braying of the male deer.

Our first stop was Dyrehavsbakken, which translates in English to "The Deer Garden's Hill". It is the world's oldest existing amusement park. Bakken has been around for over 400 years. Originally as a Mecca for believers who thought that the Kirsten Piil spring had a life-giving force. Soon all sorts of street performers and bag players lured to the pilgrimage place and eventually the numerous tents became permanent.

It has been closed down for the season which made the empty park all the more interesting to poke around in. We parked our bikes and ventured in. Here are some of my photos...

Santa in glasses, looking more like a "Dead Head" rather than Santa

Murals on a really LONG wall

Peek-a-boo

Huh??

Old wooden roller coaster-kind of ominous 

Fence outside of Haunted House

It was lunch time and we had grown hungry so we went to the Peter Lieps Hus (Peter Liep's House) which is now a well-known restaurant. It is named after Dyrehaven's first sharpshooter, Peter Liep. The house was originally called Kildehuset (Spring house) and is thought to have been built towards the end of the 18th century. The menu was very Danish; Micki had a chicken salad which she didn't enjoy because it had "hidden" mushrooms and lots of mayo and I ordered a homemade sausage open face sandwich. The "homemade sausage" was not what one would think and quite honestly, I have no idea what I ate!! It was tasty, especially on the rye bread along with a bite of onion. Most importantly, everything tastes better with a beer!

Micki's chicken salad is buried under the bacon and my "sausage" is on the right

Once we finished lunch, we rode our bikes towards Eremitageslotte, the hunting palace. We stopped and took a few pictures and learned from some signs and construction materials in the area that the palace will soon be turned into a restaurant. It is nice that it will be used and not just sit vacant but at the same time I think the number of people that it may attract could have an impact on the deer, especially if they are allowed to drive their cars into the park.

This is the field directly behind me when I am facing the palace.

The herds were happily grazing and the young called out to their moms.

I haven't quite figured out my camera yet...LOL!!

We are standing in the field very close to the deer

On our bike ride around the park we saw plenty more deer and were able to get some close up pictures. It was amazing to be so close and to encounter nature in the works. I could have stayed and observed all day but it was time to go home...

This male deer was rounding up his females and keeping them close

He warns another male who was too close

He lays down in the grass