Storådalen

The locality follows the Storåen, is 38 km long and up to 4 km wide and runs E-W through Holstebro and to Felsted Kog/Nissum Fjord in the west. Dalstrøget is bounded to the south by Skovbjerg Bakkeø and to the north by the younger glacial landscape and the smaller hill islands Møborg Bakkeø and Linde Bakkeø . The many watercourses as well as smaller meadows and bogs in the area are protected by Section 3 of the Nature Conservation Act. The area near the outlet of the Storåen has been designated as a Natura 2000 and Ramsar site.

 

Historically, the valley's shallow meadows have been important grazing areas, which has provided the basis for cattle breeding, which in turn is the basis for the main farms, such as Nr. Vosborg . Myremalm is mined, including as iron ore and building stone. The area offers rich recreational opportunities, including canoeing and fishing, as well as Folkeuniversitet Skærum Mølle.

 

The area is dominated by hill islands and meltwater deposits from the last ice age. The flat valley floor was formed by deposition from meltwater that flowed from the heath plains to the east, including Karup Hedeslette and Sønderhede , and on its way to the sea was forced into the passage between the ice-covered areas and the smaller hill islands to the north and Skovbjerg Bakkeø to the south.

 

The meltwater has eroded the hill islands in places, e.g. at Burlund . The meltwater valley was active as a main drainage route until the time during the glacial melt, when the meltwater from Karup Hedeslette could flow north through the Karup valley system to Venø Bugt.