Dyssekilde Ecovillage WWWalk

On a peninsula in northwest Zealand, (Sjælland) just 90 minutes by train from central Copenhagen lies an idyllic village named Torup. Replete with the usual trappings of ancient church, cottages and hollyhocks.

But this is not your average village. Today, around 300 people live in the village of Torup and 195 of them live in Økosamfund Dyssekilde one of the largest, most innovative and oldest ecovillages in Denmark. An experimental eco-community which produces its own energy and is made up of 74 unique buildings built exclusively out of recycled or sustainable materials. The crooked shapes of the building evoke memories of Freetown Christiania, and in front of some of the houses hang rainbow and Tibetan prayer flags, but the similarities stop there and this ecovillage is quite different in atmosphere from it's cousin in the city.

Despite local concern 30 years ago that the new residents would come to no good, this intriguing place is now well established as the second oldest settlement in which to learn about living sustainably in Denmark, and it's the perfect place to become inspired by and enjoy the fruits of several years of hard work. Dyssekilde Ecovillage has become such a success, that the once decaying village of Torup is now a rare example of a rural settlement that is growing and thriving. In 2019 an annual competition voted the village the best in Denmark; the criteria were the ecological, cultural, economic and social dimensions of living sustainably.

We’ll take a two hour geolocative tour walking around the village, firstly by hearing a little about the ecovillage movement worldwide, and the origins and ethos behind Dyssekilde. We'll then take an inspection of the various eco-friendly ’architecture without architects’ buildings in quarters such as the Sun, the Rainbow, the Stars, the Moon and back again. Dyssekilde is constantly being used as a successful case study by environmental groups around the world from which to learn from, and we'll share this enthusiasm and present sides to this innovative place that resonate by being distinctly creative, experimental, self-sustaining and infinitely liveable for the residents. We’ll also look at how power is generated, how waste is recycled, at the extensive vegetable gardens, livestock, community centres, shop, cafe, the school and kindergarten, and plans for the future in this progressive and delightful place.

The tour will take you beyond the perimeters of the site and into the village of Torup too. Here you'll peer into the mists of time at the ancient origins of the place, and into the future at how village life is witnessing an explosion of growth alongside Dyssekilde Ecovillage, with exciting plans for the new ecovillage at the Hvideland settlement. This geolocative tour will end where it began, at the newly restored railway station with a look at an array of new sustainability projects, bookshops and book carts, eccentric bicycles, the village council, and vibrant organic food market.