Knudeklint: N 56,838216° E 8,964653° (ETRS89)
The Eocene fossiliferous sediments of the Western Limfjord Area constitute a natural site of universal value. The deposits are exposed in various coastal cliffs along the fjord, of which the two most important and complete cliff sections have been selected for the serial locality The Bony Fish Fossils of the Western Limfjord: Evolution and Climate Adaptation in the Earliest Eocene. The serial site is composed of the two picturesque coastal cliffs, Hanklit and Knudeklint, which are located on the islands of Mors and Fur, respectively. Hanklit covers 3.79 hectares and Knudeklint 3.19 hectares, in total 7 hectares. The altitude reaches 60 m at Hanklit and just above 30 m at Knudeklint. In addition, the deposits are visible in several clay pits on Fur and Mors where it has been excavated for commercial purposes during more than 100 years.
The serial site area is characterised by beautifully exposed sediments that formed the seabed in the Eocene some 56–55 million years ago. At that time, the site represented an offshore, marine environment, which was connected to the Atlantic Ocean and covered the entire Denmark. Most of the sedimentary succession is very rich in microscopic, siliceous algae named diatoms. Locally, this sediment is named “moler” (mo-clay in English). In geological terms, the two units in question are named the Fur Formation and the Stolleklint Clay of the Ølst Formation. Another special sedimentary feature is the characteristic occurrence of more than 200 ash layers originating from immense volcanic eruptions in the area near East Greenland and the Faeroe Islands. The ash layers have proven very effective for both absolute and relative dating of the succession."
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List
Postcard of the fishing harbor of Lemvig with the Limfjord in the distance background. Thanks to Gerald of Germany.
