We had a great trip in May and June. Lots of riding and memories etched into our mind and hearts. I just found this nearly completed blog that I had obviously forgotten to upload back then. Here it is – written predominantly back in June.
We are proud of our resilience and fitness and self belief in undertaking a 3,300 km journey the way we did.
Doing that, yes there are challenges at times that require your resolution versus relying on others to solve problems.
What we gain is flexibility and trust in ourselves to be relatively independent.
We have kept fit since our last trip which is pivotal to the outcome as without that the days would be far less riding.
I am forever thankful for my fitness despite my well documented health challenges.
Success lies in the preparation.
Countless hours researching routes, places, bike friendly accomodation in the 3-12 months prior.
Keeping fit on a daily basis. Zwift is my go to there, where I have made many friends globally.
Bikes being appropriate and well maintained. New tyres, brake pads, chains and carrying appropriate spares including rear derailleur hangers. Thanks to Tony who was regularly lubing the chains and cleaning the bikes,.
Reflection after a trip often includes what changes we would make next time. Every trip we learn something new.
New Zealand at Christmas it was to carry insect repellent. This trip I carried it but not used once. However, reading a post from Tasmanian friends riding in Norway I saw picture of Warren’s face, eaten alive by midges! So the insect repellent will remain on our list.
We have good gear and good clothes. But we will replace one part of Tony’s Tailfin system (front panniers) to a different model that is quicker and easier to put on and off. That will save some cussing 😳🤩.
I read a quote earlier..l
We had some wonderful times and I know a piece of my heart remains behind as I had tears….
Jenny CeciliaRudi Rudi and CarinaRalph and Sandra
Not all were humans either.
We’ve been asked what were our favourite areas or countries. That’s like asking which is our favourite child.
We really enjoyed each country, the variations in geography, scenery, foods, cultures and experiences.
Of course, if we had more time you’d see spots that have been suggested we ‘missed’ but then do you discount what we have seen? No not at all.
I particularly loved the Bohuslan Islands.
Then there were the trolls – we had fun looking for them!
The scenery is magnificent – I could upload so many photos – but many are in previous blogs.
In picking these few, I have uploaded over 13,500 onto the WordPress gallery now!
Stay tuned – the reason I was on WordPress was to get it ready for our next adventure starting very, very soon.
3,267 km is our final trip tally. We think we’ve done ok all things considered.
The most important number is zero. Zero injuries, no spills, we both stayed upright for the whole 3,267 km.
Thanks to no spills and Tony’s continuing good bike maintenance, our total mechanical issues were…one puncture, and one bike pump failure.
To finish off, we had had half a day free where we could ride before cleaning and packing the bikes up to transport back to Australia.
We headed off early, hoping to ‘beat the tourists’ despite being ones ourselves.
We followed the coast up from Kastrup and were intrigued by the water polo nets in the canal. We saw similar in Roskilde. Both canals with lots of green, stringy algae like growths.
Looking towards Sweden, there were wind turbines at sea, with a ship passing by.
The city ahead, with a healthy headwind.
From the south, we pass through Christianshavn and Margretholm.
Then on into the very famous Nyhavn famous since the 17th century as a trading port. Today it is a vibrant entertainment area and the subject of many a jigsaw puzzle!
Then on into the Kastallet, a citadel and regarded as one of the best preserved fortresses in Northern Europe.
It has a pentagon shape with bastions at each corner.
Today it is a military sight, evident when there as we encountered a few armed guards, super friendly, chatty and waving us through.
A borrowed aerial view.
As we approached an ornate fountain.
Two views from the fountain.
Queen Margrethe II fatherAcross the bridge looking back at an armed guards
A couple of old buildings from the 1700’s used by higher ranking officers.
Former soldiers barracks
Then we headed out, looking back to another armed guard.
Perhaps the most photographed statue in Copenhagen, the little mermaid. I watched with amusement at a certain ethnic group taking selfies and photos, but making sure their hair was just ‘so so’ and dropping the hip. 😊
Just around the corner a larger, seemingly less popular statue.
All up we rode 46 km through Copenhagen so the following are a sequential series of views.
We could have taken hundreds of photographs as Copenhagen is a particularly photogenic city with incredible architecture and curios.
The entrance to Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg is the official residence of the Danish Royal family.
The complex has four identical smaller structures laid around an octagonal courtyard.
Originally built for four noble families, today Queen Mary and family occupy one, Queen Margrethe II another, with two to spare.
Guards on duty outside Queen Mary’s palace
More city views.
I think this is lovely despite the Thai Airways signage. If it rains, the man pops out with his umbrella. Today it was the lady on the bike.
We stopped for coffee here. Just about broke the bank but we enjoyed the view.
A group of school children were netting in the river. They brought in lots of free, stringy algae like growth. They really seemed to be enjoying it, but they moved on when a couple of the lads lost interest and started jousting with their poles.
A bird island devoid of any greenery.
We kept on cycling….
We rode through Freetown, a very bohemian and hip and alternative area just km from the city heart. It was green, lush and lots of little cottages tucked away.
Then there was this curiosity. I guess you can watch yourself be electrocuted in the electric chair, fire extinguisher handy. 🤣
We ended up finishing this trip the same way we started. We found another Thomas Dambo troll. Little kids come to hand over their dummies here, scattered everywhere!
Cycling in Denmark is like nowhere else we have ever cycled. At roundabouts there are clear cycling lanes and ALL drivers give way to you.
We have not seen one angry driver or cyclist. It just works!
A few Internet examples.
Cyclists also get a head start at some intersections with cycling specific lights.
It was an amazing experience to see in action.
Denmark has a population of 6 million with 1.4 million in Copenhagen. If they can do it, Australia could too.
Many of their roads are one lane each way, with a dedicated walking path and dedicated cycling path, often on both sides of the road.
It works!
That brings me to the end of this cycling touring trip. We now head to Switzerland for a few days, before returning to Copenhagen for one night, collect all our gear, and head home.
We return Sunday, I am back at work the next day 😝🙈.
Thankyou to those who have read the blog and liked here or on Facebook.
To those who took the extra time to comment, even bigger thanks for your support, encouragement and interest.
Our last full day cycling. Always a surreal feeling after a long touring trip. Many emotions, but we still have another half day tomorrow 😊
We left Fredensborg a bit later due to a later breakfast time there. Very nice sitting in the sun.
We passed this stone indicating a tree planted by the then King in 1940.
Forests have been such a feature this trip, and it was lovely to ride through more today.
Copenhagen is not very far although we did 68 km in total today.The path quality is excellent
Nice pond as we approached the Frederiksborg Slot (castle).
The castle was built by King Christian IV in the early 17th century. It is the largest Renaissance structure in the Nordic region.
(note: not sure why or how I changed the type font…not sure how to change it back either using my iPad, so it stays 🤩).
Christian’s goal was to show off and enhance his status as a powerful European monarch.
Seems to have achieved his goal as it is impressive, along with the surrounding palace gardens.
I was impressed we could ride right through, over and around the moat.
Today it houses The Museum of Natural History.
Leaving the castle and heading into the town if Hillerod.
More forest. This section of the ride was super popular with many other cyclists out. Conditions were great and there were many large packs, and smaller groups making the most of the day.
As with all tours, ultimately we end up in big cities. In our case, Copenhagen.
There are many distractions.
It’s been a while since we’ve witnessed a good protest. This one was very loud, colourful and featured lots of bikes!
There was heavy metal music being blasted from this colourful truck. Many colourful characters were participating.
We crossed and then followed the river, winding our way around streets, admiring the architecture.
Tomorrow we head back into the city, early, hoping to avoid some of the crowds.
This is a very famous section, Nyhavn. I have a jigsaw puzzle of this.
Trying to find somewhere less ‘busy’ to buy some lunch, sit and chill was not easy. We crossed over to Christianhavn and sat on the edge of this dock.
We stayed here about 90 minutes, chatting with a Dutch family on holidays. Their kids had a large magnet on the end of a rope they were dangling into the water treasure hunting.
Then there was a line up of people who did a group jump into the water. Not sure why, but they got lots of cheers.
We arrived back in Kastrup, where we left 33 days ago. It was five weeks today that we arrived very jet lagged.
Still with half a day to go, we are pleased. We took a rare selfie.
The Pakistani owner could not believe we had ridden over 3,200 km. Where does your energy come from he asked?
Another glorious day. The sun was shining, blue skies and a robust wind.
We left our Air B and no B(reakfast) early. As I checked for anything we left behind I looked under the bed and realised why I had been coughing so much (asthma cough). The most incredible amount of dust and fluff was there. 😢
We did have a coffee as I had a few sachets in my bag. This place had a coffee maker, coffee but no filters. Filtered coffee has been the rage at nearly all of our accomodation. All other places provided some filters.
Out of town we were heading towards the north coast of the island of Zealand.
The roads were quiet and the rural ones delightful.
The Roskilde Fjord was in our view for much of the way, however distant.
Jyllinge has a nice marina area, thatched houses and a supermarket where we sourced food.
This sign was at the supermarket. There had been some in Roskilde too. An upcoming cycle event.
We were on a wide variety of paths today. These were lovely.
Frederikssund also has a large marina. We rode through a different part to yesterday, following the waterfront.
We stumbled across the Frederikssund Vikingeboplads. This is a historically accurate, reconstructed village based on archeological finds in the region.
The fjord waterfront is a smaller pebble beach here.
A nice boat reconstruction.
We continue north with an easterly angle. The winds are becoming gustier.
I do love these open fields.
The ubiquitous church.
We hit the north coast and ride through Troldeskoven, a lovely forest adjacent to the beach.
We dragged our bikes through some sand and parked them to check out the beach.
The beaches along the northern section were predominantly a nice white sand. There were multiple eateries along the way, selling burgers, icecream and drinks,
I liked this section of road. Two good verges to cycle either way, plus the lovely boat houses.
Around Gilleleje
As we sat on a chair overlooking the coast, we could see across to Sweden, far more clearly than you can in this photo. I recognised Molle, a town we went through a few weeks ago.
Around here we started to work our way south, direct into a gusty headwind.
Nice old building from 1608.
Esrum So (Lake Esrum), is the largest lake in Denmark by water volume. Our destination, Fredensborg is on the south eastern shore.
It is a little hard to miss the Palace from our accomodation.
Our hotel was built in 1723 on the orders of King Frederik IV, with the purpose of being able to accomodate the guests invited by the king, who could not stay at the castle.
At the time, the castle was deliberately not furnished with guest rooms, therefore the Kings guests had to stay at the inn.
We went for a wander in the Palace grounds. The palace is not open to tourists but there are parts of the grounds you can access.
Former Queen Margrethe II lives here more permanently in her retirement. Queen Mary and family, this is their summer house.
We found out from a guard that the church was open today. So we wandered in further. Tony saw the queue and said ‘this is not happening Penry” so we turned around, (Penry is a reference to my middle name).
We wandered into the Palace gardens. They are huge. We found this house and plaque.
Tsar Alexander III bought this villa in 1885. His wife, empress Maria was a Danish princess ( Dagmar). He had it carved into a Faberge egg gifted to his wife,
His son who became Tsar Nicholas II, later executed by the Bolshevik’s, carved his name in a window pane, along with his English cousins ( George V).
The house is privately owned today.
We turned around and decided to walk down to the lake via one of the Long Walks.
You can just see the long walk between trees.
The lake is lovely, featuring a large boathouse and restaurant.
Back to our hotel, the Yaxley flags are flying. The washing dried very quickly in the sun and wind.
We had pre booked at the bistro without any idea of prices. Small menu, big prices, fancy food. We gulped….we were a bit stuck as we were seated so just picked a main course and closed my eyes as I pressed green on the machine approving payment.
The meal was quite nice but…..😝🙈
105 km ridden today, 582 metres climbing.
We only have one full day, and one part day riding left to go.
A latter breakfast will ensure a later departure as we head to Copenhagen.
A glorious morning in Roskilde, saw us heading off to the local shops as we are at another B and no B. Not sure why they call themselves a Bed and Breakfast if there is no breakfast.
Anyhow today we were doing a circuit around Roskilde Fjord plus a little add on.
The fjord has many arms and bays.
This is a large pond!
Nice houses in quiet villages.
Gershoj Kirke has a history going back to the 12th century.
Adjacent half wooden buildings.
Lovely view towards the fjord.
This trip we have seen plenty of poppies popping up in other crops. This is a nice example.
This is a farm, Krabbesholm. Hard to see, but there is a nice tower there.
We rode through Skibby and Gerlev, crossing the fjord to head into Frederikssund. It was very blowy and we knew we would have fun on our return leg.
We stopped for an iced coffee and nibbles, sitting in the sun, before heading off to complete the loop.
Distant views of the fjord.
The lump of land is Bolund Halvorsens and is part of the Skjoldungernes Land National Park. I am sure there might be some Viking stories there.
The final 10 km into Roskilde the fjord became noticeably shallower around the shorelines.
That is Roskilde ahead, with the Viking museum to the left.
We headed to our accomodation as Tony wanted to replace his brake pads. Whilst he did that I researched another Thomas Dambo troll, only 7 km away.
Off we headed. The path below is ok for bikes I had read.
That is very steep and no bike of ours is going down there.
Walking was hard enough. The troll was less than 50 meters away as we could see his fishing rod.
There he is. Rundie Rie is his name. You can swing off his fishing rope and into the lake, formed after the closure of an old quarry.
Back to Roskilde finished our riding for the day. 82 km and nearly 500 metres climbing.
We then started walking. Roskilde Cathedral was the second thing I wanted to see this trip.
Roskilde Cathedral is Denmark’s royal burial church. It is UNESCO listed.
The first church was built here circa 1033 by King Harald Bluetooth. The cathedral was built about 1200 and was the first Gothic edifice in Scandinavia.
The church was originally Catholic but since the Reformation in 1536, it has been Lutheran.
Forty kings and queens are buried here. There are over 1,000 people of nobility buried below floor level in crypts. Since 1805 only royals are buried here now.
Frederick IX ( current King’s grandfather) and Queen Ingrid wanted to be buried in dirt. This exterior closed off section was constructed.
Just outside the main front door are nice old buildings.
The front door seemed a bit ghoulish to me.
The other side of the same door, but from the inside.
This is interesting. Queen Margrethe II has had a sepulchral monument created years ago in readiness for her passing. A crypt has been excavated below the monument where the coffin will be placed.
The monument cannot be viewed until she is laid to rest, but it is glass, containing effigies of her and husband Prince Henrik.
Henrik changed his mind the year before he passed and was cremated. So Margrethe will be the sole crypt occupier.
The blue, pink, yellow cover is covering the monument.
Plenty of other chapels with ornate coffins, walls, ceilings.
This is the tomb of Christian IX and Queen Louise, parents of Queen Alexandra of Great Britain ( wife of Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria).
Queen Margrethe I who united Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the Kalmar Union.
Lovely and more simply decorated vaulted ceilings, creating a lighter and airier looking church.
There are many beautifully carved, but heavily worn tombstone slabs adorning the floor. I try and dodge around them.
Frescoes on the ceilings in one of the many chapels, all containing more ornate coffins and statues.
Having tested Tony’s patience with my history interests, he got out in one piece!
The Cathedral and museum are worth visiting.
As we walked back to the fjord, a modern house peaked our interest with the multiple roof lines and angles.
Another day. Not many left. We are so close to Copenhagen but have a few things still to ride to.
Deb and I. Tony and I cycled to their accomodation. I was hybrid in my clothing, wearing a dress, cycle jacket to keep warm and I slipped riding knicks on under the dress. Here we are just heading home at about 9.15 pm. You can seen how light it still is!
Group photo. Eight Tasmania, six from Launceston plus from the NW Coast. Karen at lower right is the Danish local hosting the Launcestonians.
It was great to have this opportunity.
We had a ferry to catch to cross from Jutland to Zealand (Danish islands) It was a six km ride.
We had to photograph this as we ride through the city early morning.
The views were lovely, indicating it was going to be another great day.
On board, we grabbed some food and enjoyed the views. The crossing took 1 hour 20 and was Molslinjen line, the company we used to transfer to and from Bornholm Island four weeks ago.
Doors open, we need to make our way out with the cars here. We followed the Porsche as the white car behind waved us on.
Turns out we would have been better on the other side of the hold to exit as there was a cycle path to leave the ferry and head out. Trying to cross three lanes cars exiting was impossible so rode with them, gradually working to the right hand side.
Within a few km, we were on quiet lanes, some dirt. It is very pretty here, lots of holiday homes stretching across the small peninsula.
We got to see both sides.
We needed to get changed. When we left for the ferry it was 6c. We needed stand around at the terminal for about 45 minutes too. Now it was sunny and about 14c so we found a spot to get changed.
I liked the position of this holiday home
This was our first small hill of the day. We climbed 600 metres today, lower than the last few days, but enough to keep us warm.
This is in the northern side.
Here I come….nice back drop.
Lots of little villages with interesting buildings.
This little house is for the ducks.
A road blockage in this town to install modern cobbles.
We found a roadside shop hoping for lunch but their choices were limited to pizza and icecream so we grabbed a drink. They had these cute little bikes for kids.
An old man with a walking frame was dropped off by a taxi. The young lady working there told me this happens a few times a week. He lives in an aged care facility and he’s dropped off to stay there a few hours.
The girl is not related, quite young, and he likes to sit and talk to her whilst she works. She rolled here eyes, and I think you need to question the appropriateness of this action by his carers. Seems an abrogation of the duty of care as he can hardly move.
Sad really..
This church sans white paint.
We found a roadside supermarket on the outskirts of Holbaek to buy some lunch and sit on some grass. Banana, canned coffee and chia and mango.
Closing in on Roskilde, the roads were busier, but with a cycle path. We had been riding some verge for a distance. The views are still lovely.
Wind turbines still a constant feature. We did have a head wind for the second half but welcomed it as the temperature was over 20c. This is the warmest weather we have experienced all trip. I did see 24c on my computer!
We found our accomodation easily, directly over the road from the Viking Museum, one of two things I wanted to visit.
We are here for two nights.
Roskilde was the centre of Danish power around the year 1000. The Viking Age (750-1100 AD) was characterised by large scale trading and raiding expeditions.
Roskilde was not fortified but had natural protection being at the base of the Roskilde fjord.
Given its power, wealth and position it was one of the most important towns in the Viking age.
We headed over to the Museum to learn more. It cost about 380 k for two.
The outside exhibits are all free. In fact, public land as we watched cyclists ride through.
There are an extensive assortment of reconstructed Viking boats, using the same techniques as the Vikings.
Here they are building a new Vikung boat This new boat is being built for a Viking museum in the USA. Guess it’ll cost more now with the Danish tariff and not handing over Greenland.
The Museum exhibits five Viking boats with an interesting history.
To protect Roskilde, a system of barriers were established in the fjord at Skuldelev, 20 km from Roskilde. Their purpose was to ensure traffic control in the inner reaches of the fjord and to product the town from attacking forces.
Warning of hostile fleets were likely given by signal fires, acting as beacons, strategically placed at Kattegat, to Isefjord and down the coast to Roskilde fjord.
Five older boats were scuttled in one of the three channels as a barrier. These were discovered by divers in the 1950’s and carefully retrieved in the early 1960’s.
It was interesting watching a film about their retrieval and preservation.
Only portions remain, some more intact than others given their 960 years underwater.
The museum was constructed to house the five Viking boats, and to tell their story.
Back outside I clambered into one of the new reconstructions to check it out.
We had some dinner at a restaurant fjorside and wandered around the car and motorbike show that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
As we tried to sleep, the lads from the show were racing up the road in their cars and motorbikes making a huge noise. Fortunately we fell asleep easily.
Today’s route after the ferry. 92 km today and we are now at 2960 km total.
Cracker of a morning as we woke and looked out our window.
We were keen and had a cruisey day ahead of us so we decided to ride around Viborg and hunt something in particular out.
We headed along the lake, one of two in Viborg.
The Royal Run was held only last weekend with Tasmania’s Queen Mary, and the rest of her family all participating. I think Mary ran the 5 km. The event is held in various locations around Denmark.
It is a lovely lake.
We headed inland to an old quarry site to look for Thomas Dambo troll, Elle.
It was a little hard to miss her once we got there. She is huge and has a large boulder in her arms.
I think one of these in Central Coast Council off the shared pathway would be wonderful. Dambo has a global troll map,showing about six in Mandurah Western Australia.
Aarhus Cathedral was started in the last decades of the 12th century but not finished until 1350. Only portions of the original cathedral still exist, with significant works in the 1400’s.
At 93 metres in length, it is the longest church in Denmark.
Statue outside the cathedral
Leaving the cathedral we headed down an older street.
Turning right to descend a hill, with older style cobbles. Everything shakes, I crawl down.
A closer look at what I’m talking about. The gaps, the unevenness, all contribute to a massive shakeup of rider and bike. Thankfully they are not wet!
Back at river level now, we have more lake views, and look back up to the cathedral where at a distance you can see how significant it is vs being closer up.
Today’s route was fantastic. We were on mainly quiet, rural roads with little traffic. The roads undulating, and in very good condition.
A variety of housing styles were seen.
Love the thatched roof houses.
Tree lined roads.
The occasional country church.
Vindum Kirke dates back to the 1150’s
This house is for sale.
It has numerous bird boxes on the end profile.
Then there was this. Physics in action?
We came across an Energy Museum at a hydro power station. There were tour buses and a conga line of young children there. Tasmania surely could do similar with its significant history in hydro power.
Looking back towards the station, where we had ridden across a bridge.
The path was a neat gravel, and fairly dry.
Two families of geese nearby unimpressed with us disturbing their day.
Looking towards the lake, it is a pretty sight, with a nature lovers viewing area.
We turned left, and To y turned around asking what I was doing to him?
Yes ok, it’s a bit muddy as I pushed my bikes around a few hundred metres of muddy puddles from recent rains.
Fortunately for me, my mapping reputation was shortly restored.
We turned right here, back o to sealed road. Nice farm buildings.
We passed quite a few paddocks of small conifers planted very close together. We did wonder if they were young Christmas trees?
Another country church.
Quirky art for the day.
Denmark has a lot of wind turbines. This group had the eagle on a rope. Is that to scare the birds away from the blades? If so, seems a simple solution if it works.
Random roadside placement of a Frederick.
We rode through many forests today. We do love a good forest!
We appreciate the quietness the countryside brings.
However, urban riding goes hand in hand with touring. Unavoidable and soon enough we are on the outskirts of Aahaus.
This is a bus shelter, one of many decorated ones in this particular area.
We were hunting again, for another troll. Meet Simon, who is cradling a damaged Anine. This troll was damaged many years ago in a storm, and appears poor Anine has suffered a similar fate. Simon attempts to restore her.
Troll count now 3!
Despite our attempt to take our time today, we arrived in Aahaus 2.5 hours ahead of check in.
We wandered around and cooled our heels waterside.
After checking in, showering we wandered more locally.
Many art works adorn walls.
This was my favourite.
Half wooden houses in the older part of town.
This cute little street with cottages was really pleasant.
Random statue
Our accomodation is an old merchant home building from the 1600’s and dates amongst the oldest buildings in Aahaus today.
Tony lugged our bikes up those steep steps. They had a narrow tread, and I descended in reverse!
The view looking down from our lodgings.How it looked yesteryear.
We were treated to another social occasion. Six Tasmanians are in Aahaus cycling currently. So we got to have dinner with them. I knew the three ladies, all from Launceston.
Deb goes back to my track and field days as teenagers, Leaha through work, Janice through my former dental surgery days.
A photo will be forthcoming as evidence of eight Tasmanians together in Aahaus. That’s something to celebrate.
What a great day. All up we rode 96 km and climbed 800 metres. Nice weather to boot!
Another great breakfast was enjoyed wistfully looking out the window at the rain. The forecast was for rain most of the day. 40% chance the weather forecast said, but it turned into 100%!
As we packed up our bikes, released from their underground prison cell, we put on our neoprene over booties. Seriously think I lost at least 100 calories putting them on. They are a workout!
Heading out of the city with steady drizzle, puddles and car splash common.
Within a few km we were in the suburbs, really nice large homes alongside the river.
The houses thinned out and farmland took over.
The camera did not come out much today. We don’t want to risk damaging it, but we did get a number of photos.
Looking towards the river, you cannot see the other side clearly due to the drizzle.
Walks through the fields, with deer and fix in the area. Although I did not get a photo, a latter sign had a razorback looking pig on it.
The route, overall, was great today. We were on very quiet country roads designated as cycle routes, and later, a rail trail.
The number of thatched roofing has surprised me. We saw quite a few in northern Germany a few weeks ago.
A nice section of sealed cycleway.
For periods, the drizzle turned to mizzle, very light.
An example of why we don’t like the camera in wet weather. Water on the lens.
This is a Nature Centre we rode past. The maps indicated toilets here but we could see none.
The fields varied with lovely colours.
The seemingly standard Danish church design. We saw lots of this style on Bornholm Island.
We were at an intersection. Tony was changing his layer choices of clothing. A campervan driver asked were we ok? Yes, thumbs up. I noticed bikes on the back. 😊
I spoke too soon! As we went to ride on, Tony noticed sealant on tyre. Not good!
We run tubeless tyres. The sealant leak indicates a puncture.
Sure enough, a sharp small piece of flint was embedded. Our Norwegian friend Rudi warned us of flint issues with cycling tyres in Denmark.
Tony removed the flint and was able to insert a Dynaplug into the hole, pump the tyre up, and it held.
You can see the plug sticking out in the photo.
Not long after we commenced riding a rail trail. Maybe 45 km or so today.
The first section was sealed. Very nice,
We took a nature break here just off the track. Here I am returning from the scrub putting the layers back on.
The track became a compressed gravel/dirt. By now, it had stopped drizzling and muzzling, and this section was ok.
I enjoyed the agricultural views and peace and quiet.
We grabbed some lunch in Aars and ventured to check the rain radar. There was a large band of rain moving up from Viborg.
We knew we were not going to avoid it as we had about 47 km remaining.
As we left Aars and returned to the rail trail the surface had changed to a white sandy, gritty and soft when wet surface. It was spongy and offered lots of resistance.
Lots of crap and grit on the bike. Someone was unimpressed but the option was a very busy arterial road not too far away.
We decided grit and safety.
Some more shelters just off the track. You could have a stack of friends here.
Fancy shaped loo.
Ah, a nicer surface through an old rail cutting.
About one km after we took the photo below, we found the track totally closed. Excavators were working ahead.
We rode back to the village to shelter, as the rain was heavier and we needed to consult our bike computers to ascertain alternatives.
Unfortunately there was only one. That busy arterial road.
By now it was quite heavy rain. There was a cycle path to the side, but between the rain and trucks splashing water up, we got very wet.
On the upside, there was no wind and it was about 11c, so we were not cold as long as we kept pedalling.
We stopped under some trees about 11 km short of our destination. My glasses are useless in some ways with the water disturbing vision, but they provide some protection for small projectiles (pebbles etc)thrown up by vehicles on the road.
I have a rain cap under my helmet with a peak to reduce drip from my helmet.
Within a km or so of that photo, we were back onto our original route. The deviation actually saved about three km overall, but I was glad to get away from the busy road.
An unusual building on the outskirts of Viborg.
Back onto quiet backroads we had a stress free arrival into Viborg.
The rain stopped with four km remaining.
We decided to check out Viborg town tomorrow morning. Our priority was cleaning our bikes and gear.
At our hotel, named Golf Resort does not have a golf course. No evidence of golf being promoted but it is in a lovely position by a lake, and has a bike wash down area!
We removed all our gear and individually cleaned each bag.
Tony hosed down and dried the bikes, but was totally peed off when it started drizzling again!
We had a very nice meal in the restaurant although it would have been better if I remembered our room number correctly. I said 413, but we are actually 416 and the waiter was a tad annoyed (reception had booked in 416 too) and ‘squeezed’ us in.
With room numbers changing daily, they blur!
Today was a great route, bar the detour. Whilst the gravel was shite, on a fine and sunny day it would be super.
We headed off early to the local Lidl to secure some breakfast. It was like a little picnic, sitting on the grass, adjacent to a high brick wall protecting us from the already strong wind.
The roads were quiet, and we retraced some of the cycle paths we had arrived on the previous day.
The land here is open and features heath like plants.
Signage indicating cycle routes,
The sealed paths are so well done. Like a road for cars, but narrower, and for cyclists and walkers.
We soon head out along the eastern coast line in a southerly direction, through some villages, with a busier arterial road close by.
Hay art
First convenience stop was convenient as it enabled Tony to listen to the last eight minutes of Collingwood vs Melbourne. For my non Aussie friends this refers to AFL football. Collingwood win by one point pleasing Tony.
Self serve and pay strawberries as we approach the busy port town of Frederickshavn.
Bloated fish…
The Frederikshavn kirke is very symmetrical and was inspired by a similar church in Aachen (Germany). Many of the churches we have been past this trip have been closed so we’ve not got to peep inside.
Another standout building is this Gunpowder Tower, which played a significant role since its expansion after the Scanian War (1676-1679) also supporting the Navy during the Great Northern War 1709-1720)
These are wars I had not previously heard of as my education covered ones I guess that had Australian involvement. The wars mentioned pre date my first Australian-British ancestor who arrived with the First Fleet as a convict (Richard Morgan).
We missed something in this busy town. Over 30 palms were planted at a local small beach. It was super windy so I’m not sure how pleasant it would have been today.
Saeby was our last coastal town. It’s marina is just ahead.
Ferries heading up towards Frederickshavn.
We purchased some lunch food from Rema 1000 ( supermarket). They don’t rate. Lidl is my favoured. We find somewhere to shelter from the wind. We had ridden about 51 km and still had 53 km remaining. We were changing direction to the south west, heading inland towards our destination of Aalborg.
The wind that had been with us had been a tail wind at times, but of head, bit of side, but after leaving Frederickshavn it was pure head and slight side wind.
It was a difficult few hours riding for sure.
Roundabout of the day.
It is hard to photograph wind but I tried here. Normally the wheat would be very even in colour to look at. In strong winds, it ripples through and creates quite mesmerising patterns.
Here are two Danish flags standing up to the headwind,
The forecast was for winds in excess of 40 kmh with gusts higher. This is Tony’s bike computer showing live data with a gust of 63 kmh.
I think this has been our toughest 50 km in wind this trip. It was slow and at times scary and evil. If you got a sudden gust, it rocks you and the bike. Cussing I can confirm changes nothing!
Some quirky art at the village of Uggerhalne.
Holding the bikes tightly as we we tried to keep them in control and steady, we slowly got through the km, and made it into Aalborg.
Our hotel has a wonderful ‘jail’ as the guy at reception described it, in their underground car park for bikes. It is that, a locked jail cell, but great.
The hotel is curious in that it is Denmarks only not for profit hotel with profits supporting seafarers here and in Greenland that need support. I am not sure I’ve ever stayed at a not for profit hotel before anywhere.
We head off after showering and laundering.
Nice water feature, with wall art on the other side of the river,This street was a cycle zone!
Over 90 areas in the city have wall art. I liked this one although wonder about the poor guys burdens.
This statue is quite small. Similar height to is in the plinth.
Quirky building. Inside there was a sink so not sure of it’s use.
Castle like.
This is an old merchant house known as Jen Bangs (the merchants name). It dates to 1624 At a time that was river waterfront, he had his own merchant navy and the river position gave him quick access to his navy in the harbour.
No signs of any river flowing along this street today so I presume it was drained or there are underground pipes.
The Budolfi kirke is the cathedral church for the Lutheran Diocese of Aalborg in north Jutland ( the region of Denmark we are in).
We also wandered into the grounds of Aalborghus Castle, a half timbered castle built by King Christian III from 1539 to 1555 initially as a fortification.
There are some tunnels under the castle you can wander in, damp and cold, I hope no one latches the outside doors!
Not sure of the meaning of these but I liked them
Back to our hotel, and guess which is our room? They dried beautifully too. This is the Yaxley flag indicating we are in residence.
So an interesting day, easy first half, evil second half. We have now ridden 2,672 km this trip! Our legs feel stronger!
We left our lodgings nice and early, and literally rolled down the hill to the ferry terminal a km or so away.
Check in started maybe 15 minutes later, and we then went to the bicycle/motorbike lane and waited.
Once the gates were opened to the ferry, we were the very first on, riding to the very end of the cargo hold, lower level.
We are very impressed with Colour Line (same ferry company we used from Sweden to Norway). The cargo vehicle area is as whistle clean as I think any such area could be.
We make our way up to wait for breakfast to,commence, as I had prepaid for the buffet.
Once open, we enjoyed a selection from an incredible array and quality of food available.
When we finished, we hurriedly cleared out as the mass of people in the area around the food was overwhelming,
We went to the bar, of all places, as it was quieter. There were people drinking beer and wine already. Always amazes me as to why they think beer at 8.30 am and I think coffee!
We had some nice views as we departed from Kristiansand.
I like this one. I’m calling it my farewell Norway picture as it was the last island. Norway was very good to us, and I did feel a bit sad.
More adventures are ahead, and I try not to look back.
We did a ‘where are we’ check and it also shows our route.
After 3 hours 15 minutes, we arrive in Denmark.
Land ahoy Denmark
We go down to our familiar position, by our bikes, amongst the big vehicles. You do feel quite vulnerable there. All the drivers are in their vehicles, but we stand there hearing the very loud noises directly.
We are off first, ahead of the vehicles. It is good when they hold the vehicles so we can exit safely.
It is a fine day in northern Denmark, as we exit the port of Hirtshalls.
This is the route we then followed for what was a half day of riding, 59 km.
We followed a series of wonderfully marked cycle trails and paths today. We also noted series of walks that were also seemingly well marked.
There was a mixture of sealed and dirt.
I probably should add bumpy raised boardwalks too (second photo, right hand side).
Lovely small river we followed, that drained out to the coast, not far away.
There were lovely green forests, reminding us of Poland and all the trails we followed there.
There were interesting thatched buildings and a windmill.
The lands were open and flat, with sand dunes on the coastal side.
We stopped at a clearing off the track where we found this shelter. You can sleep in these shelters. They are a great idea and I imagine not a significant construction cost either.
Tables, fire pit, and we spied another structure a little further away that we think was a long drop toilet.
The sealed paths were like this, weaving around forest.
We made good progress and arrived in Skagen, our destination, but rode through and out, as we were heading to the northern tip of Denmark.
This is Denmark’s second tallest lighthouse, Det Gra Fyr. 210 steps, or 46 metres in height. From a distance I thought it was concrete, but in fact, it is brick. It was built in 1858.
We rode as far as is possible to the north of Denmark, Grenen.
It is a tourism hotspot, busy carpark and souvenir shops, restaurant and walks.
It is apparently one of Denmark’s biggest tourist attractions with over a million people a year visiting.
There is a 3 km return walk along the sand spit to the very true north.
Tony climbed to the viewing vantage point, whilst I babysat our bikes.
As well as the sand tip, there are also relics from WWII. We had ridden past many concealed bunkers earlier, with only the door showing. These were all constructed by the Germans.
Two seas meet at the tip. the Kattegat and Skagerrak.
Many ships are anchored off shore waiting for their loads and berth slot.
Looking back towards the lighthouse.
It was only a 3.5 km ride back into Skagen and our accomodation. We are staying in a guesthouse that was a former farm. Our room is a former stable.
Skagen is a really nice town. We wandered through and down to the marina area where we found dinner at a fish restaurant in one of the old buildings.
We noted three very large fishing boats, same size and build. They must pillage the seas dreadfully.
Tony told me that he talked to Magnus (the guy from Klåverön Island accomodation who did a boat transfer for us) that fishing in that area used to be excellent. However, large fishing boats had totally scoured the area, and now it was poor. 😢
Many people do not like fish farms, but I am not sure that ransacking our seas is the answer either.
We liked this large statue, with knitted fish dangling!
I laughed at this sign, only as I liked the words, and reminded me of our dog Khaleesi that we miss.
This is another statue we found. I think he won his bout.
We have gone from white buildings in Norway to yellow with red rooves here. It is quite striking.
Skagen Kirke was built here after the severe problems Skagen experienced in the 18th century with sand drift. In 1795 the former church was covered in sand and was abandoned.
This newer church was built in 1841. You can visit the sand covered church some 2 km away.
The church has extensive lawns, and features a large robotic lawnmower. I’ve not mentioned these previously, but particularly in Sweden, these were in many gardens working away diligently.
They were as ubiquitous as the Volvo car in the driveway.
It is hard to miss this ‘feature’ near our accomodation. We wondered about it riding in earlier, we wondered about it again as we walked back.
Nothing on the maps, and we thought it looked like a hand grenade on a lighthouse base.
As we returned, one of the owners was wandering around, greeting guests sitting outside. I asked him what it was. He sighed and said, ‘artwork apparently’ but locals also think it looks like an oversized hand grenade. It is located within the property of a power plant.
He told us about the history of the farm and the conversion, pointing out the buggy they had restored.
It’s been a lovely day back here in Denmark. We look forward to more cycling adventures tomorrow.
yakkablog 