I am afraid to say my journey North from Bremen wasn’t much to write about. I got soaked (thank you to the regular thunder storms), battled headwinds and a countryside that was highly cultivated and very little to look at.
But I managed 4 days through it and descended upon the sleepy little Danish village of Rudbøl. Loneliness started creeping up on me, this is normal in solo travel and not the first time it hits. However, experience has taught me it does not last long and on arrival it was nice to see other cycle-tourists.
The campsite was well setup with a camping area away from the caravans and with hedges 8m high! They also had a wooden shelter which can be used; this was my original idea but my hay fever decided to make my life difficult and I decided against sleeping out.
The rain started again, a guarantee in Denmark but luckily the campsite had a covered area. This gives a chance to meet the other cycle-tourists. There is Ole from Germany taking three months off after finishing his degree in Mechatronics and Carine and Johannes from Switzerland who I might meet again if they are back when I pass.
Denmark
My emotions about the trip take an upturn as I continue North and start entering the many villages and towns of Southern Denmark. My thoughts drift to the memories I have from living in Denmark and I wonder why I left. I do regret leaving, but if I had not left then I probably would not be cycling now.
Ribe with its mix of old buildings, history and small side streets is the first major town I come across and is the old capital of Denmark. Far prettier than Copenhagen (I’ll get shot for that)! I also stop for coffee and cake; a recommendation from others who have ridden the same paths. They were not wrong.
Continuing North the route took me back towards the coast and I wish I had time to visit more of the islands off the West coast. The islands come recommended by my Danish friends and are a must if you are visiting this coast; however I have a date with friends in the North and will need to complete the journey by train to be on time.
If you’ve never taken a Danish train then it is an experience! Coming from the UK we really shouldn’t have the right to complain about trains. But Danish trains are slower, yes slower! They are also less adapted to taking bikes, having to lug my bike up a flight of steps, bags and all. But the journey from Esbjerg to Thyborøn completed, now just the ferry to Agger and a short journey to Klitmøller. It was at this point I wondered why my friend had moved to the most disconnected part of Denmark!
Cold Hawaii and bedtime stories
Klitmøller, or cold Hawaii as the Danes call it, is a magical place. When it’s not raining. It offers one of the only places for surfing in Denmark, although don’t expect 5ft waves. Klitmøller is also home to a national park, various lakes and sand dunes. Overall it is a beautiful place to live and I fully appreciate why my friends, Damon and Laura, along with their children Ava and Zoe moved. I got to spend a couple of days recuperating and getting to know the children, one of which I hadn’t met due to the pandemic.
Being accepted by children is one of the most difficult things. I’ve had friends children which it has taken years to be accepted and others minutes. One of the golden rules is if they allow you to read them a bedtime story. This seems to be a sacred time and I’m happy to say I was allowed! I am still waiting on one of my friend’s children, 5 years and counting!
A Tailwind for once
Unfortunately it was time to go and with the winds behind me, for a change, I made short work of the journey to Ålborg on the east coast. In Ålborg I was staying with Ditte and family. I met Ditte in 2017 after the Ålborg carnival and only for a few hours. But Ditte has been following my trip and on finding out I was coming to Ålborg offered me somewhere to stay.
It was a beautiful apartment, in a fantastic location in the city centre. Ditte’s family were very welcoming and invited a friend over who also likes bikes and travel for an evening of homemade pizza and wine. We also talked about their recent trip to the Faroe Islands for a work event of Ditte’s partner. The evening meal took them through various local delicacies including the eating and cooking of live lobsters or part of them.
Whilst they did not go through with it all, it did make me question where my limits were when it came to food. Not all cultures will see the animal kingdom the same way. The cooking of live animals certainly falls under cruelty and is a no for me; I do wonder where my limit will be.
The next day unfortunately reminded me that the wind is not always your friend! It rarely is to a cyclist. The tailwind of the previous day turned into a partial headwind as I headed south to Århus. A city I have a lot of fond memories after living there for 3 years and will now take a week’s rest to see friends and try and catch up on the blogs!