The Long Way Home - Denmark

Day 19 – Copenhagen – Distance: 88.2 km

Another day, another country, same old head wind. Bit late starting out as I waited for the tent to dry after a heavy dew. 33 flat, windy km into Helsinborg. After a quick look about the uninspiring town I made my way to the busy ferry terminal.. It was not clear where cyclists boarded the ferry so I tagged along behind an only slightly lost Danish couple. They were just returning home after a week of trouring in Sweden with their very young family. He was riding a trike with a huge chariot like front cargo basket in which sat a toddler amongst their bedding. She was riding a heavily laden mountain bike and was very pregnant.

The 40 km coast road into Copenhagen would’ve been very scenic if it wasn’t for the head wind. On arrival in the city there were bikes everywhere but no sign posts or maps to useful places like the tourist information office. Eventually I locked my bike up and explored on foot, finally finding the tourist info, but forgetting where I had left my bike.

The city centre youth hostel was full – all 1070 beds of it, so I found my bike and cycled for 20 minutes and got the last bed in another hostel on the scruffy outskirts of the city.

Helsinborg, Sweden from the ferry to Denmark

Day 20 – Hellested – Distance: 75.7 km

Probably the best day so far. Completed all my chores in Copenhagen (new book, maps from the Danish Cycling Association, changed my excess Swedish Krona, confirmed with my bank that my cash card is mince and eventually got some money over the counter in a bank). I had an excellent brie, Parma ham and pesto sandwich in Orsteds Park for lunch.

The only map that I didn’t have was the one showing me the way out of Copenhagen. However it proved to be fairly straight forward and I was soon meandering along the beaches, marinas and brackish lakes to the South. I put in some easy kilometres to Koge, a very attractive market town before drifting along the coast in late afternoon looking for somewhere to stay. Picked up some groceries in Stoby Egede. I didn’t think much of the 2 caravan parks there so I continued a little further to the tentsite inland. It took a bit of finding but was worth the effort.

Tentsites are basic camp grounds with running water and a toilet. You are not allowed to arrive by car. This one, in Hellested, is in the grounds of the local Scout hut. There is a fire place, firwood (which is extra), some rustic benches and a sleeping shelter, which I used at it was roomier and less sweaty than my tent. All this luxury costs 15KR (~£1.50), which you pay in an honesty box. A much quieter, cheaper alternative to caravan parks with the only downside being no shower after a hot day’s cycling.

Orsteds Park, Copenhagen

The lakes South of Copenhagen

Koge, Denmark

The basic but peaceful tentsite at Hellested

Sunset at Hellested

Day 21 – Stege – Distance 131.3 km

No more crazy dreams than usual in the shelter and the bonus that I didn’t have to pack up a soggy tent. I spent the morning pottering along through rolling corn fields. As I dawdled past one house a dog ran along the fence barking at me, as is their wont. However when I got to the end of the property I was horrified to see the dog squeezing through a gap in the fence. I started sprinting as fast as I could, which is not easy with panniers whilst wearing sandals. My poor impression of Robbie McEwan was just good enough to evade the snarling mutt.

After a picnic lunch in Kalvehave I crossed the bridge onto the island Mon. I decided that as Denmark is so pleasant I am going to take my time exploring a few of the islands in Southern Jutland by following the Baltic Sea Cycle Route.

At the hilly (well for Denmark) Eastern end of Mon lies the Mons Klint ; an 8 km long white chalk cliff. I left my bike at the top and walked the 492 (I counted them) steps down to the beach. I also spent a while exploring the grounds of Liselund Slot, the world’s only straw roofed castle.

I hadn’t really planned on cycling all the way back into Stege, which I had passed through earlier in the day, but there no shops to buy food anywhere else on the island. The campsite is nice enough though, if a little busy. I treated myself to a meal out in an average Italian restaurant.

The gardens of Liselund Castle

Chalk cliffs at Mon Klint

Day 22 – Sakskobing – Distance: 77.5 km

Absolutely no motivation today. Windy again and I have resigned myself to taking the short way home. Whilst beating myself up for being soft, there is no point in carrying on if I don’t want to, and I can concentrate on enjoying what will be a considerably shorter trip.

I took the quaint ferry from Bobo to Stubbekobing then meandered into Nykobing F where I wasted a couple of hours on email in the library, having lunch and writing postcards.

The wind seemed stronger and more in my face in the afternoon so I very slowly made my way to Sakskobing and got a good spot on the quiet campsite. A few other cyclists on the campsite; a Danish guys with rotten guts and a couple of students from Southampton. The Brits are on a very similar jaunt to me. They flew to Oslo and were making their way to France to take a ferry home. Like me they had just decided to start heading for home. The girl said that she had previously cycled from Athens to Paris over 7 weeks on her own, which had sent her a little crazy. It was re-assuring to have my thoughts echoed by someone else. Maybe I’m not that soft after all. Probably.

The charming ferry from Bogo to Stubbekobing

One of many swing bridges against me (Nykobing F)

Day 23 – Rudkobing – Distance: 99.7 km

Predominantly a tailwind this morning which made a refreshing change, I was soon in Maribo and took a 20 km scenic detour around the paths and lakes to the South of the town.

Next stop was Nakskow where I did my food shopping for next 2 days (everything is closed on a Sunday). I caught up with the flatulent Dane from the campsite at Tars waiting for the ferry. The ferry crossing was longer and more expensive (70KR) than expected.

I then spent an amusing hour or so lost in the tiny lanes of Langeland, wandering through identical corn fields munching on delicious cherries.

When I did get to Rudkobing the ferry to Aero didn’t look like it was going anytime soon so I checked into the scruffy campsite. The 100 km that I covered today feels like about the right sort of distance to cover each day to keep me fresh both physically and mentally. The only problem with this is that it only takes 5 hours to cover leaving a lot of the day free.

I am also happy with my decision to return home via Holland. I am trying not dwell on the excuses that I have made (my sore foot, broken cash card and the increasingly hot weather) but instead on the positives of seeing Holland, doing some cycling in England, catching up with Emily in Cambridge and being able to follow the cricket more closely.

Day 24 – Kollund – Distance: 85.7 km

A heavy overnight dew and no time to let the tent dry before I caught the ferry to Aero. I was somewhat shocked by the 185KR (~£18.50) that this costs me, but it does include my next ferry onto the mainland as well.

It was 1030 by the time I disembarked. A pretty, hilly coastal route around Aero to Soby. There were quite a lot of steep gravel tracks. I nearly lost the front end descending one. The most excitement I’ve had in 3 weeks.

I munched my lunch whilst I waited for the ferry in Soby. There were loads of cyclists on the boat but they all dispersed shortly after getting off and I didn’t see any of them again.

The afternoon temperature rose to uncomfortable levels. I was coolest by cycling very gently. A lovely gravel path with great views out to sea lead me into Sonderborg and a fast roads took me to Kollund, my last stop before crossing into Germany.

The family on tour award has been taken by my neighbours in the campsite. Dad in on a Grasshopper recumbent towing a recumbent tag along bike with middle son (maybe 8 years old). Eldest son (no older than 12) is on a mountain bike with medium sized panniers – about the same size as mine. Mum is on a very heavily laden touring bike towing a baby in a trailer. Their whole menagerie is about 10 metres long.

Looking out over the Sonderborg Bugt

Continue to Germany >>