Day 18, Friday, August 22nd: Haraldsted – Brændeskov
Weather: Sunny, cloudy, shower in the evening
Kilometres cycled: 103
Route:
National route no.6, regional route no. 79
Bike: Haraldsted, Estrup, Bringstrup, Alsted, Suserup, Rosted, Slagelse
Train: Slagelse, Nyborg
Bike: Nyborg. Holckenhavn, Revsvindinge, Frørup, Svindinge, Langå, Gudbjerg, Brændeskov
View across the Tystrup Sø, just past Suserup
Slagelse. Everyone who thinks Denmark is like Holland is here proved right: flat, cloudy, boring, etc....
In Slagelse I get on the train to cross the Store Belt to Funen, the island where Hans Christian Andersen was born.
Once on the train, I realise that I didn’t dare on the way out. I don’t have time to worry about it now, as I get talking to a young woman. She has a baby in a push-chair with her. She asks me where I come from and where I am going.
We get talking, mostly about language. She thinks that Dutch is very like English and Danish like German. I have to think about that. I think that Dutch is not at all like English but I remember that I have heard the same from a Polish and a Japanese woman. Maybe. My English sounds very Dutch, I think.
On arrival in Nyborg, I take route 79, which runs parallel to the route I cycled at the beginning of the holiday. I prefer to do different routes every time and luckily Denmark, especially Funen, has lots of choice.
It is clouding over more and more and if I want to put my tent up dry, I must quickly find a camping-place.
I find one in somebody’s garden in Brændeskov. I may use the shower and toilet in the house and they will leave the door open tonight.
It starts raining when I have put my tent up. I run to the house to shower but when I come back it is raining even harder. I go from shelter to shelter but see that I won’t stay dry for the last 50 metres. I decide to wait and wander through the cow-stalls. In contrast to Holland, you can farm in Denmark without being hampered by thousands of rules.
.
Day 19, Saturday, August 23rd: Brændeskov – Håstrup
Weather: rainy, cold
Kilometres cycled: 41
Route:
Regional route no. 79
Brændeskov, Kirkeby, Hundestrup, Korinth, Svanninge Bakker, Håstrup
Today I cycle through the Funen Alps. It is not the highest part of Funen but, as the name suggests, lots of ascents and descents. It is a beautiful trip. A pity that the weather is not cooperating. I am wearing trousers that dry quickly, but even they don’t get a chance today.
Near Håstrup there are shelters and I think this is a good place to stop. I hang my tent and my clothes in one of the empty shelters and use the other for my temporary home.
The site is on the main road, very visible, which makes me a bit nervous. The shelters have their back to the road and I take care not to be seen by drivers. Not that that is much trouble as it is a very quiet road. From the front of the shelter I have a view across a hilly field.
I have just settled down when someone comes along. It seems as though the man thinks it a personal honour that I am staying here. The shelters are just new and, as an inhabitant of Håstrup, he thinks it is marvellous that they are being used.
Not much later – I have just started cooking – a woman with a dog walks past the shelters. She too stops to talk.
The field opposite turns out to be a favourite walking, running and doggy-loo place. Many people come past my shelter and most of them stop to talk. So much for keeping out of sight.
Meanwhile, I am no longer nervous. After all, this is Denmark. Even so, when it gets dark and all of Håstrup is asleep, I sleep less well than usual.
Day 20, Sunday, August 24th: Håstrup – Kasmose Skov
Weather: cloudy, sometimes sunny
Kilometres cycled: 98
Route:
Regional routes nos. 79, 71, 70 and 30
Håstrup, Nørre Broby, Kong, Glamsbjer, Frøbjerg, Aarup, Emtekær, Føns, Kavslunde, Middelfart, Strib, Kasmose Skov
It is cloudy today and I feel that summer is almost over here, though I hear that the weather in Holland is also bad. Even so, my feeling of wanting to go home has almost disappeared. Funen has a good influence on me.
Funen is beautiful. A great pity the sun isn’t shining, I feel I am only seeing half of Funen’s beauty. I’ll have to come back again.
Middelfart is a nice town. I shelter from a shower at the harbour and meanwhile look for a camping-spot on the map. As everything did not dry completely last night, I would like to have a shelter. Alas, there are none in the vicinity.
Just past Håstrup, luckily I’m going the right way
Brogade in Middelfart, Henner Friisers Hus
Day 21, Monday, August 25th: Kasmose Skov – Magtenbølle
Weather: sun, rain later in the day
Kilometres cycled: 83
Route:
Regional routes nos. 30, 35 and 79
Kasmose Skov, Båring Skov, Bogense, Ejlby, Skamby, Serup, Søndersø, Søndersø Skov, Mågård Skov, Ruehede Skov, Skallebølle, Magtenbølle
Hey, the sun is shining. Just what I needed.
I am early this morning and get really happy with this lovely weather. I pack my stuff as quickly as possible and set off.
First I have to walk from the site, it is a very narrow and bumpy path. I see fresh droppings, probably of deer. When I am out of the wood and cycle past a cornfield, a deer shoots off. It runs over the cornfield. What a lovely sight.
I want to call out to it: ‘Hey, you don’t need to run away, I’m not going to do anything’. But it probably wouldn’t believe me. I continue my trip along the north coast of Funen.
It has started to rain again and when I get to my new place for the night, I may stay in the hayloft. Everything, including the tent, can get nice and dry.
I must say, this is one of the most special spots I have had in Denmark.
In the course of the evening, I am invited for a cup of coffee in Jørgen and Ingrid’s cosy kitchen-diner. Jørgen turns out to be chairman of the Funen branch of the Danish cyclists’ union and is interested in my cycling experiences in Denmark. He has a couple of good tips for the last two days in Denmark. I decide to stay for two nights and cycle tomorrow without luggage.
Day 22, Tuesday, August 26th: Magtenbølle – Magtenbølle
Weather: rain in the morning, sunny and warm in the afternoon
Kilometres cycled: 103
Route:
Regional routes 79, 75, 60 and an own route
Magtenbølle, Skalbjerg, Frøbjerg, Krengerup, Vedtofte, Søllested, Assens, Torø Huse, Brydegård, Agernæs, Helnæs, Agernæs, Brydegård, Dreslette, Flemlæse, Dærup, Glamsbjerg, Krengerup, Frøbjerg, Tommerup Stationsby, Magtenbølle
I’m in no hurry to get going. The weather isn’t exactly inviting and I stay and talk to Jørgen. When I tell him that I play the clarinet and work at the Conservatoire, he says, ‘Then you must meet my friends, Dan and Karen!’ Dan plays the clarinet and Karen the cello. Jørgen thinks they would be very pleased to meet me. They live near the peninsula, Helnæs, in the south of Funen.
Well, why not? Jørgen rings Dan but no-one answers. I will cycle past and see if there is anyone at home. Jørgen gives me the address and I cycle southwards.
I have meanwhile got used to Danish spontaneity and hospitality, but I am again pleasantly surprised today. I find Dan and Karen’s house. Like Jørgen, Dan is a lover of 2CVs. His courtyard is full of them.
I knock and Dan opens the door. I tell him who I am and why I am dropping in. I haven’t even finished when Dan calls out jovially, ‘Come in, how nice, welcome’.
I stay and have coffee and lunch and we talk for nearly an hour about orchestras, music schools, clarinets, etc., till Dan realises that he is almost too late for the first pupil at the music school. ‘You’ll have to come again next year, with your clarinet, and if you ever decide to come and live in Denmark, I can use a clarinettist!’
Nothing for it, I must come to Denmark again next year.
Jørgen had recommended Helnæs peninsula and I continue on my way to it. Meanwhile, the weather has become lovely. At last, I can cycle without a jacket again and I even have to put suntan cream on. Dan has also recommended something. Friends of his have a gallery on Helnæs which is worth a visit. ‘Give them my love’. Okay, off to the next address.
Click here for more pictures of Helnæs
I have now come to the lighthouse on the south-westerly point of Helnæs. For the first time in the entire holiday, I meet Dutch people. They are about my age, maybe a little older and the woman has cycled in Denmark before. Together we come to the conclusion that Denmark is a very nice country for a holiday.
I have now cycled almost right round Helnæs and think I discovered a number of galleries, but none of them were open. Pity.
Helnæs was nice, not spectacular but very beautiful.
My dip last week has quite disappeared. In fact, I think it is a pity that I have to go home already tomorrow. I have one more day and hope the weather is good because there are one or two places left on my list, amongst which a watchtower.
After supper, I may email at Jørgen and Ingrid’s. Super-de-luxe at a posh desk in a gorgeous Danish country house, I write a last email to my family and friends.
Day 23, Wednesday, August 27th: Magtenbølle – Odense - ...
Weather: rainy
Kilometres cycled: 37
Route:
Regional route no. 75
Bike: Magtenbølle, Tommerup, Hesbjerg Skove, Ravnebjerg, Odense
Train: Odense to Holland
My last day in Denmark and it’s raining.
I change my plans, as it’s no fun climbing a watch tower with these grey clouds and rain. I decide to go straight to Odense. Maybe I can go to the Carl Nielsen Museet.
On Jørgen’s recommendation, I go to Hesbjerg Castle.
About 50 years ago, this castle was bought by the eccentric Mr. Vig, then already well over eighty. He wanted to realise his dream of turning the dilapidated castle into a Russian Orthodox monastery. He was helped by a group of nuns who had been sent from Moscow by the patriarch.
Since then, Mr. Vig has died and the castle is (again) dilapidated. Much of it is covered in scaffolding (not to be seen on the photo).
A documentary of the extraordinary story, ‘The Monastery’, has been made.
The Carl Nielsen Museum is only open a few days per week and, unfortunately, closed today.
But ... luckily there is another museum: the Hans Christian Andersen Hus. I cycled past it last year but today is a good day to go in. The photo below shows the house where the famous fairy-tale writer grew up.
After visiting the museum, I walk into town. As I have finished all my books and still have a long train journey to come, I decide to buy a book. They are rather expensive but in one bookshop they have a number of English pockets in the sale. For 79 DKR (€ 10!) I buy Kafka on the Shore by the Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami.
I have another two hours before the train leaves. One is not allowed to take a bike into the station hall, but I want to eat something there and visit the library. Even in Denmark, leaving my fully loaded bike outside the station somewhere sounds too risky. At the youth hostel near the station, I ask if I may park my bike somewhere and whether they have a locker for the luggage. I get a key to the bike parking place and can leave my luggage in the hall, where the receptionist will keep an eye on it.
The station building is modern and has many public amenities, such as the city library where I have a look at a Dutch newspaper.
I meet a cycling colleague on the platform. He is a Canadian, about my age, who has recently come to live in Germany. The last few weeks he has been cycling, mostly through Sweden and the last few days in Denmark.
I ask him about his experiences, as I want to go to Sweden again myself. He advises me not to cycle on my own in the north of Sweden: ‘Sometimes you can cycle 100 kilometres without seeing anything, no people, no house, no shop. If you get something wrong with your bike or haven’t got enough food with you, you have a problem! Luckily nothing happened to me, but, looking back, it wasn’t very sensible.’
However, Lapland still stays on my list.
Click here for pictures of Funen
Day 24, Thursday, August 28th: - Utrecht – Zeist
Weather: good
Kilometres cycled: 15
Route:
Train: arrival Utrecht
Bike: Utrecht, Bunnik, Zeist
The journey is uneventful. In my compartment there is only an Italian who sleeps the whole time. The train arrives exactly on time in Utrecht.
It is good weather and I cycle first to Maarten and Els. I have just arrived when Thea comes with her children. She has brought cake and we celebrate my return.
When I cycle home, something bizarre happens: I get lost.
You see, I have only recently come to live here and am not so familiar with that part of Zeist. And, of course, I am really tired from the journey. Can I think of any more excuses? I know I can get onto a path in the woods near the shopping centre, and that leads to the bike parking-place behind my flat, but where is that path? Eventually I come to the end of the Prinses Margrietlaan and cycle all the way back to get to the front of my flat.
Never mind, after all those kilometres, a few more can’t hurt, but it is still silly. Whatever: I’m home.
