Tag: Denmark

Day 1: Copenhagen – Præstø

Distance: 52.97 miles

Time: 4:26

Average Speed: 11.9 mph

Elevation Gain: 860 feet

So is there a plan, you might be minded to ask, before I set off across Europe. Well, yes, maybe! I am headed towards the northern German cities of Hamburg and Bremen, and then on towards Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, before making for a ferry back to the UK, most likely from Rotterdam or the Hoek of Holland. In terms of time frame, I think I have plenty of time, but I have added a secondary factor, of wanting to do a Parkrun in Germany, this Saturday! Hamburg or Bremen are the available options – and Bremen sounds lovely – but I feel like Hamburg is perhaps the more achievable target.

After another restless night, and a few short rain showers during the morning, it was after 1 PM before I finally left the campsite, and as I pedalled along the silk-smooth cycle path, for those first few hundred metres, the feeling was amazing, excitement, anticipation, and the freedom of the road.

For ten miles or more, I savoured the wonder of the Copenhagen bike infrastructure, consistently implemented, consistently used, there were cycle lanes on both sides of every road I took. Bikes gave way to pedestrians, cars gave way to bikes, somehow I have a feeling it would never catch on back home…

After 13 miles, the sense of wonderment was over, I couldn’t help but notice that the cycle lanes were also very flat. And the one time that flat cycle lanes aren’t particularly enjoyable is when there’s a headwind. Sigh.

Reaching Mosede Fort, I was pleased of the sea views over the Køge Bugt, before being lured off the bike once more by the sight of delicious looking pastries, of no obvious national affiliation, at the Baker Street bakery.

While pedalling through Helfolge, at 29 miles, and just after 5 o’clock, the wind started to turn, and the sky clouded over, a sudden downpour stopping me in my tracks. I’d just past Ristorante da Pino, a very handily placed pizza place, so I turned back, and hastened inside.

Rain having abated, I was back on the road, at just after 6, and with the wind now behind me, I was feeling good. Soon after, at 32 miles, the cycle path suddenly disappeared and I was cast out into the countryside for the first time. The road starting to rise and fall, the first real gradients all day.

The miles were passing much more quickly now, and I started to deliberate my campsite options for the evening. Plan A was too far away, Plan B wouldn’t be reached until after 9, and as their website was solely in Danish I couldn’t find any information about their reception opening hours. That left Plan C.

So, leaving the main 151 road at Tappernoje, I meandered along some quiet country lanes until I reached the large body of water of Praesto Fjord, continuing on to the pretty little harbour town of Præstø, after 50 miles, and leaving me only 40 more miles of the island of Zealand – on which I’d been travelling – before taking the ferry to Germany.

Des Lille Havrue

Tent set up, I was back on the bike, and off in search of a bar to watch the European championships, England were already a goal down against Slovakia, and at risk of going out, so it seemed like some unmissable drama might unfold! Having only caught the last half hour, I was pleased when the game was forced into extra time by Jude Bellingham’s sensational last gasp equaliser, quickly ordering myself a Philly Cheesesteak, to accompany an enjoyable locally-brewed Yakima IPA, whilst watching extra time.

After a restless night, largely spent regretting my decision to bring a lightweight 2-season sleeping bag, I finally made my way out and about for the day – I was allowing myself one day of sight-seeing before getting underway, so planned on having a quick cycle around the centre of Copenhagen before jumping on the train over the Oresund Bridge to Malmo, in Sweden.

Hitting the cycle paths once more, I made for the coast, and Copenhagen’s most iconic sight, Des Lille Havrue, Edvard Eriksen’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ sculpture – whose diminutive size didn’t stop the tourist hoards visiting en masse, although it has been pointed out to me that singing crabs might make it more appealing…

Continuing inland along the side of the harbour, I noted that the word for harbour was havn, aligning closely with the name of the city, København, and also prompting the belated realisation that an Icelandic town in which I’d stayed, Höfn, was also derived from their local word for harbour.

Passing the sorry looking remains of the Borsen building, and noticing the clear path to reconstruction that was underway, I was relieved to see that not all countries treat their culturally significant buildings with total disrespect. I’d like to think that funding to restore Glasgow’s Mackintosh Art School building might be sourced eventually…

Hopping onto the train, I was quickly (and smoothly) whisked across Oresund on ‘The Bridge’ and in ‘The Tunnel’(?). I didn’t really expect to see much difference between two Scandinavian cities so close together, but I was wrong. Copenhagen had felt like a significant capital city and major tourist hub, whilst the Malmo Dock-side felt like a low-key backwater – the end of a land-mass, which I guess it was.

After enjoying a leisurely stroll around the bustling town centre, and a ‘pizza donut’, I made my way back to the train, ruing having left my phone adapter on my bike at Copenhagen station: my power bank was fully depleted and my phone was at 2%, when I returned to Danish soil once more.

The final order of business for the day was to scale the external spiral staircase of the Church of Our Saviour, but the ticket for that was on my phone, so after an extended visit to McDonald’s for some sustenance, and more importantly a power boost, I rushed over to the church, well after my allotted slot, and just in time for closing, but thankfully I was permitted access, and, making short work of the 400 steps of the tower – both inside and out – I was blessed by some stunning views.

Copenhagen – ?…

I’d only booked my flight some 36 hours before, and here I was looking forlornly out of the window at the rain as I deliberated where to build my bike at Copenhagen Airport. The weather had been better at home. But I was here now, so I had better make the most of it, I thought, as I emptied out the contents of the battered cardboard box, now a veteran of two campaigns – having successfully made a return trip to Jordan, it was now ending its service here, having deployed me at the start of a new adventure.

It was raining lightly as I set off into town on Copenhagen’s overwhelmingly extensive network of cycle paths, I meandered through pleasant suburbs and was pleased to get Reykjavik-vibes before a striking church gave me a taste of something new.

Crossing the Langebro bridge into the city offered up lovely views of the distinctive harbour-side buildings, reminding me that the last time Copenhagen had entered my consciousness had been news reels of the awful fire at the historic Borsen building, and I wondered if that event – back in April – had somehow subconsciously led to me being here today.

I was intrigued to see what appeared to be a funfair further along the road, so carrying on along H. C. Andersens Boulevard to take a look, I soon realised that it was the famous Tivoli Gardens, and that I’d previously seen it, in a Michael Portillo Travelogue.

Across the road lay the fine Radhuspladsen square, the city hall sitting proudly between Burger King on one side, and McDonald’s on the other…

Other than booking the flight, I had managed one other piece of planning before setting off, and that was to check out campsites in the Copenhagen area, in the end deciding on Bellahoj Campsite, for the sole reason that it was big enough that you didn’t have to book…

It was 4.5 km across town, so I carried on in that direction, pleased to inadvertently receive some guidance on Danish cycle-lane etiquette from a young boy who was pedalling along in front of me. Right arm out to turn right, left hand up to stop, and to turn left, cycle across the intersection and pull over and wait in the cycle lane on the right hand side, then wait for the signal to change before continuing to the left. It was strange to be picking up riding tips from the locals – on trips like these, I’m usually the only one on a bike!

Are you ready for another adventure?

Am I ready for another adventure is perhaps the more pertinent question…

Before I’d left work on Friday I was asked where I was going on holiday, and for once I was at a loss. I was just about to start two weeks of annual leave, and I currently had nothing planned. What I did know was that – having looked at the forecast – staying at home would likely begin with good intentions to cram in all number of hillwalking and cycling trips, and end with me watching Wimbledon while looking forlornly out of the window at the rain.

But, having successfully completed challenging and logistically stressful tours in Iceland and Jordan in 2023 and backed those trips up by visiting Egypt earlier this year, my mental stamina was feeling somewhat depleted, and I was keen to not have to worry about flying home with my bike on this occasion.

So, the hunt was on to find a flight to somewhere that would be within range – after two weeks of cycling – of a ferry back to the UK, and preferably in a country I’d never been to before. Copenhagen was looking like a strong contender, and, when I mentioned my plan to the sales assistant in Halfords – while picking up some bike supplies – and he said that he loved Copenhagen, that he’d been before, and was going back in a couple of months, that was good enough for me.

Then, when he told me that Malmo in Sweden was only half an hour away by train, and I could add a second new country into the equation, that was the deal sealed completely!