Sweden - 1

SWEDEN - 1

 

Helsingborg to Getterön - 12th - 17th June 2017

 

Arriving in Sweden - Monday 12th June

I realised that I could still use my Copenhagen card to travel the 30 kms by train to Helsingør so I checked about bicycles and there seemed to be no problem taking them on the train. I found the bicycle carriage, wheeled my bike on and strapped the bicycle seat belt around it. All very easy and bicycle friendly, the guard accepted my card  and all seemed fine. But, about 20 minutes later, she came back and asked if I had a bicycle. Although I had checked that bikes travelled free on the trains, apparently not on that one and she said I should have bought a ticket for it and the fine for not having one was 1000 DKK (about £120). I told her I had checked on line etc, she asked for my ID and pondered for a while. Eventually she said that she would meet me at the station and go with me to buy a ticket for 25 DKK. So I waited for her when I got off, but she didn't turn up. The women I'd been talking to on the train said they thought she was being nice to me and was letting me off. So I cycled out of the station to look at Kronberg castle, famous for being Hamlet's Elsinore Castle. As the Danish Maritime Museum and the Hamlet Theatre are closed on Mondays I bought a ferry ticket for me and the bike, and sailed to Helsingborg in Sweden.

 

Once again it was a misty, grey day for the ferry crossing, so when I arrived I found somewhere to stay, sorted out some Swedish money and Lucy, who had hidden during the no ticket episode on the train, insisted that I bought a bicycle bell. She had read that there was an on-the-spot fine if you didn't have one in Sweden. I wandered up to Kärran Castle and had an evening stroll along the harbour wall to look at the wild sea and admire the stylish harbour architecture while Lucy tried to get her tongue around the Swedish language.

 

Fem Dagar Längs Västkusten - 13 - 17 Juni

(Five days along the West coast)

 

First Day Cycling in Sweden - Tuesday 13th June

I began my ride North along the West Coast  (längsvästkusten) and knew I would be following the sea to Gothenburg for the next week or so. There was a 40mph wind which made it tough at times, but the sun was out, the sky was blue and the light was fabulous. I met several cyclists travelling South to the ferry including a young man from Oxford who was doing his first ever long-distance ride. He had flown to Oslo and had plans to cycle in 26 countries to raise money for a hospice in memory of his grand father. His front panniers were very wobbly and he was worried that they might fall off if he hit a pothole, so I gave him some black tape to wrap around the carrier to make the clip  more secure.

 

I stopped for the night at a conference centre on an old airbase, with a Flygmuseum near Ängelholm. The following is for my V-CC friends.While I was there I thought that the centre would make a fabulous venue for next year's Summer Camp. Ensuite rooms, reasonably priced, (and I am sure we could negotiate a deal) kitchen areas, plenty of space for camping, cycle storage, cycle hire, great breakfasts, an aircraft museum amd cafes & restaurant on site. And of course fabulous cycling. Anyone up for it? 

Over the Hallandsås - Wednesday 14th June

 

The Hallandsås is a ridge that rises from the coast inland and forms the border between the regions of Skåne in the far South of Sweden and Halland. People had been warning me about it so I was prepared for a long walk, but my new small chain ring came into its own and I sat back and slowly wound my way up to the top cycling through pine trees, and past waterfalls, streams, farms and stylish houses with a fabulous descent back to the flat agricultural land on the other side. 

 

Just before I started the climb I spotted what I though was a cafe, but when I went in I discovered that it was a toy shop. Outside was an Austin A30 belonging to the owner's mother-in-law, who had it as a 50th birthday present. So while I chatted about cars and  how either four or five of us had slept in an A30 back in the 1960s Lucy played in the shop. She loved it.

 

My destination for the night was Skummeslövsstrand, a beautiful sandy bay, and just before I reached it I saw Skummeslövskyrka, a 12th century church. The sun came out so I sat in the immaculate churchyard and enjoyed the view. Unfortunately it was locked, but some people came to change the flowers inside and let me go in to have a look. Fabulous.

 

Later that night I went for a long walk along the beach and waited for the sun to set over the sea. A perfect end to a perfect day.

 

Three days along the Kattegattleden - 15th - 17th June

 

The Kattegat Strait is the sea between Denmark and Sweden. A new cycle path was opened two years ago and follows the sea for 370 km  to Gothenburg. It is a well-marked, well-signed route that twists through forests, along almost traffic-free agricultural roads, along paths very close to the sea and occasionally on a busy road. My first three days following the brown signs took me to Varberg via Halmstad and Falkenberg. The weather was varied and the first day was cold, windy and damp. So I was very pleased that I was able to understand the following sign.

 

I went in to investigate and claimed my free drink as a Kattegattsledenscyklist. It was a very welcome break. I strolled across the road to look at the stormy sea and then continued on my way.

 

Over the next couple of days the weather improved and even the wind dropped a bit and I left Falkenberg in bright sunshine to  ride the 56 km to Varberg.

 

Lucy rarely comes out when the weather is cold or wet and hibernates in her pannier reading about where we are going. Although she did venture out at Varberg for an ice cream. 

 

Varberg is a popular seaside resort with long sandy beaches that were very crowded when I cycled past them. Until 1645 this coastal part of Sweden was part of Denmark and Varberg fortress was erected in the 1280s as part of a chain of military establishments along the coast. I left the crowds, fast-food stores, restaurants and caravan parks behind and continued NW of Varberg to the Peninsula of Getterön where I  decided to stay for the weekend.

 

 I settled in to a delightful chalet B&B overlooking a deserted beach and went to explore. I walked along the beach and on my way back I admired some of the fabulous Swedish holiday homes. 

 

 

 

I went to sleep happily looking forward to a relaxing Sunday by the sea.

Denmark - 2

DENMARK - 2 

Lucy's adventures  in Copenhagen - 7th - 12th June 2017

The First Day

 

The first thing you notice about Copenhagen is the bicycles, they are everywhere. I read that there are more bicycles than people and most people use them to travel around the city. At first it was a bit scary, but you soon get used to it, although it is a good idea to avoid the morning and evening rush hour. 

 

As in Amsterdam I spent the first day getting a feel for the city and planning what to do. Lucy wanted to rush off to the National Museum as she had read that it was the best place to start if you are interested in Viking history. I persuaded her that it would be better to go tomorrow. Reluctantly she agreed. So we walked for miles around the city, sat in cafes, visited churches and for me the highlight was the Danish Chair Exhibition at the Design Centre. There was also a fascinating film about Børge Mogensen, the furniture designer who made the concept of 'Danish Modern' known throughout the world.

 

 

 My aim has always been to have a different iconic chair in every room at home, and I will definitely add a Danish one to my collection when I get back. I still haven't managed to get Lucy to share my love of chairs, so while I was there, she went off to find the Hans Christian Andersen statue.

 

I caught up with her at the Little Mermaid  and we walked back together. Although this time I wandered off to look at The Kastellet, a well preserved star fortress built by King Christian IV in 1626 to help improve Copenhagen's fortifications in the conflicts between Denmark and Sweden. This fortress is a pentagon, rather than the seven points at Bourtange.

 

The National Museum - Friday 9th May

Lucy woke up early and rushed off to the National Museum to learn all she could about the Vikings from Denmark. Last night I managed to get BBC news and sat up watching the election results, so I needed a peaceful day after a night with very little sleep. I had a coffee at the Mandela Bar and set out to meet Lucy at about midday. There was an Asian festival in one of the squares with street food and music so I stopped for lunch.

 

When  I finally caught up with Lucy she was so engrossed in the exhibits that she didn't notice how late I was and excitedly told me about everything that she had seen. 

 

She also said that she wants to go to Legoland as she had found a Lego shop on the way to the museum and had stopped to play for a bit. I said it was too far away, but we might go at a later date. Then I told her that we could visit the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde in the morning, so she soon forgot about Lego.

 

She was exhausted after her busy schedule and went back to the room to sleep, while I rounded off my day with a visit to the famous Tivoli Gardens and Amusement Park. 

 

Roskilde -  Saturday 9th June

Lucy woke up early and was in a rush to catch the train to Roskilde, about 30 miles from Copenhagen. Roskilde, was the hub of the Viking land and sea trade routes and the capital of Denmark from the 11th century until 1443. The fabulous Gothic, twin-spired Cathedral holds the tombs of many Danish kings and queens and is one of the most important churches in Denmark. 

Lucy dodn't want to stop long as she was in a hurry to get to the Viking Ship Museum on the shores of Roskilde Fjord. The Museum houses the remains of five original Viking ships that were sunk in the fjord as a barrier  to help protect the harbour. There are also a number of  workshops where replica ships are made using traditional tools and methods. Lucy spent hours there and it was hard to tear her away before they closed.

She also learnt how to weave a Viking sail and wanted to go for a sail on the fjord in one of the replica boats, but unfortunately they were fully booked. 

 

When we got back Lucy made a cardboard Viking ship and surrounded herself with all her purchases. I couldn't stop laughing when I looked at the label on her Viking broach. It was made in Tysley Birmingham, about a mile from where I live.

 

A Sunny Sunday in Copenhagen -  10th June

 

In the morning I walked to the architectural centre and on to Nyhavn, the famous canal and restaurant district. Then I spent the rest of the day sitting relaxing and chatting to people at the Oscar Bar and Cafe in Rainbow Square. 

 

While I was chatting Lucy went to find the Hans Christian Andersen museum and spent her last  afternoon in Copenhagen listening to Fairy Stories.

 

Lucy wants to go to Sweden

When we got back and I was looking at the maps to plan a route for the morning, Lucy suddenly said that she thought we ought to go to Sweden. When she was at the Viking Museum she discovered that at the time of the Vikings the Southern part of Sweden was part of Denmark and inhabited by Danes, so it made sense to include the SW coast of Sweden in her Grand Viking Tour. 

 

 

Sweden is about 9 miles from Copenhagen and the Øresund motorway and rail bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö joins the two countries but you can't cycle across it. I found out that a ferry runs every 20 minutes from Helsingør, about 25 miles North of Copenhagen to Helsingburg in Sweden. There is also a good cycle route that follows the West coast to Gothenburg, where you can get a ferry back to Denmark. So it all looked very possible and I told a very excited Lucy that "Sweden here we come".

Denmark - 1

DENMARK - 1

Rødbyhavn Ferryport to København - Sunday 3rd June - Wednesday 7th June 2017

 

Lucy was ready to take Denmark by storm. She had spent the winter reading all about the history and culture of the country and learning the language. I am not quite what she thought she was going to find as I kept telling her that the Vikings left hundreds of years ago. I too was pleased that I had learnt some of the language. Although English is widely spoken, it was nice to be able to use some get by Danish. I also found that I could read it fairly well and interpret sign etc. 

 

It was a wet, misty public holiday weekend (Pentecost) when I got the ferry to Rødbyhavn in Denmark and Lucy enjoyed her first Danish pastry during the crossing. I was the only cyclist on board and eventually I found the right cycle path that would take  me North  across the Danish Baltic islands to Copenhagen. The rain eased, the sun came out and I enjoyed my first cycle ride in Denmark. Lucy insisted that we stopped outside the beautifully restored hotel in the town square at Saxkjøbing and wondered if we could afford to stay there. I told her we would probably be in the tent as campsites are plentiful in Denmark and have well equipped kitchens. She persuaded me to go in and enquire, so as it was our first night in Denmark, and just within my price range, I decided to stay there and have the evening meal package. It was fabulous and so was the breakfast. 

 

Baltic Islands and Bridges

I spent the next three days cycling across several bridges linking the Danish islands, Lolland, Falster, Storstrøm, Masnedø and Zealand, that straddle the entrance to the Baltic Sea between Germany and Sweden. For most of the 185 km the cycle paths followed the 153 a long, straight road running parallel to the main motorway to Copenhagen. It was quite tiring at times because of the wind and also because there were some fairly long inclines that surprised me because most of Denmark is very flat. 

 

Monday, the 5th June, was still a public holiday, Danish Constitution Day, marking the signing of the constitution in 1849.which was the reason why so many Danish flags were flying. It meant that the shops were closed but luckily I had enough food for a picnic lunch. Lucy thought she was going to get Danish pastries every day, but she had to make do with boiled eggs, bread and dried fruit. 

 

On Storstrøm I cycled past two people sitting in a field eating their lunch and thought they were on motorbikes, so I waved and carried on. For some reason  I decided to go back to chat to them. I am so glad  that I did as I met a French and a German woman, Mel and Kaja, long-distance, world travellers, not on motorbikes, but on bicycles. We sat and chatted in the sunshine for about an hour and Lucy shared her boiled eggs with them, although I am not sure that she liked the cucumber that Kaja tried  to feed her.

 

You can reead about Mel and Kaja's cycling adventures, which make mine look quite feeble, at https://cycle-to-explore.com/

The bridge to Zealand

One of the highlights of this stage of the journey was the Storstrømsbroen, the bridge that connects the Islands of Falster and Masnedø, and the second bridge, the Masnedsundbroen,  that links the little island of Masnedø with Zealand. I spent well over an hour walking across the first bridge, stopping to look at the water far below and taking photographs. It is 3,199 metres long and 26 metres above the sea. It was opened in 1937 and looks as if it has never been painted or repaired since then. A new bridge carries the motorway traffi, which you can see in the distance, but this bridge still takes light, local traffic and cyclists along a poorly maintained concrete road, and it is still the main rail link between Hamburg and Copenhagen. The central part looked like a huge fairground ride. I loved it. A new bridge is scheduled to open in 2020, but there are no signs of it yet.

 

 

Heavy rain and thunder was forecast for the final day riding to Copenhagen and I had to shelter a couple of times from the torrential storms. Again the path followed the 151, and also the coast for this stretch, but this time clearly marked with a C, and took me right into the centre of the city.

 

Again I deviated from the route at times to go to look at the sea and cycled past some very expensive looking weekend houses. I was about 300 metres from the budget hotel near Central Station when the heavens opened. As I was right outside a bar that looked inviting, I went in to shelter. There was a great, relaxed atmosphere inside and The Mandela Bar became a regular place for me to start and finish my days in Copenhagen. It is in the old meat packing district, an area that now offers a variety of arts, theatre, alternative comedy, live music etc. A great find.

 

I checked into the hotel, and went to the Tourist Office where I picked up brochures and bought a Copenhagen Card to give me entry to museums, and unlimited travel by train, bus, metro and the canal water bus within a 50 km radius of the city. I took them back to the Mandela Bar, where a jazz band provided the live music for the evening  and planned my next 4 days in Copenhagen.