Denmark - hills, wind and ferries

I'm writing this a few days into our return journey lying in a tent in a campsite near Amsterdam. The rain is beating down on the tent and Emily is gently snoring next to me. The outward cycling journey is complete. We loved Denmark. It's very picturesque and the people are very friendly. It was sad to stop cycling but home and reality beckons. 

We were very relieved to leave Flensburg, and we were soon at the border with Denmark. The crossing we used was a pedestrian and cycle only bridge over a creek. There was a hut each side which sometime in the past you would have had to show your passport at. Now there is just a plaque commemorating the reunification of Denmark in 1920. We took some photos, got another strange look from a local who probably crosses the border every day and headed into Denmark. 

Denmark is known for its amazing cycle routes. However the first few kilometres of national cycle route 8 were very rough, rutted and hilly. To get the trailer up the steepest bit we had to get off and go on foot. It was a tough start. We soon found some Tarmac and continued to Sonderborg along the banks of the Flensburg fjord. 

Denmark is mostly flat but the coastal roads we were on were very undulating. Towing the trailer and carrying luggage really slowed me down and I noticed every single rise. However it was very beautiful scenery and very different from what we have been used to on this trip.

The next day was a shock. For the first time on the trip we had a deadline. We had to catch a ferry from the island of Als to Fyn. The ferry only went every 2 hours and we had about 15km to cycle to it. I thought we would have plenty of time to get the 10am crossing as the kids are usually up at the crack of dawn. However  they chose today to lie in until 7:15. It was therefore a rush to pack up and cycle to the ferry. You don't really want to be in a rush when towing a trailer and my legs were like jelly by the ferry. However we made it and watched the ferry glide into port. 

From the ferry we cycled to Faaborg and then to a campsite on the coast in a little village called Nab. It was an idyllic spot and a fantastic campsite. The sea views to nearby islands was beautiful and at night there was little light pollution so the Milky Way was clearly visible. The campsite facilities were spotless. It had a kitchen we were afraid to use in case we couldn't return it to its former state of cleanliness. It looked like a show kitchen in IKEA but without the tags telling you where to find things in the basement. It also had a little play area.

Seb relaxing after a long day!

The next day we cycled along the coast to the town of Svendborg, and then traversed the islands of Tasinge, Sio and Langeland. One of the crossings was a high bridge that felt like an ascent of Alpe d'Huez. 

The next day started with another ferry to the island of Lolland. We then started to head south. This change of direction led to what up to now had been a helpful tail wind to a fierce head wind. Progress became painfully slow and every km was hard won. The landscape had flattened out but this relentless wind made it a very hard day.

We finally reached the town of Rodby where we camped. The next day we would get the ferry back to Germany, and we would start the long journey home. We had cycled about 900km from Hook of Holland and we had survived.

The ferry back to Germany felt like a moving shopping precinct but had a play area. A swing on a boat is a great idea. 

Once in Germany we got the train to Lubeck. I thought travelling with two bikes and a trailer on the trains would be very stressful but in Germany it is easy. The Regional trains can carry dozens of bikes and we had no problem getting places. 

We spent the night in Lubeck and then got the train to Hamburg. Cycling from the campsite to the station I got a puncture, only the second of the trip. 

We then got the train from Hamburg to Amsterdam. We plan to cycle back to Hook of Holland over the next couple of days and then the ferry back to Harwich.