Jana

Vestkystruten - Travel log day 4 - From Hvide Sande to Thyborøn

Following the rainy and short third day on the bike, we were welcomed by sunshine immediately in the morning on the fourth day. Fortunately, our clothes and bags were dried overnight. This meant that we could pack everything in a relaxed manner. We wanted to start early and make the most of the day.

We had originally planned to ride about 70 km on this fourth day, but we definitely had to add the kilometers from the previous day, which we were unable to complete due to the rain. Despite everything, this decision turned out to be the only right one.

But then this happened: when we were almost ready to leave, the binding on Björn's bike shoes completely disintegrated and the shoe fell off his foot. What options did we have to fix the shoe? Duct tape it up? Wrap cable ties around it? Of course, all this could have worked, but it would not have been a permanent solution for the next few days on the bike.

Again, luckily, we were still in Hvide Sande, which meant that there were a few stores selling outdoor accessories and clothing. New cycling shoes? No way. It was going to be weatherproof outdoor shoes. No problem thanks to Björn's two-sided pedals. The only catch? The stores didn't open until about an hour later - which meant we had to wait.

Björn entered the outdoor store right after it opened and walked out a few minutes later with new shoes, he said goodbye to the old ones, and now we could finally really set off.

We were in high hopes that from this moment on, the day could only get better. After all, we had tailwind and a sense that the landscape would be particularly beautiful on this day. In addition, we had also selected an exciting shelter site for this evening.

Due to the tailwind, we made really good progress and quickly made up for our kilometer deficit. Due to the longer break the day before, we felt additionally full of energy.

In the small harbor town of Thorsminde we took a short lunch break. Here we had a great view of the Nissum Fjord and the North Sea, which meet there.

As we had already expected: with every pedal stroke and every kilometer we covered, the nature became more and more beautiful. The paths took us very close to the coast of the North Sea, so that while riding we could watch the waves on the sea again and again and absorb the fresh air deep inside us.

The strong wind that day was pushing the waves with great force against the rocks and beaches. The sky was darkening again and the atmosphere was breathtaking.

Our route took us right along the edge of the impressive cliff Bovbjerg Klint, which is part of the UNESCO Global Geopark West Jutland. The impressive cliff shows traces of the Elster, Saale and Vistula ice ages.

From a distance, we could also see the lighthouse Bovbjerg Fyr and the small coastal village Ferring. One thing we can say, this was so far the biggest highlight on our route on the North Sea Coastal Cycle Route. In retrospect, we were even glad that the sky was not blue or the sun was shining because so everything got a much more impressive mood.

We were getting closer and closer to our destination for the day and gradually the sky was clearing up. Just in time for the evening, even a sunset was waiting for us on this day. How beautiful it would become, we could not even guess at this point.

We also met and said hello to the family from Belgium, whom we had already met the previous day, several times that day. No surprise, since they had about the same destination as us.

Our destination on this day four was set for the first time even before we had left: Thyborøn. We reached it after about 94 km.

Thyborøn is a small town in the Danish region of Midtjylland. It is located on the North Sea coast on the northern tip of the headland Harboøre Tange, which is separated from the headland Agger Tange by the Thyborøn Channel. From there, we also wanted to take the ferry the next day.

The beach in Thyborøn is quite impressive and at the same time quite thought-provoking. The former fortification in Thyborøn was part of the historical Atlantic Wall, the defense line of the German occupying forces during World War II. Today, the historical remains are partly covered with sand, others can still be visited.

While there were bunkers all along the coastline of Jutland, Thyborøn is a special location. There are more than 60 bunkers spread all over the sandy beach.

For this night, we had chosen a special shelter - between the dunes, directly by the sea in the protection of an old bunker. This is officially used as a shelter, but due to its location it does not have toilets, a water connection or a fireplace. For us, this was no reason not to use this shelter for the night. About 1 km away there were toilets and water, and so we had everything we needed.

We had been worried that this particular spot might already be taken by other fellow bike travelers, but that wasn't the case. However, since the bunker itself was a bit too scary for us to simply spread out our sleeping bags in it, we pitched our tent in the entrance under the roof. So, we were protected from the wind and could make ourselves comfortable for the night.

The sun was slowly setting in the sky, and we were only a dune away from seeing the sun set on the horizon. We also didn't miss the chance to finally enjoy some seawater on our skin on the fourth day. The temperatures and the sun allowed for it, and so we had a refreshing swim in the cold waves.

We didn't cook that night because we had some leftovers that we ate and then we fell into our sleeping bags with our heads full of impressions that now had to be processed ... the end of the day was perfect.

We didn't know then what would await us the next morning ...

by Jana

Vestkystruten - Travel log day 3 - From Kærgård to Hvide Sande

We quietly put down our tent and enjoyed the peace and fresh air of the morning. When everything was stowed, and we were dressed, we enjoyed another breakfast composed of chocolate soy milk, cereal and pickles.

We quietly dismantled our tent and enjoyed the peace and fresh air in the morning. When everything was stowed and we were dressed, we enjoyed another breakfast of chocolate soy milk, muesli and pickles.

Then, it was finally time to leave before the teens woke up to this place. They were still pretty quiet as we headed out, though.

We had a great start as we had a good tailwind. The best conditions to easily cover many kilometers with little effort. However, we knew, from looking at the weather report, that we were heading for a thick rain front that was supposed to spread over the entire North Sea coast. That meant pushing the throttle (at least by our standards), as we had about 70-80 km planned for the day.

From here, the landscape opened up and we rode mostly on small gravel roads and cottage roads along the dunes. The landscape was hilly and offered a beautiful view of the Ringkøbing Fjord in several places.

Around us the nature and the landscape was very varied: small beautiful gravel paths among trees in small forests and asphalt bike paths directly through the dunes, an up and down and almost always the sea in the background.

The mood was very special due to the clouds in the sky, even if it became darker and darker and thus looked more threatening. And then came what had to come. The rain, the first big rain on our tour. The sky gave everything and within a very short time we had to make a decision.

Fortunately, we were just before Hvide Sande and could look for us there then a small corner with some protection from the rain. Here we wanted to make a break anyway after about 45 km and then continue.

But, we were torn: Should we continue, should we wait, or should we look for an alternative? The rain was going to last for quite a while. Continuing would have meant that we would have been completely drenched by the time we reached our destination.

Staying under this protective roof was not an option either. Our mood was low, and it was getting cold. So, what next? We scoured the internet - are there any options to make it through the rest of the day and night without getting all wet? Was there any shelter in or nearby Hvide Sande?

Hvide Sande is a small harbor town on the west coast of Denmark, and luckily, there were shelters in the immediate area. All we needed now was to be lucky enough to find a spare one for us. Although it was still early in the day, and we actually wanted to ride about 25 km further, we decided to just ride through the rain and grab one of the shelters. Being completely soaked didn't seem to be an option for us that day.

We were extremely lucky to find that one of three shelters was still available. So, we didn't hesitate and set up camp right away. From the shelter, we had a great view of the Fjord, which was right in front of us, so we snuggled up in our sleeping bags and watched the rain and the waves.

Later in the day, the rain actually stopped, so we were able to explore our surroundings a little bit more.

Well, that was it for this day. We cooked some pasta with pesto and vegan salami and didn't leave the shelter. Even late in the evening when people showed up who supposedly had a shelter reservation. That evening we learned that you can make reservations at some shelters, but of course, you need to know that beforehand, but it seems that no one comes to check. However, after the tiresome day we didn't feel like putting up our tent anymore, and so we stayed in the shelter.

Another day was over and for the next day it meant: make up the kilometers!

by Jana

Vestkystruten Bikepacking Travel Diary - Day 2 - From Ribe to Kærgård

The second day on the bike started with a beautiful sunrise and wind. After the first day was very cloudy, now bright sunshine awaited us. After a small breakfast, which consisted of a porridge to mix, we started packing up. Although we had not pitched our tent at all, it took us a while to get everything back in the bags. Unfortunately, there was no water connection on this beautiful shelter site, which is why we could only briefly rinse our pot and containers in the river. But you can't have everything.

Since our night camp was directly on our planned path, we continued along the dike. Almost like the day before. Today it should be about 66 km - after all, we had already made up a few kilometers on our first day. We drove past small Danish vacation homes, past meadows with cows and pigs, over sheep fences and finally got to feel the dreaded Danish headwind. Fortunately, however, this was not quite so strong on this day, even though we would have preferred a tailwind, of course.

Once again, as we made our way along Danish roads, we noticed how good the infrastructure and bike lanes in this country were. There were no unnecessary or dangerous road crossings. Instead, there were tunnels and dedicated paths away from the speeding cars. The cars here, however, were also much more considerate and relaxed on the road.

We took our first extended break, which we called an early lunch break or late and second breakfast, in Esbjerg. In addition to the second (and real) breakfast, we really needed fresh water, since we unfortunately could not fill up any at our shelter site.

The nine-meter-high sculpture group, which was located in Esbjerg and is known as" Man by the Sea" (Danish: Mennesket ved Havet), we wanted to see on the way anyway. For our break we looked for a small bench directly at the sea. So we could watch the sea and the sculpture group while we sat at a windy place and ate peanut butter sandwiches. Strictly speaking, the tall sculptures are four seated men made of white concrete looking out to sea. They are supposed to represent man's encounter with nature and, in good weather, can still be seen from a distance of up to ten kilometers. In fact, we were not the only people visiting the port city of Esbjerg, the largest city on the Danish North Sea coast, that day. After all, this was known for its fishing and industrial port, a long shopping street and many museums.

After we had satiated our hunger, however, we continued on our way and refrained from taking a closer look at Esbjerg. Due to the wind, we had to make several stops and decide between long and short jerseys. It was quite fresh and at the same time one was super fast warm, because to arrive against the wind was then but somewhat more strenuous than the day before.

After a few exhausting kilometers we reached our destination for the day. The Kærgård plantation.

While one of us, provided us with food for the evening and the coming morning, the other already looked around for suitable shelter places. We almost missed our shelter place and after a little search we found the place we were looking for. It was a shelter place between Blochsgård and Oktagonen, which was only a few kilometers away from the North Sea at the edge of the Kærgård plantation (dune plantation). In Kærgård Klitplantage there are many hiking and biking trails where you can explore the fantastic nature. The shelter cabins were booked by youth groups and so the only thing left for us to do that day was to set up the tent. The big advantage, however, was that there was a toilet with water connection. There was also seating and after the young people had come at some point to rest, it was also pleasantly quiet.

This was now the second time that we have set up our tent and we were still thrilled by how fast and uncomplicated the setup was. And then it was finally time for something to eat. Jana cooked spaghetti with tomato sauce, accompanied by pickles (After a long day on the bike, the brine from the pickles can help replenish the body with sufficient fluids and electrolytes. In fact, the brine is rich in sodium and potassium, which can have an antispasmodic effect) and good company. Next to us another bike traveler had settled with his tent and so we cooked, talked and laughed until we were all tired and crawled into our tents.

That was a successful, relaxing end to the day. Dog-tired, we fell onto our mattresses and dreamed of our collected impressions of the second day.

by Jana

Vestkystruten travel diary - Day 1 - From Klanxbüll to Ribe

Hey you!

Welcome to our travel diary that will remind us of how we embarked on a bike packing trip in August 2022 from the Danish-German border to the northernmost tip of Denmark, where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet, through Denmark's beautiful countryside. We chose this trip because it gave us the opportunity to explore the landscape in an active and environmentally friendly way. The distance was just under 600 km, and we did it in 8 days, after all it was supposed to be a vacation and not a physical challenge.

We hope that our experiences will inspire you to embark on a journey yourself and discover the beauty of Denmark. We appreciate you joining us on our adventure and hope you enjoy reading our diary as much as we enjoyed creating it.

So, take a look around, make yourself comfortable and join us on our journey through Denmark.

Warm regards
Jana & Björn

Sunday, August 31, 2022

Getting up - really early, even by our standards. The first train left at 05:29 and that was the one we wanted to catch, after all, we wanted to take advantage of as many hours of the day as possible. The first challenge of the day came quickly. We had to get our bikes including luggage down the stairs from the 4th floor, preferably without falling over the steps. After we managed that without any problems, it was "off to the train station" and a first wake-up in the cool morning air.

At 08:11 we and our heavily packed bikes finally reached our starting point of the tour on the North Sea Coast Cycle Route (Vestkystruten) and our first planned stage: Klanxbüll.

Although we had divided the route into 8 roughly equal stages in Komoot, we wanted to decide somewhat spontaneously whether we wanted to ride more or less of the planned route. Also, we had not planned any fixed shelter or camping sites so that we could be at least somewhat flexible.

For the first day, we planned to ride about 80 km towards Ribe, the oldest town in Denmark. The town's history dates back to the early Viking Age, and therefore the town was one of the most important harbor towns in Denmark in the Middle Ages. The old town is said to still look appropriately medieval today.

We rode the first kilometers that day on roads that we already partially knew. Previously, in April, we had ridden to Denmark for a weekend trip and a test of our tent. We camped on Rømø and rode back to Germany on the Danish mainland.

The familiar path took us along a dike and past a lot of sheep, which we greeted kindly, and there was also a lot of asphalt and road on this first stretch of North Sea coastal bike path on Denmark's west coast.

Since our legs were still fresh and fit, we progressed faster than expected. The sky was covered by clouds and there was only a slight breeze. Occasionally, the sun would show itself and sporadically, we got a few raindrops. The light breeze and the cloudy sky made for a pleasant temperature while cycling. In any case, we did not sweat so quickly on this day.

After only a few hours, we reached the beautiful old town of Ribe. It was gray and drizzling from the sky. We made a quick stop to see the Ribe Domkirke (Ribe Cathedral), which is the oldest cathedral in the country, with a five-nave nave.

Driven by hunger and rain, we looked for the nearest supermarket in Ribe and decided to drive a bit further after shopping. On Instagram Lucas Goes Bikepacking had recommended us a shelter place, which was only about 12 km away from Ribe. With a backpack full of lots of edible goodies, we were already on our way out of Ribe and along the North Sea coastal bike path for a bit. Conveniently, the shelter place was directly on the way, so we could continue the next day without detours directly.

The beautiful small nature campsite was located in Hillerup at the Kongeå lake. Isolated in the beautiful and unique marshland and had two shelters, a toilet and was located directly by the water. Here you can also pull your canoe ashore, which we could witness several times while we were sitting in the shelter.

When we reached it, we directly met other cyclists who were in the process of moving into one shelter together. Good fortune for us because it meant we didn't have to pitch a tent that night and could sleep right in the shelter.

While we made ourselves comfortable in the shelter, set up our air mattresses for the night and widely spread the contents of our bags all over the place, we started talking with the others. One of them was from Bavaria and had been cycling for quite a while, the other was from the Netherlands (actually he was from the USA). Björn did not stop chatting while I started to prepare something to eat. Meanwhile our tummies announced themselves more and more clearly.

Meanwhile, a family of five from Belgium also reached the site and found that they had to spend this night not in a shelter, but in a tent. While we relaxed in our wooden hut, the family cooked spaghetti together.

Slowly it became quiet on the site and all travelers disappeared into their night camps at dusk. So did we. Here it was, the first night out in Denmark. The first kilometers in the legs and so many more to come.

Tired, we snuggled into our sleeping bags and if it hadn't been for the mosquitoes, the night could hardly have been better.

by Jana