Cycling & Camping in Denmark. A full length video of our trip touring the islands.

Cycling & Camping in Denmark.  A full length video of our trip touring the islands.

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Hello everyone and welcome back to the channel.  Welcome back if you're a subscriber. You're part   of a select group and I appreciate your  support. You may have watched previous   videos when we went cycle touring in the  south of Holland. We had planned to return   and cycle in the north of the Netherlands around  Groningen but unfortunately Covid got in the way   but we've made it back to Europe and this  time we've gone a little further north to   Denmark. My elder daughter unfortunately  couldn't come with us because she's now   flown the nest. You might notice  how the other two children have grown. There's a ship here  somewhere... it used to be...

what, she's come returning money [Music] [Music] It's time I keep my thumb [Music] out.  Oh here a it's a bit wobbly isn't it.   It's been boiling hot on the journey  up today. If you want to ring for the   Emergency Services you call 112 and you quote  A475. You can come down to the beach have a barbie, go for a swim and here's a little bench. Another little hut, someone  else. Changing huts I think   are there. Here you're not allowed to do  diving but I imagine you can go jumping.

Wife's making hot chocolate  and the back of her head. Well we're here. The ferry  arrived in the Netherlands   at 8:00 and it took a while to get off  and then we went and found ourselves a coffee. We set off about half-nine. That  was a long drive. Very busy. We made it   about quarter to 6. I went to bed early and then  the gentleman on the right here at 6:00am with   Country & Western music full on. You can see down  to the fjord down there. We walked down there last   night. There's a lot of permanent setups. There is  no-one here at the moment. I imagine it's the main  

site for summer camp. Our two tents just drying  out. We are just taking the bag bikes off the   back, packing our bags. Mum's in the kitchen. A  nice little kitchen area. Making some breakfast   and thankfully it's not raining too much. It  did rain overnight last night. We were missing   a tent peg down here and a dog's wee'd up the  side of our tent - so that's nice of them. Our ready-made porridge we made at home.40g of porridge, 15g of sugar,  15g of milk powder. And this is the kitchen. Ruthers is doing the washing

up. They're the signs we're following. We thought  we'd stop to have a look at this ancient barrow   and you'll never guess how old it is - 2020.  It's a copy, so we thought we' stop in the shade,   have 5-minute break and kids can go blackberry  picking and put them in our porridge tomorrow.   I think hopefully we'll have some blackberries  on our next campsite. Well, we've arrived at   Fynshav and there's nowhere to get a coffee  or much else really. There's no ticket office,  

or ticket machine. We've rung the ferry company  who say the 1:00pm ferry is booked but she said   if you've got a bicycle you should be  okay and we just pay the man on the boat. Well, I think this is our ferry. It   doesn't look very big. There's a lot of other  bicyclists waiting to get on as well so I only   hope they can squeeze us on. That's what's got  to get on plus the people waiting over here. Looking towards our first view the island of Aero. We're now in Soby at the western end of  the island and that is an all-electric ferry. If I just scan around that building over  there is the Butik museum, whatever that is. We  

just popped into the unmanned tourist bureau  and picked up a map which I will show you.   If I come over here. That's the map so  hopefully we can find our way to our   campsite. Mrs Antagonist has just  popped across there to get some milk. Around the back of the tourist office -  if a cycle needs recharging there's recharging   points and then here there's a bike maintenance  area where you can come and get a bit of air.

And then down here as well as air there's all  the various tools you could need, tyre spanners,   what have you. If you need to effect a repair.  They're all very organised aren't they. We're   just I can see the sign over there. It's going  to take us on to continue on cycle Route 8 .   Wouldn't you know it! I thought  'a nice straight section' It's   not easy recording with one hand - very pretty.

[Music] Well, we made it to the Danish Forestry Commission  Free Shelter campsite. It rained heavily   overnight - well with rain - we just had enough  time to put the tent up. That's looking North to   Aeroskobing I think down there. We arrived about  6:00pm last night having stopped off to collect   some water from a nice German couple. We stopped  by the side of the road and asked for some water  

and they invited us in. Really friendly, and gave  us a beer and some nibbles, which was very kind   of them. The wind's got up a lot. I don't know if  you can hear me. I've got the windshield on the camera. Here's a post that shows you the water  is 300 M away. There's a WC just up the road,   which is an earth toilet. It's all beautifully  clean and they've got hand sanitizer and toilet   paper. If you take that route down through  the trees , as you can see - that goes down  

to a car turning area I think. Down there you can  use. It's nice and warm. I spent my first night   ever in one of these shelters. We didn't get to  have our fire last night for obvious reasons. I   don't think anyone's camped here - well not for  a while. The ground... the grass is still very   long. We're just making ourselves a cup of

tea. Believe it or not, that's all the gear  we brought. It's about half-past nine because   we had a 6:00am start yesterday. If  I lift it up you can see the green roof. Given the rain we had I was  pleased I was in there. Good nights  

sleep. Emelye & Fynn are just up. We brought  our gear up. I'm just starting to make our   porridge. As you can see, before we came, we  put our porridge already measured out into   these sealed packets so then what we need  to do is add water, pop it on the stove. We had a lovely breakfast of porridge and  nectarines mixed in with it. Sun's now out.  

I'll take you for a view of the campsite.  Ow! Banged me head. Might be able to see - come down here - have a look at the view there it is. We were up at 6 yesterday so a more leisurely  start today. We've just come down and going across   the flat bit. Off to Marstal. The harbour. You  can see the tops of the turbines over there   and I imagine up on that high ground there  is where we spent our night last night,   with lots of rooks who we're very noisy until  it got dark. That's the end of the Airfield.  

Our route up there. Well here we. Came past the  Airfield. Back on terra ferma. There's our map.   How do I look? Tired? Towing the trailer -  it's getting lighter. A few less tea bags.   one dinner less. You should be able to see the  children over my shoulder. Nice and straight.  

Even the minor rural lanes have street lighting.  Here we are in Marstal at the eastern end of Aero. We just paid for our tickets  there. €44. All packed-up and we're   waiting for the hal-past one  ferry. It is a glorious day.

We're just going to go for...  we've bought our tickets children. For those of you that might  have been following us in Holland in   2017 they've grown a bit haven't they?  Well, Ruthers has! There's some sort of Memorial and there's a yacht. There are the Germans off to Kiel.

We stopped for a coffee with homemade  liquorice made on the island of Aero.   If I take you around the front  there's a ubiquitous Land Rover.   That's looking back up to what would have been a  fishing port I guess in the old days. There are  

the cobbles to trip over. You can stop and have  your lunch there. You can have brunch is served   to 1:00pm. We are just having a nice cup of  coffee in here. I imagine that's where we go. All the people coming from Langeland. Langeland!  The ferry is not as busy as the ferry we caught yesterday. All the pedestrians off and the cars. We're on board. The Germans. Spot of lunch.

Well, we made it to the top of Langeland.  We got the ferry across to Rudkobing.   We've found a nice little site. Bit nervous  about whether we're allowed to camp here or   not. I think we're just going to cook up some  dinner and then when the weather calms down,   or the night comes on we'll stick  our tents up. It's about half past seven. They've got themselves all  sorted out. I've just broken a pole  

so I'm in a good mood. We managed to mend  it, so nothing that money can't can't save! Sorted out. Well, we're up at 6.00am. Lovely calm  morning. We've had scrambled eggs and Danish bacon   for breakfast. We're just doing the chores.  Drying-up, washing-up waiting for the tents to dry out. That's the Danish Nature Agency  sign telling us there's some shelters  

just up the path in the woods there  but there's a group of young people   and beer that have the loud music going  all night and were up at 3:40am but why   not? A lovely calm morning If I turn  you around - that's looking over to Fyn. Well, we've just left our campsite and cycled  into Lohals Havn. The harbour. You can see there   are some shelters you can hire overnight and  these ones are actually on the water they go   up and down with the tide and they take I think  four people, something like that. There's bunks   and mattresses inside and you get the facilities  of showers and toilets. You have to book them   and we were too late but we'll also flush with  funds! A lovely morning. All sparkling clean,   cleaned our teeth. Head off back to Rudkobing.  We've made it back to Rudkobing. We're about   to head off over the bridge we just need to  cross over to the cycle track on the other   side. That's the port we came into. There are the  troops. We've done 40 km this morning. We've got  

20km more into Svendborg somewhere over there.  Lots of midges. That was where we were camping   overnight right up there. That's looking towards  Fyn and Svendborg 20km down there we need to go. Looking down to Rudkobing and the port down there. Looking back to where we spent the  night and the bridge back into Langerland.

You can tell who's carrying all  the gear - it's one at the back!   You have to do 50kph down here -  I'll do my best! I've got your best side! You've got a cherub throttling a swan. I think that's our one. The  Hojestene. It's the one up here. So, we're going from here and  we go all the way - I think we   stop at SKaro and then we go around and then go to Drejo. So Svendborg - it's quite cosmopolitan  isn't it? I've never heard of this place. Anyone who lives in Langeland  has to drive over that bridge on the  

Sunday - it's the law did you know  that - it was incessant wasn't it? You'd think they'd all be at church. So, as  you can see, we're on board the ferry - no cars yet. There's people walking around  with large ice creams and today is very muggy. I could do with a large ice cream. There's  three cars waiting. Anchor! Three cars waiting.  

We've just seen a coach a 'tourist fart' .  So we don't know what's on Drejo. Hopefully,   there's a somewhere we can buy  some bacon and eggs and stuff. Goodbye Svendborg.

We're all wrapped up because it's August. Spots of rain - just arriving in Skaro. Turns out no one wanted to  get on - and no one wanted to get off - so that was a quick call. If sea  levels rose by about another half a metre,   Skaro would cease to exist I think.

That's looking back at Skaro. We think this is Drejo coming up here. Very   low in the sea. We're having curry  tonight. Chicken curry and rice. In our little cabin and Fynbo even  found himself a chair. Chicken curry

time. Well, the weather was kind to us this  morning - went for a swim in the nuddy.   Just had our bacon and scrambled eggs for  breakfast. I've got a wasp right next to me. Just drying out from our swim. That  was the children's bivvy last night.   There is a side door and a door right  at the very end for your kit. Take you   up and show you our a little bunker in  here. You can open up all the side bits [Music] Down the lane. A sort of an area you can sun  yourself with made here have a bit of a

[Music] BBQ. That's the lovely Beach. Yachts out to sea. We cycled  right to the tip the other end of,   well we would say Drayjo it might be Drayo  - don't quite know how they pronounce it. Oh  

that looks quite a fall out there. I  think that's Aero or Sobe over there. Nice whitebeam hedge. All the berries  nearly ready for the all the black birds.   Lots of small white butterflies  all over the Rosa Rugosa. They   like whatever that is. Cycling back  to the port. Downhill - no one behind

me. The Danish houses aren't  like an English house. Seems   to be very barn-based. Sort of what  the French would call corps de ferme. Nice straight road. There's a bit of  high ground at the end of the island   and then there's a causeway in a low  patch where it must go through some   salt marsh. So in high seas this  end of the island might get cut off. So, impressions of Denmark. What  do I know about Denmark? Apparently,   they claim to be the world's, or Europe's,  biggest exporter of Christmas trees. We've  

seen two fields of Christmas trees but  by comparison to some of the fields in   England they're tiny so they must grow those  somewhere else. The farming we've seen it's   very rural but it's all very small scale  agriculture - small scale farming - almost   small holding type. I imagine the topography  dictates that. You're aware of Danish bacon? We haven't seen a pig since we've been  here! I imagine they're in the sheds,   inside. We can certainly hear them and smell  them. We see cattle. The typical Friesans but  

a whole mix of different sorts of cattle. Again,  not massive herds but least are outside. It's very   lush everywhere where because it hasn't stopped  raining for the last month or so. It's really   green. What else do I know about Denmark? They  have the Order of the Elephant. I think Nelson   had that after the Battle of Copenhagen wasn't  it? And then Sandy Toksvig. What else do we know? Great Danes - the Great Dane dog and now we know a bit more. We know  the names of the few Islands, a few

places. Victor Borge. Wasn't he Danish? And there was a model - wasn't it  Bridget Nielson- was she Danish? Don't know.   I anticipated... I thought there'd be lots  of coffee shops and places to get a Danish   Pastry but it's so rural. The villages tend  not to have many village shops and not all   that big but it could just be we in a very  rural area on the island. We're going to go  

back to the harbour. Back to Fyn and it's  an hour and 15 minutes back to Svendborg.   We're going to fill up some water, have an  ice cream and then head out to tonight's   hit point. It's the end of August. The  housemartins and the swallows are still here. Danes like to have a trailer  nearly every house has a trailer parked outside. We're now approaching the village. Right,   we've entered the village. We see quite a  lot of little stalls outside every house,  

not every house. Many of the houses have little  offerings of produce from their vegetable garden,   or flowers, or knickknacks and vases, old  children's bicycles. Which way do we go?   Straight on don't we? Oh, there's the -  oh , I've mucked that up... I'll come up here, we'll go around. Some bird boxes. We'll  go around the block. This is actually the main   Square in the middle of the island  I think, or this square of roads.  

See if I can come around here . There's a  lot of thatch everywhere you'd think more   medieval. Seems to be a lot of building in  the early 20th century judging by the dates   on the houses. And then just here is where  the local shop is on the island and where   we stopped off to help the economy by buying  some bacon and eggs yesterday for our breakfast   this morning. And then if we turn left here,  if I've got my bearings, this should take us  

back - here you are you've been here before  - this should take us back to the Port - Harbour. Needless to say there aren't many cars on   the island. You can hire bicycles  and things like that. 'Morning' Here we go. It's funny isn't it? Some people you  say hello or hey to or morning and they come back   to you and say hello good morning and others  - they look at you like you're from another planet. So we are seeing the island in  both its temperaments. We had the cold   and the wind and the rain yesterday when  we arrived and now we're basking in balmy,   breezy weather. Well there's  a ferry - hope that's not

ours. Let's hope that's not our ferry. We'll keep going - speed up a bit.  Flying the flag ,which I think's called - it's   got a name the Danish flag - white cross on  a red background it's opposite to the English   flag - I think they called it something like the  Dannebrog, or something like that. They always   proudly claim that it's the oldest flag in the  world whether that's true I don't know. The flag   has to be flown at a certain height. You have  to have a permission to fly it. It's the only  

flag you're allowed to fly although you are  allowed to fly other flags of the surrounding   Scandinavian countries to Denmark and the  European flag - if you want to fly any other flag I think you have to have a license. They also  have a streamer which is probably a bit better in   the strong winds. I think the flagpole has to be  five times the height or the width of the flag   and then you can only put it up after 8:00 in the  morning and have to take it down before 6:00pm at   night or something like . So they they're very  proud of their flags - as we all are. There's   a lovely sailing schooner, or something out  there. All the sailors amongst you will tell   me it's something different. and we're hopefully  back on time. Back to our friends running the

boat. I'll show you a map of the island. To put it in context. We came across from over  here somewhere to Soby and we spent overnight   about there and then went to Marstal, caught  the ferry up to Rudkobing and we went all up   to Lohans and cycled all the way back.  Went across the bridge then on the ferry  

to Drejo. Now we're going to go back to there  and then we're going to go up here somewhere I think. There's a bigger map of Drejo. We arrived  here. Cycled up here, got something to eat, went   down to these cabins and the beach. This morning  we cycled up and we went along this straight road.   Across that sort of marsh causeway right to the  cliffs at the end. Then all the way back again.  

So we haven't done all the island but it's lovely.  In fact, most of Denmark has a very calm feeling.   There was a lot of traffic when we're going around  Hamburg and then all the way up to Flensburg on   the border. Then when you get into Denmark traffic  faded away a bit. It might have just been the time   of the day when we arriving. Certainly, on the  first part of our cycle it was quite smelly.   Smell of poo, cow poo, pig poo. It might just  be the time of year when they're mucking out   getting ready, clearing everything out ready for  the winter. Muck spreading. Above me I can hear   the flag fluttering in the breeze. The Danish  cycling infrastructure is second to none and  

puts us in the shade. Their picnic areas -  and so much is done on trust. I mean those   places we stayed last night. If you find them  free and they're available get on this app, book them, which we did, and I think it cost  us something like £14, which was reasonable.  

If that was in England there'd be beer bottles  strewn everywhere and it be set on fire within   a week I reckon. So many of the things are  selling by the side of the road rely on honesty boxes. I can vouch that the sea was lovely  one you're in. Very shallow, nice and sandy. Go for a wander. Found the marina. There's Molly. Don't know where they're  all from. There seems o be a fair   few German boats sailing out of Kiel.  It's a yachtsman's paradise around here. [Music] I'll walk you right to the end and take a  shot of Ruthers before he crashes off into the water. There's a swallow.

You think they' put something here - I suppose  that's deeper water in there. Looking back at that Hojestene. Waiting for us to pop on board.  This looks like the crab cabin so they can   come crabbing. I've just looked over the edge and  there are a lot of crabs in that can go catching  

them I don't know, it looks like you can eat them  probably - you can take them there and they cook   them up - they're too small to eat now fisherman  looks like you can doesn't it. Around here you can take your little trolley  - wheeling stuff in and out. Goodbye to Drejo. Got back to Svendborg it's quite hard  pushing a heavy bike with your left [Music] hand. That's the view from our overnight tonight.  Just looking at the cattle in the water meadows.  

Over to the lake. The area around here is quite  clayey - the soil. There's a brick works just   up the corner and the managing director  of the brick works back in the late 19th   century built the house and I think we're in  the orchard here. There's apples. We're just   having a beer. Apples and pears and just  through here you can see - I'll give you   a glimpse of the house. I don't want to spoil  their but you can see it. Lovely isn't it? The tower. There's two trains here. We're off   to Odense and there's the other  train heading on to Svendborg.

We're having an ice cream in Odense.  We went to Goodis - Goody Goody Yum Yum. Got the sun in his eyes on the way back. I didn't know you could go in there.  

Hi there Peter! Peter the Potter pottering  around in his garden. Wow look at all these. Here we go. Peter collects pots. It's  not Odense. The D is a soft The Danish don't   have a oh. This is our ,we put the lights on,  oh it's warm in here isn't it, kitchen. Sofa. [Music] Morning [Music] [Music] [Music] Coming   into Faaborg. Flag. That's where the rich people  can stay not like the rest of us [Music] So after Drejo we went there.

Here we took the railway   line to Odense and back down again to  Stenstrup. This morning we down Faaborg around there [Music] Horne - go down there to Fynshav. So we made it back to our campsite. There's the  van - still safe - hopefully, it'll start. We got  

back at what time 4:40? 4:40 - 20 to 5. I thought  before I forget - what wouldn't I take next time?   I took three battery charges of which I needed one  battery pack. I thought the children were going   to require more. I took a tripod I didn't use  that's quite handy for the GoPro. I took another   tripod - little handheld tripod I didn't use. I  took too many cables because I was in a rush. When  

we left grabbed a load because I thought the kids  will probably want them. We took lights but we   didn't use them but that's just to be on the safe  side. I took a long pair of trousers that I didn't   use. I got a spare pair of underpants, I got a  spare pair of socks, I got a spare shirt. I only   broke the hoodie out today, which I could have  got away with. I don't think if I was traveling in   summer I would take the light sleeping bag. I took  a quilt as my wife does get a bit chilly. I would  

just make do with the quilt because can zip it up  like a sleeping bag. What else wouldn't I take?   I've got a pair of waterproof trousers, that as at  last time we didn't wear. Other than that - we've   eaten our way through the food. We got a few bits  left as you always do just in case. We got the  

straps to keep the lids on there and that's all  ready for if we had any breakages we could strap   it up. We broke a pole on our tent. Rather, I  broke a pole on the tent. So that's a £40 quid   to repair. If anyone likes to send me some money  that would be great, or replacement pole. The kids   bikes held up - we didn't have any punctures  which was lovely. They were all very good so   hats off to Richard at The Oxford Bike Works  for our bikes and also to Shaun in the village   for giving a service to the kids bikes - just to  make sure - the wheel bearings and everything - he   took them all apart and put new chains on and  made sure we had new brakes and everything   was super duper. I took a helmet wore it a bit but  generally didn't wear a helmet. Last time we were   in Holland got very trolled by some people mainly  the Dutch, or certain elements of the Dutch,   for why we were wearing helmets and being very  rude. In Denmark helmets seem to be worn - I   would have said probably 60:40 people wearing  helmets. Obviously the more you're in the town  

the more likely people are to wear helmets. Is  Denmark flat? No. If you're on a road bike great.   If you are really lightweight touring and we're  not - we're comfort touring - you're probably   okay. With a trailer - that was hard work -  I mean it's undulating countryside so yeah,   can get a bit, a bit hard. I think I walked up a  couple of hills. So what else wouldn't we take?   One thing we did take that I thought was good was  the flat pack 5 L water container so we had enough   water overnight when we needed it. The Dutch are  taking - it was them in the camper van - they've  

just arrived back - they've just gone and they're  off are they - or they're going to put.... ah,   same as us. So we're just going to put the tents  up now and then have a shower and reacquaint   ourselves with civilization and then probably pop  out for a pizza or some nice nosh. Well that's our   broken pole. Fortunately, I had a repair section  and the ubiquitous gaffer tape, which held up so   far. If anyone from Wild Country or Terranova is  watching you'd like to send us a replacement - I   don't know 8mm section, or better still, a whole  new pole section. A marvellous tent. We got the  

Hoolie 3 etc ,which has the little bit extra  out the front for your gear. The kids are just   in the straightforward Hoolie. Both of which we  picked up second hand because we're not rich. So   what have I got in my panniers? In this side I've  got my sit mat that helps waterproof and protect   there. On the other side in the gauze, which  is used for drying out I got my the good old,   what are they called - Crocs. In the back I've  got my wash kit and towel and the other side   I've got - I don't know what I've got in there  might well be waterproofs. In the side I've got  

a tool kit and then we've got clothes in  one side and tech. In then the other side   I've got sleeping system and in the trailer you  can see I use my Karrimat sleeping mat and that   not only protects things but stop things making  a noise when they are bouncing around. It helps   keep things waterproof. We got the kids sleeping  mats at the back. We try and pack over the wheels.   We've got an Ortleib waterproof bag that has all  our sort of communal kit for cooking, stoves and   mess tins and bits and pieces. Then when you go to  conferences and you walk around picking up these  

bags they're really handy for just prepping  outside. So I know the beige one has biscuits in.   The white one has all coffee bags, hot chocolate,  tea. Orange bag has bread and bits and pieces and   then the blue bag it's that's breakfast breakfast  bag. There's our water bags and more water bags.   We didn't really fill up the trailer. You could  have put more in but of course it's obviously  

heavy. Then in here is our cool bag which is a  Sainsbury's job for about 4 quid. We brought some   salted butter with us which has kept okay. We do  bring a little bottle of olive oil and a little   tiny bottle of washing up liquid with us as well.  For breakfast we had Danish bacon and eggs. We   brought our own mixed-up porridge and then as  we going out every day we managed to buy some   milk as well. So it didn't take us long to get the  old site up. I'm going to nip up to the reception   and settle up for the next couple of nights.  'I'm just going to let that down reduce down.'

Now we're back in civilization, waiting for  dinner to cook, watching Simon Bloke in the   Woods on YouTube - catching up what he's been  doing. Now they're all up in the kitchen cooking   dinner. 'Spice in as well ...' Andy from Kent  Survival. ' It's got and cloves and onion and   garlic and cumin in..' I'm wrapped up  like this to try and stop the [Music] mosquitoes . Walked down to the fjord and  swimming area. It's absolutely mill pond   calm. Look at. It's about 9:00pm I think  and I'm just going to be tucking into to   my pudding which is a Sainsburys rice  pudding, which is using up the last of   the food it just happened to be in the  van so that's my pudding for tonight.

Lavatory we say in our family.  What did you buy? What are they?   Like caramel wafers. Butter biscuits  are they? You got a hot one? We got [Music] two. [Music] Interesting version of 'Frere Jaques' there. Gets  a bit thin around here I don't want to drop the

camera. We've just been to  the art gallery. 15 euros that was. Sunday morning breakfast time  in Kampen - stinky smell of cigarettes. Signs on the wall there - undergrund  - overground wombling free..

[Music]

2025-01-24 17:36

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