Rain, rain, go away

Saturday

Sunday

And the forecast for Kristiansand on Tuesday is…..thunder,lightning and wind – ughhh! So I will stay an extra day in Skagen and go to Norway on Wednesday.

In the meantime here’s a tour of Skagen and surrounds in the rain. This is the original, ancient, lighthouse, the bucket would be filled with burning wood or coals. Not surprisingly, it has burnt down a few times.

Up from there is the start of Germany’s WWII bunker defenses that stretched down to Spain.

But where solid concrete meet fluid sand and sea, it loses. You can also see the tip of Denmark that shifts 10 metres every year

One bunker is now a museum.

One stark fact sheet inside the bunker lists military deaths, civilian deaths and holocaust deaths by country. 16,2 million civilian Chinese were killed. 16.07% of Poland’s population were killed, mostly in the holocaust. New Zealand lost 11,900 – all military.

On a brighter note, this is a danish landmark – the buried church, which isn’t actually buried. Instead the nave was demolished but the tower left standing as it is a was a good landmark for ships.

Top tip of Denmark

I’ve finally reached the Tiptop (oops i meant) top tip of Denmark. It is marked by the crowd of tourists dipping their toes into the two seas.

Here’s a closer look. Funny how postcards always show it without people

Skagen’s population goes from 8,900 to 50,000 in the summer. But just go down the west coast a few kilometers and this is the view

Oh and this is the newer lighthouse ( hasn’t burnt)

And now back south to the ferry

It was quite emotional leaving Skagen. It was like having looked thru a window where the golden summers of my younger self were played out.

It is easy to why so many Norwegians, Swedes and Germans come here to holiday, yet you can get so easily away from the crowds. At least here one other person was enjoying the beach

Denmark also has these wonderful hiking/biking shelters hidden in the forests. Just bring a sleeping bag and food…

Most of today was like this. But photography is wonderful as you don’t see the father and two sons behind me drinking beers. They were death metal fans with the father and sons vying with each other to have the most rings in their ears, noses and lips!

Hirstals

Sometimes one can be lucky, after a pleasant ride to Hirtshals, the sky once again opened up with rain and thunder. But there is an upside to rain, I found this wonderful little cafe/bar where I could wine away the time watching the Tour de France.

The next morning was all sun and calm, probably because I wasn’t cycling, instead just wandering around the harbor.

Dried fish the old fashioned way

Next stop is the ferry to Norway. Ferries here are on a huge scale with 4 transport decks for dozens and dozens of camper vans, trucks, cars and 2 cycle tourists. One German and one Kiwi – both clearly do not know something everyone else knows…

Kristiansand

I’ve arrived and am very promptly poor. I had been warned about the high costs in Norway. But still wasn’t prepared. Money disappears in a vapour. I checked out the relative cost to NZ by using the McDonalds index. A big Mac, medium fries and medium coke was about $22. But you’ve got to admit the McDonalds is classy

Still, Kristiansand has some lovely spots.

There’s even a sand sculpture display on with some incredible work

More of the sculptures in the photos area..

Before the storms arrive

Two superb sunny days in a row. Quelle surpris! Thursday was mostly a tourism promo for a cycling holiday in Norway with calm winds and a perfect mix of road and off road trails. The scenery was so engaging, it was a few kilometres before I realised that I was heading north and not west. Next time a GPS! The day was a mix of lakes.

And sea

Not to mention the fjords

I dutifully stopped for lunch in Mandal, even stopped in the village of Ime (family tree stuff).

Even visited the church but couldn’t find the great grand parents graves (sorry farmor).

I’m not sure which is worse, struggling uphill over gravel paths, or doing 55kph down them – quite white knuckle with a loaded touring bike

It’s funny how encounters can be. Just when I started feeling sorry for myself and tired, I met two young Norwegian girls who started out from Nord Cap (top of Norway) and now 29 days later where finishing their journey at the southern tip of Norway.

Tonight I’m camping out somewhere in the forest next to a mountain stream. It is amazing how standing waist deep in cold water can rejuvenate one’s legs.

BUT…. the forecast for the next three days is very heavy rain starting tomorrow morning sometime- there are flood warnings out for the area so I think I shall high tail it to the railway some 40 kilometres away and hole up in Stravanger for those days – we’ll see.

On to Snartemo (love that name)

The day started with a wonderful 3 k downhill run, so much easier than yesterday’s 3 k uphill. As ever the views were good.

Then a break(fast) at Harry’s Bakery – not many places open at 6am

I followed the river upstream for some 35 k with the only people around being fly fishermen.

I am amazed at the number of waterfalls everywhere and the constant sound of water cascading. Along the way were houses tucked against towering cliffs.

Finally I reached Snartemo and this wonderful sculpture. It just needed a Nordic God to come and claim the sword.

And finally the railway. The station is in a valley gap in the mountains where the railway emerges from one 8 k tunnel before re-entering another 9 k tunnel less than a kilometre later.

A sad day for Norway

The events in Oslo are truly horrible. There is very much a sense of shock – why here?

Stavanger

The weather like the mood is sombre. This weekend was supposed to be the Gladmat Food Festival. This is the largest food festival in the Nordic countries with all sorts of wonderful food.

Including this full spit roasted cow. But in sympathy to the events in Oslo, the festival was cancelled. As one stall holder put it to me, “so we lose a little money, that is nothing compared to what happened”.

I’m not sure what all the 6,000 people on board the two cruise boats would now do, although later in the day I could hear any entertainer on one of the boats exhorting people on the ship’s sun deck that “it’s fun to be at the Y.M.C.A”. I don’t think I could do that. Instead I lit a candle in the church

Next week Stavanger hosts the Tall Ships race, hopefully things will be better then.

It is funny how, when you are spending most of the time outdoors, that rain doesn’t matter as much as when one spends most of the time indoors. Stavanger.

I like Stavanger, while North Sea Oil is its main source of income (so I’m told), it has many lovely spots.

Pining for the Fjords

What to do with another rained out day? Go cruise the fjords of course! We left the harbor, again filled with tourists from the next cruise boat (Queen Elizabeth) and we zipped out to the fjords.

I’ve upgraded my rating of Norway from lovely to spectacular, even the “bachs” have grass roofs.

In the photo below is pulpit rock (little rock up in the centre). To give a sense of scale, Pulpit Rock is at 604 metres elevation.

The scale of the fjords is “super sized”. The ferry below has two full size coaches (buses) on it. You can see the top of a camper van on the left part of the deck.

After the cruise – yes it absolutely poured with rain and I got soaked again……

Spot the Difference

Here’s a pop quiz. Can you spot the differences between the two photos ?

As a hint it’s due to the continued presence of this

Advice from the road

A word of advice, when traveling by oneself, on a bicycle, far from home, feeling tired and with inclement weather…… Do NOT listen to country music.

If the weather is dry, whatever you need is within easy reach at the top of your pannier bags. If it is raining, it will be at the bottom of the third bag you dig thru.

When someone, who drives a car, tells you “it’s only 10 kilometers” add an extra 15 kilometers.

The weather forecast is always wrong – except when it says it will rain.

There is a often misquoted cycling saying. “For every uphill there is a downhill”. The real saying is “Every uphill is an uphill”.

Another saying “it’s always darkest before dawn” does not apply in Norway during the summer months.

In Denmark, “hill” means you go over a bump in the road. In Norway it means you will climb 500 metres with 6 hairpins over the next kilometer and then you will reach the mountain.

In Norway, a breeze is, a breeze. In Denmark it is a force 10 headwind..

You will pass at least a dozen really nice places to camp during the morning, but none in the afternoon.

Farewell to Norway

Well the forecast isn’t good for west Norway so I’ve decided to head south for (hopefully) sunnier climes. There was a wonderful fog, no not in my mind, but all over Stavanger

So it was onto the train to Kristiansand. A Brooks saddle is very comfortable but doesn’t compare to a cushioned railway seat. As we passed thru fjords, I did feel guilty but it quickly passed.

By the way, what do the hundreds of Norwegian Railway tunnels have in common with New Zealand Rugby? – they are both All Black . Okay I apologize for that really bad joke.

This, below, is the fish market in Kristiansand. I discovered it by following the smell of smoked fish, no Gps involved, just smell.

Finally after one torrential downpour, it was back on the ferry to Hirtshals.

Starting Southwards

This is the lighthouse at Hirstals. What the photo doesn’t show are the dozens of WWII German bunkers that surround it.

For much of the day I was cycling thru woods on tracks, which is so much nicer than roads.

However there was a wonderful section of the North Sea Cycle Way that truly lived up to its name.

Yes, for 15k the “Cycleway” was on the beach – a truly fantastic experience. And at both ends were the Danish equivalent of the England bathhouse.

According to the sign at Lokken, there are about 485 of these that are allowed on the beach during the summer, then stored elsewhere for winter.
By the way, the sky turned blue during the day!

Still southward

Breakfast is an important part of the day- or so all the Cereal Companies keep telling you. So, dutifully, I had breakfast – of a cyclist’s kind.

Yes, tea and, no pun intended – well maybe, Danish. And so it was onward, the route followed old German defense roads.

Until I had climbed a Danish mountain ( in Norske a bump).

Along the coast are the Remains of many German defense bunkers and gun emplacements It is stupid really how nations do not Learn. Only a couple of years after avoiding the French Magenot line, the Germans built their own one. At least today this bunker has been put to good use.

Okay – it is now a gents and ladies! This next photo is simply a gratuitous photo of grain ripening. It is here purely because I’ve gone thru so many fields.

They’re back!!! Invading the landscape.

And finally, to finish the day as it started. Food I’m talking about. Here is dinner accompanied by pure spring water – plus natural brewed homeopathic ingredients.

Lemvig

By now I was retracing the route I had taken north, the long road from Agger to the ferry wasn’t quite so far as the wind was at least from the side, although the ferry itself decided to entertain with a little rock n roll.

I now headed to Lemvig stopping at some ancient remains or burial mounds. One of which turned out to be a water tank.

It was here my helmet gave it’s life to save my bike. While I was admiring the view, my bike and panniers ( all 46 kilos) fell upon and attacked my helmet, ending its long life.

In Lemvig I had a welcome respite from camping, staying with Nancy for the night.

Thank you Nancy!

In Lemvig there is an unusual planetarium, all outdoors and at a scale of 1:1 billion. This is the sun

And this is the earth

To reach Pluto ( I know not a planet anymore) you need a car as it is a long distance.

And now onto Esbjerg to complete the full length of Denmark.

Europe '11

Wanderings around Northern Europe