Denmank next June - first tour

[steady eddy]

My wife wants an active holiday next year (early June probably) and has suggested that we go cycling in Denmark. The ferry bit seems easy enough, except it only wants to book one bike for two adults, but I guess a phone call to the help desk will sort that. Harwich is a short train ride away so we can get started without spending a lot of time cycling through England. Then what? Do we turn north or south out of Esbjerg. To the south Ribe seems recommended. To the north lots of windswept coast - plenty of that here in Norfolk. There is a national route which crosses South Jutland to the Baltic. For some unexplainable reason I have always wanted to go to the Baltic. Do we book accommodation before we go or turn up and hope. We would prefer not to camp as we really don't need to buy another tent and we would prefer to travel a little lighter, but haven't ruled it out. The reluctant alternative I suppose is to put the big tent plus bikes in the car and find a central base to explore from by bike each day as there seem to be a lot of really good campsites.

Is it as expensive as the Lonely Planet guide suggests and will it rain a lot?

Answers please so we can start planning

[davegtt]

I booked the Harwich Ferry last week for 4 of us, I tried to do it via the online chat thing but was told I had to ring up. its £5 extra for each bike you take onboard but the call was quick and painless

We leave in April and Im hoping not to worry about the rain, maybe I should be if you are in June.

As for where to cycle I can't help out there although Im interested myself. Think we'll be heading north as we want to get the ferry to Helsingborg (£20 each - bargain).

From the research Ive done so far camping seems to be a very convenient way to spend your time in Denmark, if you are only going for a couple of weeks why not look to buy just a cheap 2 man tent that doesnt weigh much? Otherwise Id expect it to start becoming a costly trip.

Good luck and I'll follow this thread with interest

[syklist]

The North Sea Cycle Route (NSCR) in Denmark (west coast of Jutland from the border to Fredrikshavn) is actually rather nice. The best bits are at the top and Skagen is worth an afternoon (assuming it is sunny). See
http://mistymornings.net/travel/2006/travelogue/day01.html and
http://mistymornings.net/travel/2009/travelogues/dedkno/day08_1.html

If you want to keep costs down in Denmark you can try using the network of free camp spots. These are generally quite basic, some do not even have a water supply however all the ones we've used have access to water and most had access to toilets. The one we used in Grenaa had a toilet close by and you could take a shower in the public showers at the marina in the harbour. See http://www.teltpladser.dk/

Campsites in Denmark are getting a bit expensive for us, last summer we paid 25-30 ukp for two adults and a tent on several occasions. Most are of a very high standard and have kitchens where you can cook and keep warm if the weather is not so nice. We have never had to book in advance when camping.

Speaking of the weather, we have had storms on the two previous occasions we have done the route but on both occasions they blew over quite quickly. Headwinds can be a challenge on the Danish NSCR in Denmark particularly in the places where the route is basically straight. On the other hand a strong tailwind in the straight bits is a lot of fun. Short heavy summer showers are also possible, it is best to take cover in such situations, or use a storm shelter to hide under until the rain eases. Generally the weather has been fine on our trips to Denmark. YMMV.

We have cycled across Jutland on two occasions, (Padborg to Tønder and Ribe to Kolding) these routes were OK but not as interesting as the coastal routes. Ribe is worth a visit if you like old towns and history. Although the campsite is very expensive. We have also done all of the East side of Jutland and the Baltic coast in Germany from Flensburg to Sassnitz. The East coast (Route 5) is considerably more demanding than the West coast of Jutland. We didn't enjoy the Baltic coast route in Germany for various reasons. The big problem was that there were were plenty of very rough cycle tracks which slowed progress. The other problem is that there has been a lot of tourist development in places which means you have to cycle through crowds of people or choose to cycle on busy roads. It was also a question of expectations: we were hoping that the Baltic coast would be nice and quiet like the German North Sea coast.

As regards tents, I would suggest a three man tent which can be pitched outer first. 4kg max weight.Three man tents are usually only 2-300g heavier than the two man version but you get a lot more extra space for the extra weight. I would take a tent which can withstand high winds just in case you get a storm. In 2012 we had storms on the Baltic sea route which were as strong as the ones we've had on the Danish West coast.

[greyhead]

At the end of September last year I did a solo tour from Esbjberg, island hopping along the Baltic to Copenhagen. Not being in my first flush of youth I took it very easily with lots of sight-seeing and staying in modest hotels and B&Bs at Ribe, Aabenraa (still struggling to pronounce!), Faaborg, the island of Aero, Rudkobing, Maribo and Nykobing Falster. From there, leaving my bike safely in the host's basement, I actually took the long distance Eurobus (very reasonable price) to Berlin (where my son was doing the marathon) to join my family for 5 days. On my return I stayed again one night in Nykobing Falster and, as I was running out of time, took the train up to Copenhagen where I stayed overnight, did the usual sights and then took the train back to Esbjerg. Trains in Denmark very cycle friendly, as is the whole country.
I used a DFDS package which included the hotel in Copenhagen - this was really intended for motorists so I had to call their customer service to book and explain why my bike didn't have a registration number! The hotel/B&B costs were quite reasonable (although I did spend quite a time on the internet finding the best/cheapest and most interesting options) and it would obviously work out much cheaper per head with two sharing.
In total, including the Baltic crossing, I made 9 ferry crossings.
Perhaps the end of September is not the best time for weather as I experienced quite a bit of rain. Normally the prevailing winds are from the west but I was treated to easterly gales (F9) especially on the beautiful island of Aero. The "season" in these islands tends to finish at the end of August (the locals obviously know about the autumnal weather) so many places were closed. It was, however, a fascinating trip with many interesting old towns and much to be recommended.
If you want more information regarding the B&Bs and hotels please feel free to send me a PM.

[foxyrider]

Denmark is a great place to cycle.

One thing to bear in mind if you are going to camp on 'proper' sites is the compulsory camping carnet scheme - its not expensive but its a good idea to sort it before you go.

http://www.danishcampsites.dk/Camping+i ... g_card.htm

I've done the islands a couple of times - the Baltic coastline is quite varied and offers loads of options for camping and sightseeing with well marked cycle routes.

An alternative to B&B or camping are the camping sheds offered at many campsites, take your own bedding but no tent! Some even have small kitchens and cooking gear included. On some of the smaller sites you might find the communal kitchen even have some free food supplies!

[Bogawski]

Steady,
I've looked at the Denmark option quite a lot over the last couple of years and I always thought I would hug the North Sea coast out of Esberg and go north as far as possible then maybe catch the ferry to Norway. Looks interesting, nice if the weather is nice.
Have a good trip.

[Vorpal]

There are numerous previous threads on the forum about Denmark. Here are a few...

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=10378
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=59109
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=70655

Sticking 'touring denmark' or 'tandem tour denmark' in the search window might turn up a few more.

Denmark is a really good place for cycle touring. If you go early in June, before schools let out, it's probably safe to not book ahead. Ask at the tourist information, and you might find some less expensive places to stay (country B&B style). After the schools let out (earlier in Denmark than the UK), it will be harder (but not necessarily impossible) to find spontaneous lodging.

Hostelling may be a good option. Danhostel, and independent hostels welcome people of all ages, and a few have family rooms that can be booked for much less than the cost of a hotel room. Rooms via the tourist information offices (or found by their signs at the ends of driveways) are the next cheapest places to stay.

Some things are expensive compared to the UK. If you want to holiday as if you were in the UK, you may find it rather expensive. If you modify your eating habits to be more like the locals', it's not as bad. Restaurants are expensive in Denmark. But even staying in hotels, it's possible to get at least a couple of meals a day from food bought in markets and supermarkets, instead of restaurants.

[onrbikes]

Is it not possible to just camp wild?

[foxyrider]

It may be possible on remote beaches but the country is heavily farmed and they aren't too keen on vagrants! There are plenty of camping / accomodation options and as its the OP's first tour it'll go better for all involved if there are specific sleeping spots to aim for with all that goes with that. If there weren't any camp grounds or other accomodation it would be a different matter.

More to the point, why would you want to deprive yourself of showers, kitchens, others company - a holiday is for relaxing not getting stressed.

[Vorpal]

Is it not possible to just camp wild?

We would prefer not to camp as we really don't need to buy another tent and we would prefer to travel a little lighter, but haven't ruled it out. The reluctant alternative I suppose is to put the big tent plus bikes in the car and find a central base to explore from by bike each day as there seem to be a lot of really good campsites.