The journey home

Copenhagen to Flensburg

We booked our rail tickets to Flensburg the day we arrived in Copenhagen. There were problems however because for the last month there have been engineering works on that line and bikes could not be transported on the replacement buses. We were assured that the work would finish at 5pm on Monday 4th August. Our train would leave at 6.30.
When the train arrived for boarding there was no carriage for bikes and the train was only going to Esbjerg. As we were running up and down the platform to find our carriage we were forced to get on by the guard.
Whilst travelling on the train the conductor checking our tickets informed us that the work had overrun! Change at Kolding but not sure if the bikes could go. Aaargh. This train linked with the night train to Copenhagen.
Things didn't look good. But worse was to come. The conductor suddenly approached us and told us to get off the train now at Odense and catch the next train to Fredericia which leaves platform 5 in 4 minutes! In Fredericia there will be transport for us. We caught the train and there was indeed a 60 seater coach with trailer just for Derek and I!

Magnificent Danish Rail service.
We duly reached Flensburg, caught the night train with 12 minutes to spare and eventually made it home.

Highlight of our journey - Roskilde and the History Museet in Copenhagen.

Lowlight - The NE wind, Lauenburg and the 40 mile track alongside the Elbe to Lubeck Canal.

Monday 4th August

Last day + 2,3 and 4
Copenhagen to Carlisle.

This is It folks, our last blog covering the next 3 days!
Tremendous thunderstorm during the night and woke up to heavy rain. Packed bags, checked out and planned walk in the rain to visit Vor Frelsers Kirke.  Exciting experience at first as we walked down main shopping street again, but this time with a purpose. I needed an umbrella.

 Mission accomplished - Derek chose the cagoule and wet trousers option - arrived at the church to find the spiral tower closed owing to bad weather.

We did however enjoy the huge ornate 17th century organ supported by two elephants (Dead).

Back to hotel before we leave for our final meal ( as long as it costs less than our remaining 205 kroner) and our journey home.
We catch the train at 18.35 and arrive in Amsterdam tomorrow at 10.30.
Then quick visit to Rijksmuseum followed by bike ride to Ijmuiden to catch the Newcastle Ferry. Final train to Carlisle, shake hands, then find our own way home.

Day - 13 Sunday 3rd August

Final Day +1
Copenhagen

After enduring a minimum temperature of 21 degrees throughout the night Derek woke two stone lighter and desperate for a cold shower. A leisurely breakfast was taken in the hotel where we witnessed the bloke on the table next to us stuffing his rucksack with enough food for a coach party.

Free entry on a Sunday ensured a morning visit to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Sculpture Museum. It opened at 11 so we walked to the town hall square where we saw a statue of Hans Christian Anderson.

We were second into the museum which housed an incredible collection of ancient and modern sculptures.

Following this we went to the National Museet where we were astounded by the vast collection of prehistoric Danish artefacts. The majority of which had been preserved in bogs.
Then we made our way down the famous pedestrianised shopping street (boring) to Nyhavn where we parted with yet another shed load of money for an hour's boat trip round the harbour and canals.

A long hot walk back to the hotel was followed by cold shower. Derek then decided at 18.05 that he wanted to find 'the bridge' linking Copenhagen to Malo.  With no map, no directions and only a finger pointing idea of where it was, we set of 'enthusiastically'.
5.1 miles later we arrived at Copenhagen Strand from where we observed a splendid but distant view of said bridge.

I am still trying to work out how Derek managed to make the journey back last 8 miles! However we did have splendid stop beside river for pizza and beer. A final beer in the hotel lobby lubricated our brains enough to write this blog.

Day 12 - Saturday 2nd August.

Final Day (apart from the last 4 days)
Roskilde to Copenhagen
23.8 miles (+9.3)

Woke up to a glorious, sunny and dry morning. Leisurely start as we only had 20+ miles to complete our trip. Made use of the excellent campsite facilities by making coffee and preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Finally on the way by 8.45 and Derek led us,straight as a die along the Roskilde to Copenhagen dual carriageway to the steps of the Central Station.
That completed our journey of 726 miles door to door.
We sorted out our train tickets for Monday's trip to Flensburg which despite a few anxious moments we are able to make entirely by train.
Our hotel ( Cabinn) was easily located and check in was accomplished although at first our room was only booked for one person. Once sorted out we viewed the room which true to the hotels name was just a cabin, almost identical to cabin on our ferry from Newcastle apart from the windows. The room does have beds though and towels that dry you.

Parked bikes and bags at the hotel and went for an exploratory walk culminating in a small bar where we had our beer of the day - Tuborg.

We showered and changed then went for 9.3 mile bike tour of the city where we had experience of:

1. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotec

2. Slotsholme (Parliament)

3. Nyhavn

4. Borsen

5.Kongens Nytorv

6 Amalienborg (Royal Palace)

7. Kastellet

8.National Museet

9. Den Lille Havfrue (Mermaid)

Derek is a happy man.

All he has to do now is climb up a 6ft ladder to the top bunk close to the ceiling where the temperature will be hotter than the 28 degrees it currently is outside. He can lie all night in his personal sauna.

Day 11 - Friday 1st August

Praesto to Roskilde
57 miles

Disaster. Another puncture but this time in my mattress so no sleep. Got up at 05.45 and by making as much noise as I could, successfully woke Derek. Pedals turning by 07.15. Followed route 56 to Koge through a magical mystery land undulating meadows with hares and deer constantly crossing our path. 34 miles later, at Koge, stopped for refreshments. While standing by a statue of Frederick VII we were accosted by the local historian and given a potted and idiosyncratic version of Danish history.
Set off again but were diverted from the track into a dead end. We eventually untangled the mess and got back on our route to Roskilde. On arrival headed straight for the Viking Ship Museum and handed over shed loads of money for admission. Lunch consisted of viking flat bread. This is where archaeologists had discovered 9 viking ships that had been deliberately sunk to block the harbour in case of attack. Pretty interesting stuff.

Derek insisted on dragging me up hill to town for yet more culture. This the Dom which I must admit was a magnificent building.

 Our peaceful visit viewing 35 royal tombs was somewhat shattered by a demented organist.
A swift return down the hill then round the bay brought us to the campsite of the trip at Vigen Strand. Pitched the tents a few metres from the sea with a great view across the bay  to Roskilde.

 Made use of outstanding facilities to shower then beer of the day which was - Sempe Ardens Wiener.

Day 10 Thursday 31st July

Puttgarden to Praesto
54 miles

In true Cavendish style, on the morning sprint to the toilet block, Derek came to grief in the gravel trap. Injuries sustained won't keep him out of the tour, but have denied him yet another stage win and ensured that I retained the yellow jumper.

 Arrived at the ferry with medical support   (Savlon) to witness amazing roll on, roll-off system. 15 minutes turn around for a fair sized ferry, which incidentally also takes high speed train as we learnt to our cost later. We were the only cyclists. We had to park our bikes on their stands - nowhere to strap them to - in front of a double trailer HGV.

We were allowed to disembark first but were told to pull off to the side until all the vehicles were away. We saw what we thought was the ferry guy waving us on and set off into the path of the boarding intercity train which sounded its horn at us. Having survived this experience we set out on Danish route 7.

Glory be! For the first time this trip we had a following wind and fairly sped along to Sakskoving where we had a sandwich break and our first encounter with the Danish cost of living.
Onwards we sped crossing an enormous but somewhat dilapidated bridge across the water to Vordingborg. Here whilst stopped at traffic lights our personal guides picked us up (an elderly couple who stopped behind us) and escorted us into town and gave us directions to route 56.
Before moving on we had time for yet another cultural experience. The second of the trip after Lubeck. We visited Vordingborg Castle the seat of powerful kings in the middle ages such as Valdemar the Victorious. He resided in the ' Goose Tower' which still stands and is the best medieval tower in the whole of Scandinavia.

Cycled on looking for campsite which we found at (Hey) Praesto. On enquiring whether they had wifi the old geezer running the spot said yes. We duly signed in and paid. I asked for the code and he informed us he didn't have wifi. B-----d! Hence late blog. Compensations were first use of camping seats and beer from the supermarket to drink while sitting in them for a relaxing two hours. I must be going soft!

Beer of the day - Svaneke Blonde. (Brewed in Bryghus (or should that be Brighouse?)

Day 9 Wednesday 30th July

Ivendorf to Putgarten
74 miles

We woke wondering whether there would be more self inflicted torture to endure. We were not disappointed. It was good to get a view of the Baltic.

(Smart alec Derek says it's our second view, the first being in Newcastle).
The bikes coped well with the Olympic mountain bike course over the cliffs beyond Travemunde. (NB. The Ostsee Coastal Route isn't flat, isn't paved or tarmac, isn't adequately signed and is not necessarily dry.

After cycling for two hours in the rain - and did we mention the constant head wind?- it brightened and we stopped for lunch. Derek dipped his toes in the Ostsee (Baltic). I would have done but for the stretch of sand between me and the water.

Derek of course cycled with sand in his shoes for the rest of the day.
We then stuck in and cycled against the elements to the island of Fehmarn.

Still following no signs on Ostsee route we were 5 miles short of Puttgarden when for the first time I started to fall behind Derek and realised that I was cycling on the rims of my front wheel. Derek, blissfully unaware of this event, disappeared although he did eventually come back in time to take a picture of the roadside repair.

I did get my own back when on reaching the campsite at Puttgarden I gave him back his once pristine but now folded and shredded map.
By now you know the routine......

Wolters Pilsener