Cycling the North Sea Route

We've made it - we're here in Bergen. Friday 20th August. 3,580 miles or 5,761 km

2010-08-20T20:36:00.000+01:00

Time to get email addresses from the cycle-campers we shared the campsite with on Tuesday night- a late start for us all after the rain of the night and morning ... then off the couple from Stuttgart go....

Then next to go is Jan (from Scotland - just in case you didn't get this from the photo!!) ...

Rainy Wednesday evening at Leirvik, and our hut for 350 Kr (about £37)

...Marrianne is in the hut next door to us ...

A view of Leirvik...

with an unusual 'sculpture' of steel with lots of small windmills...

The cycle path takes us around a road tunnel, with superb views over a fish farm...

I thought at first they were pumping oxygen into the fishpool - but no, it was fish leaping out of the water and glinting in the sunshine - amazing to watch.

Last ferry of the trip - half an hour to put our feet up and relax a little - nearly there....

By the time we were off the ferry both of us were suffering from legs that refused to cycle up hills - not quite sure why, but we both felt very pathetic!!!

Decided to find a hut or hotel after 26 miles - and this was the last room they had...

... and this was the view from the dining room where we had breakfast this morning.

The start of the clear out of our baggage before we fly home -no more camping now so Roger celebrates by chucking his Freegon and much mended stool out...

Not a very exciting or scenic route today - but most of the time easy to follow as we cycled on the cycle tack next to the main E39 into Bergen.

There is always another hill though - and a long gradual hill to negotiate about 8 miles out of Bergen - but a good view at the top to compensate us... Very mixed weather, but cooler today and drizzled from time to time on us..

... and finally we are actually here in Bergen ... packed out with people and traffic, and threatening to rain anytime soon ...

approx 40 km to Bergen, raining hard - Thursday evening - will we ever get there!!

2010-08-20T08:38:00.000+01:00

We're staying in an apartment like room at a hotel, up above the coastal town of Osoyro and about 40km or so from Bergen. For whatever reason both of us were absolutely knackered this afternoon - the legs just wouldn't work and there were lots of undulating hills - we are loosely following the E39 but the cycle track keeps taking you down to the coast and then back up to the road again, very frustrating. Other times you will be cycling along a cycle pathway at the side of the E39 and it suddenly runs out - and you are the wrong side of the armco barrier to get onto the road - so have to trudge over grotty long grassed verges with hidden ditches and holes etc until you can get back on the road.It started raining as w reached Osoyro so decided enough was enough, even though we have only cycled 26 miles today. The last room at the hotel, about £110 with breakfast (!!!) - but has a nice view over the sea!!! Roger is asleep in the chair now, after watching stupid American comedy programmes on the tv.

Yesterday was a very late start - rained hard all morning so didn't actually start cycling till about 1.30pm. Marianne(Swiss girl) arrived back at the campsite off the bus just as we were leaving - she had gone to Leirvik, the place we were heading to on our bikes that day, and bought a new tyre and inner tube - was going to fit in and then get back onto the road. An interesting cycle, hilly but enjoyable -but daggers in my back from the dirty looks Roger gave me when we cycled 2 miles the wrong way at a junction - there was no cycle sign, or road sign that had a name on it that was on the map we are using since I don't have the detailed route cards for this section. A couple of steep ups and downs, and we had to do them in reverse to get back to the junction again. Turns out Marrianne did the same thing as well, which makes me feel slightly better.
As has happened very frequently recently it started raining again this evening - and once again we were 10 minutes too late to get the tent up in the dry. Some huts at the campsite - only 350 so decided to have one - and we were very glad as it poured it down. Marrianne arrived later and was going to camp until Roger told her that the cabins were good value. Said our goodbyes to her this morning as she was taking a boat from Leirvik to Bergen as she had a hotel reservation for tonight there. We may well see her in Bergen as she is there for 3 days - and we WILL get there tomorrow- honest..... Feels a bit like a never ending dream somehow, and that we will never actually get there. Poor Roger still has his pulled muscle which is ok in the morning but hurting a lot by half way through the day - he insists he is going to cycle into Bergen though after coming all this way.
At least we are on the same land mass now as Bergen - we caught the last ferry of the trip today.

Have just booked 2 nights in a hotel in the centre of Bergen for Friday and Saturday night - Sunday we are booked in at a hotel near the airport. Monday afternoon we fly to Newcastle and pick up a hire car, one way hire for a day - need to drop it back off at Manchester airport the next day. Roger assures me the bikes and panniers will fit in .... we will wait and see. I can see a trip to the nearest Halfords coming up to buy the cheapest bike rack they have....

Friday morning - just had a massive breakfast with lovely views, now relaxing before cycling into Bergen. Photos not downloading quickly so will leave them till later.

Camped 100 km from Bergen, raining hard now. Wednesday morning, 18th August

2010-08-18T10:41:00.001+01:00

This photo was taken yesterday late afternoon, very hot and humid after a wet, grey and miserable start to the day. An unexpected campsite appeared after 32 miles of cycling - thought we had another 15 miles or so still to go. Roger's back still bothering him so decided to stop here - what a difficult decision to make ...... Very undulating terrain again which Roger really hates....
A very small little site at the side of a tiny marina - stood watching the jellyfish swimming around yesterday when we arrived - fascinating to watch. By a few hours later we had been joined by the German couple we camped with back at Flekkerfjord (from Stuttgard), Jan a lass from north of Cromarty, Scotland - lives on a farm not far from where the Nigg ferry should have gone from all those months ago. She flew over to Bergen a couple of days ago and is cycling south for 3 weeks, taking ferries and trains on the way. Have met a couple of different cyclists who have/are opting to miss out the Sweden and border area of Norway - taking the ferry to/from Denmark instead. Also Ann Marie, from Switzerland who has cycled a little below are radar along the same route as us, and the same time frame, from Kristiansand. She can't really miss us on the route because of our two bright orange tops ...... so has spotted us on and off all the way here. She had a bad day yesterday - a puncture she repaired followed very soon after by another. She was on her way to catch the ferry we needed to take yesterday- unfortunately we were well ahead of her, on an earlier ferry - so a guy stopped to help her and took her and the bike to the ferry, and then arranged for his daughter who lived at the place where the ferry went to, to collect her and drive her up to this campsite. Roger helped her find the small thorn in the tyre that was causing all the problems. There was a gazebo like tent with table and benches outside the cooking area and toilets, so we all congregated there last night to cook our meals etc. Then the rain started - really heavy and carried on, on and off since then. Hoping the weather will cheer up again before lunch time as it usually does - but not looking hopeful at the moment. Ann Marie has just arrived with her umbrella to tell us that the tyre has gone down yet again - she must be cycling very heavy as along with her umbrella, she has a barometer which she tells us has gone very low, plus a huge tool kit that Roger says would fill half of one of our panniers.

Not that many photos today as very similar undulating scenery to what we have been cycling through before. We had a relaxing day at Skudenshavn, but unfortunately when we cycled into the small town to explore the park there, minus the panniers, Roger pulled a muscle in his back which has been causing him a lot of pain when he moves - walking a bit like a crab at times .... Says not too bad when cycling, but for 24 hrs after he did it was very painful when he went over any sort of bump in the road.
Went to the park to see the Yes/No seat - a great way to elevate a very boring bench overlooking the sea -good marketing on someone's part - they say many a romance has blossomed here!!!

There is also a lump of rock in the park that is different to all the other rock round about. It is known locally as the Moon Rock, because it was believed to be a meteorite. It has been analysed though and is over 800,000 years old and is of the same type of rock as is found in the mountains to the east of Norway. It is thought to have been deposited by a glacier.

The night before last we camped at Haugesund, next to the monument to King Harald who unified Norway - the 20 odd smaller monuments around the main one represent the different areas that became united.

Roger smells his socks to see just how bad they are.....

Skudenshavn, Norway. Saturday 14th August (posting number 2)

2010-08-15T00:54:00.000+01:00

Tuesday night it rained hard overnight, and we spent the morning on a really bad internet connection that kept dropping out looking at flight options for getting home. Finally packed up and left by mid-day, so only an hour or so ahead of the time we stopped the day before!! In this photo you can see the main road in the distance, going straight u the side of the hill. This was the very bottom of the last hill we came down the night before.

A typical view for us - the cycle track leaving the paved road to off down an undulating with steep sections of gravel.

Must be one of the smallest churches????

View from the top of the first major hill of the day - 260m high. (from sea level). Think the grey structure you can see must be a dam wall? Before we plummeted back down to sea level once again - of course.......

Working our way down from the top of hill number 2, the high point of Norway if not the trip - 275m. You can see the sea glistening in the distance.

Back down at sea level, Jossingfjord. The site of The Altmart incident in the early days of WW2. Almost 2 months before German troops occupied the country this fjord was the scene of the first battle of the second world war on Norwegian territory. Late in the evening of 18th Feb (I think 1940), the German tanker, the Altmart was boarded by a party of Marines from the Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Cossack in Jossingfjord. On board the tanker were 299 captured British seamen, who were all freed in the dramatic rescue. Seven Germans were killed in the action. The Altmark had sailed as an auxillary with the German Pocket Battleship 'Admiral Graf Spree' in the South Atlantic. Throughout the autumn of 1939 the 'Admiral Graf Spree' had posed a constant threat to the British Merchant Marine. Surviving seamen from the sunken British traders were now on board the Altman, in transit to prison camps in Germany. The Altmart entered the security of (the neutral) Norwegian territorial waters north of Trondheim Fjord, giving every appearance of being a normal merchant ship. Despite British protests the prisoners were not discovered by the Norwegian authorities, who allowed the vessel to sail with a pilot and escort southwards down the coast. Two days later the Altmark was intercepted by Royal Naval vessels near Egersund. The British sought to capture the German tanker, which took shelter in Jossingfjord. The attack that took place was in clear violation of Norwegian Sovereignty but the Germans had deceived the Norwegian authorities by denying that the ship was carrying any prisoners, and also failing to make telegraphic contact with the Bergen war harbour on passing as required. The attack on the Altmark took place on the personal orders of the Minister of the Navy, Winston Churchill. The incident received big headlines in the Norwegian and international press, but it was later determined that the Norwegian authorities had conducted themselves by and large correctly (Norwegian view at least???) over the two days that the ship had been in their waters prior to the attack. The lack of Norwegian resistance to the Royal Naval action was strongly criticised by Germany, and historians believe the event sharpened Germany's interest in the Scandinavian countries. After this incident Germany could argue that Norway was incapable of defending her neutrality.

The accolade 'Jossing' has remained the fundamental term of praise for any Norwegian that has demonstrated determination to resist the occupational force. But it was first used as a derogatory term by the Norwegian National Socialist Party in relation to Norway's passivity during the Jossingfjord rescue attempt.

Along the side of the Jossingfjord, through blasted out tunnels

Two small wooden huts from long ago sheltering under the rock overhang - now a tourist attraction.

As you come round the corner at the head of the fjord you see where the road goes - up, up and up very quickly. See the tunnel half way up the rock face ...

... but what a view when we got up there. Managed to cycle virtually all the way up - but in the tunnel pitch black and steep uphill - neither of us could keep our balance without being able to see anything around us, so had to push the bikes up through the last half of the tunnel. 'Only' a 200m hill but in a very short distance.

Some bright spark had written lines in yellow up the hills today - at 300m to go, 200 m to go, 100m and 'topp' written once you had got to the top!! Perhaps to help the racers to know when to put a spurt on?

A late finish to the day, but very satisfying - managed to virtually cycle the whole of the three big hills. The view looking back up into the mountains from the valley bottom, with the hills still in the sunshine. Made even later because we had to do an extra couple of miles to find a shop open to get food for the evening - had not wanted to carry the extra weight with us up the hills!!!!

A delightful and very welcome campsite in a tranquil and green valley - there were three lots of us cycle campers packing up the next morning.

A fairly typical house style in this area ...

I liked the owls on a branch decorating the house.

A 'hippy' type community on the coast - could have whiled away the day sat there in the sun.

We sat for ages watching the salmon leaping out of the water in this spot - where the river meets the fjord. Some of the fish were huge and made dramatic splashes - often two or three leaps at a time like a large stone skimming the surface. Very spectacular - as long as you were looking at the right place at the right time - reminded us of Barry who kept missing the leaping fish when we were having lunch one day in Denmark. I have been told that the salmon don't go up the rivers until there is enough water in them - makes sense really.

I liked the idea of a ship instead of a tree house in this garden.

... and great to see an electric car plugged in and being charged.

Is this a sheep, or is it a friesian cow or a border collie in disguise???

The power of a honey buttie on a weary cyclist .....

Late in the day, rain threatening, and tough terrain - and Roger's tyre goes down. Attacked by small black biting flies as soon as we stopped ....

... and the power of a Snickers Bar to help us on our way ....

To give you some idea of the terrain we were cycling through at the time - gravel track, steep undulations etc - but hopefully we were very near the end of the 'hilly' part of the trip???

We didn't quite get to the campsite before the rain came - and rained all night and until 11 am or so the day after - so yet again another late start.

Left by mid-day - and a complete turn around of the weather to beautiful blue skies.

I loved the quality of this light - not really captured it as it was - would have been fabulous in a cathedral.

... not quite as hilly, but still challenging from time to time - this bridge had gaps between the planks - just wide enough for our tyres to fall into - ok for mountain bikes - they could cycle straight over it whereas we had to push.

What a fantastic sunset ... taken from our campsite overlooking the sea, beach and sand-dunes, with a lovely little fishing harbour next door.

Roger with Randolph, a Norwegian who had a caravan on the site. He used to be a very active cyclist and came to tell us all about the amazing distances and speeds he used to do in the many annual races eg. from Jossingfjord to Stavanger in just over 4 hours .... on a racing bike, on the main roads not the meandering route we have taken (probably 3 days worth of our cycling....) - he had seen us arriving at the campsite, late in the evening once again after a late start and brought over two chairs and a table for us to use - what bliss.

About two weeks ago we had tried to contact Eric and Randi, two Norwegians we met a year ago in Battle at a meeting of fellow vehicle overlanders, who live in Sandnes - 10 minutes from the campsite we were staying at now. Found out by another source that they were away in Iceland so had not been surprised to not get a reply from them - but at 11pm we got a text from the - they were just back that evening from Iceland - where were we??? And they are only at home for a couple of days before going off back onto the oil rigs where they both works as nurse medics - 2 weeks on, 4 weeks off. Arranged to see them at the campsite about lunch time, so had a slow start to the day once again in the beautiful warm sunshine. Eric and Randi arrived with their grand-daughter.

Finally left after 2pm, and rode as fast as we could to try and get the 16.45 pm ferry - fault is that we have now run out of detailed cycle maps - don't ask me how but I am missing the last 6 or 7 pages of maps for Norway!!! so have had to get an ordinary map which is not really good enough for what we need - so have to make it up a bit as we go along - trying to miss out some of the lower gravel sections that meander around the coast off the much faster roads. Could see the structure below from a long way away but didn't realise that it was where we were heading for. A massive crane that is demolishing what looks like an oil rig platform.

On yet another ferry - lost track now but must be about number 31 or so.

The foot passengers are poised to rush ashore as soon as the ferry docks and the ramps are allowed down.

Welcome to Skudenshavn ....

We're planning on having a day off tomorrow and exploring the town and area around, a lovely little campsite, good facilities and internet - that has finally allowed me to upload these photos.

Next idea re getting home is that we are trying to rent a van from Newcastle airport on a one way hire, to leave it at either Burnley or Manchester airport. Awaiting some quotes. Decided to book the flight home a week on Monday as no cheap(er) tickets left for the end of next week, and so no pressure on us to rush tis last bit of the trip.

Skudenshavn, Norway. Saturday 14th August

2010-08-14T19:46:00.000+01:00

Can't get photos to upload tonight - signal mustn't be strong enough. Have hopefully left the big hills behind - and there was definitely some stings in the tail towards the end of the section from Kristiansand to Stavanger. A variety of weather - never know what it will be like in an hours time - from cold and pouring rain, to the sun cracking the flags.

We've cycled just over 3,400 miles now, and hope we will be in Bergen within the nest 4-5 days. The latest plan is to fly from Bergen to Newcastle (no direct flight to Manchester, and also very expensive) and then get the train via York to Todmorden, then cycle the dreaded hill over to Bacup and home - but can't really fuss too much about this hill after what we have been cycling up - bet we have to push the bikes up some of the way though.

The flights are daily during the week- so if all went well (not expecting this really) we might be able to get a flight on Thursday or Friday, but may have to stay over in the Newcastle area while we sort out the train home as you have to reserve your bikes on the train. Can see that it might well be Monday though before we can sort out the flight home and get the bikes (and us) to the airport etc.

A couple of weeks ago we contacted an acquaintance, Eric and Randi who live in Sandnes, near Stavanger - a 10 minute drive from where we were camped last night as it turns out. Didn't hear anything from them as they were away in Iceland, but amazingly they got home yesterday evening and texted us later on. They are only home a couple of days, so fortunate that we were in the right place at the right time - so we met up this lunchtime at the campsite for a few hours - enjoying the wonderful sunshine, along with their grand-daughter. Grandparents are called the equivalent of 'father father' or 'mother father' or 'father mother' or 'mother mother', so you know the relationship to the child.

Left the campsite sometime after 2 pm, and just made it to the ferry (20 miles) that goes between Stavanger to Skudenshavn at 16.45pm. A 1 hr 20 min ferry - used to be the main route from Stavanger to Bergen, but they have built the second deepest tunnel in the world under the sea now so most of the traffic goes this way.

Skudeneshavn is a delightful little town,full of white painted wooden board houses - a distinctive style for the coast of Norway.

Hope to upload some photo's for you soon.

Flekkefjord, Norway Tuesday 10th August

2010-08-10T18:05:00.010+01:00

Just had our shortest day cycling - just under 20 miles, and tent up by 2 o'clock. But they were very demanding miles - and we managed to cycle all the hills today (apart from the very steep one out of the campsite first thing this morning!!!).

When I last wrote the blog we were camped on a very busy campsite next to the childrens playground. This photo was taken on the Sunday morning, about 8.45 am - so very quiet compared to the evening before - not sure how blood wasn't spilled between the kids watching them then.

There was a poster at the campsite about trolls -couldn't resist this picture... (dare I say - saw this and thought of you, mum !????.....)

A tough morning's cycle up steep gravel tracks, always harder work than when on a paved road as more tyre resistance - you end up pushing the bikes up slopes tat you would be able to ride up if paved. The top of the hills are always a great disappointment as well- no wonderful views to prove where you have got to etc - but none the less a very welcome sight. As soon as I see a hill the whole of my head starts dripping sweat like a fountain - by the time I get to the top I am dripping wet, and if I haven't taken my cycle helmet off the foam that lines it is like a soaking wet sponge that then continues to dribble water (sweat) down your face for ages after. My hair looks like I've been under the shower. I have a small towel which I mop up with as I go along - but my face is really sore despite this - like nappy rash.... 2 x 500 foot climbs on gravel later we were both very glad to see this view.......

Then you go round the corner and see that you go down - but there in the distance you see the road going up again ...

The morning was made worse by a later than normal start as we had scoured the town of Lyngdal where we had been camped looking for a supermarket or shop to buy some food for the day. Was a Sunday, but this has not been a problem for weeks now - the supermarkets have always been open all day - but not in this part of Norway it would appear. We've got out of the habit of buying for 2 days on a Saturday just in case.

Arrived in the town of Farsund, expecting to find a supermarket open there - but no - just an icecream kiosk. Was a hole in the wall bank there but Roger thought we would be OK for cash as just under £100 in Norwegian money on us at the time. There was no suitable campsite this night so we knew we would have to find somewhere to sleep - but expected we would be able to pay by card. Sat by the sea, Lyngdalsfjord enjoying the sun, ice lolly and what food we could cobble together from the panniers.

The ride after lunch was pleasantly flat- marred only by the blustering and strong headwind that had sprung up. We were no at the extreme south-west tip of Norway -and at Borhaug at long last turned the corner so that we are (in general terms at least) heading northwards once again after 2 weeks or so of cycling in a south westerly direction.

Found a direction sign to a 'hut' and called at the house indicted. For about £70 for the night we could stay in a house near by - followed the lady on her bike back into the small village we had just cycled through and there it was - a picture book house for us to stay in overnight.

What a delightful place - oh how good it would have been if we had been able to find a food shop open.... had some pasta and a packet of sauce and half a courgette so managed a fairly good main meal but missing our normal snack or two when we arrive at a camp site, especially as we'd had a relatively unsubstantial lunch. There had been some bloke living in the house, who had 'run away'! according to the limited English of the lady who owned the house. She took a whole load of stuff out of the fridge - we noticed there was some milk there and asked if we could have it (for Roger), and explained about the shops being shut - but she didn't seem too keen. Paid her in cash and she went back to her house for some change - came back with some milk from her own fridge and four slices of ginger cake. She left all the stuff from the fridge inthe barn like place next to the house and said she would get the bloke to pick it up????

Later we had discovered a frozen loaf of bread in the freezer that the woman had forgotten to look in ,so decided that if the bloke didn't turn up and ask for it we would take it out to defrost overnight and take it with us the following day - as no supermarkets on the route until we got to where we were going to camp 30 miles later. We had a little flora margarine left (bought to fry our eggs and fishfingers with a few days ago) so we would have to survive on bread and marge for the day!!! Which is what we did .....

There was a stove in virtually every downstairs room - the lady said the house was a very old one - over a hundred years old - not quite the same concept as an old house in England? Perhaps 100 years is a long time for a wooden house though?

Been well restored though - and had a lovely modern bathroom with both a bath and a shower.

And there was a tele with satellite so could watch American tv with Norwegian subtitles - what a treat after three and a half months just to relax on a comfy settee and 'blob' after a long soak in the bath. Shame I did the washing the other day (£10 to wash and dry a load) as there was a washer in the cellar as well- plus a dishwasher. Upstairs were two bedrooms - each with a main room with a double bed in, and wit a small side annex on both sides with a single bed in each. All with lots of thin cotton curtains and frilly holders for them.

Would no doubt have opted to stay for a second night but a. not enough cash left to pay for a second night, and b. no food to eat - so would have meant a 10 mile cycle to the nearest town to get cash and food - so might as well cycle on.

And what a spectacular day it was - very hard work but enjoyable - not that you will hear that word from Roger's lips.....

A mix of gravel and paved, reminded us at the coast very much of the west of Ireland - stopped off at a site where there are rock paintings of boats from 3000 years ago. I'm surprised that they have painted them in though - makes them much easier to see but would be frowned upon terribly if you did this to any of the rock art in the Sahara.

(just to prove we were at sea level!!!)

Passed up the first gravel hill by two (young!!) Germans - a couple who were cycling from Kristiansand to Bergen - thought they would soon disappear into the far distance but kept coming across them as we got to the top or bottom of hills. Went past the top end of Framvaren, a fjord that has a very narrow inlet from the south not far from Farsund. There is a 2 metre lip to it that means that the water in it doesn't get flushed out - and is supposedly very pure and unpolluted and is used for research purposes. Below 15-17 metres there is no oxygen so nothing can live there, and at the bottom the conditions are similar to those that produced oil in the far past. A small stone table and bench perched above this lake gave us a welcome spot for our bread and marge lunch..... Hope you are feeling just a little bit sad for our empty bellies by now....

From sea level a 400 foot, then a 500 foot climb followed by a 700 foot one ..... and then another 700 foot one - not down to sea level though thank goodness in between. Rewarded by looking down onto the narrow top end of the fjord we were following up - reminded me of Todmorden valley when you cycle along the top of the deep valley.

A great gradual descent down into the back of beyond town, Kinesdal - noticed there were different groups of what looked like West Africans around the town - many looking as though they were 'high' on something. A lovely church - with the usual well kept graveyard.

At long last found a supermarket - and after the very hard work of the day I decided I would have a Mars bar - or the Norwegian equivalent - for those that don't know I haven't eaten chocolate since my 50th birthday - over 4 years ago - so a momentous occasion. Waited till we had climbed up out of the town (off route) following the campsite signs, then down the steep hill that took you back down to the river where the camping was - a very strange place, deserted (remembering all campsites recently have been chocabloc full) and a massive modern hall/stadium which was called a church. An evangelist place, with massive photos on the side depicting Africans at a football stadium all going down from the seats onto the pitch - obviously at some sort of evangelist rally - was this the connection with the ? West Africans we'd noticed in town?? Finally found a lad who said we could camp - and opened up the disabled loo (good, with a powerful shower and lots of lovely hot water).

We were camped next to an empty swimming pool, a volleyball net and a strange swing like structure, not like anything we have seen before. Not really a child toy either. A mecca for all the local teenagers and motor scooter riders in the evening to come and have a play on it any way, and make a racket till late - then roaring their engines to get up the steep hill out of the campsite and tooting their horns ..... We were joined by another (older) German couple - who we saw at a campsite a couple of days or so ago - so going at the same rate as us at least. They were packed up and gone early this morning - but bumped into them later at the supermarket (had to visit it yet again....) as they had gone somewhere to have breakfast. Kept bumping into them all day, plus the other German couple we met yesterday - all of us moving at a similar sort of pace - the youngsters get up the hills faster but usually then have a rest at the top ... The older couple appeared to walkup all the hills with their bikes,but weren't that much slower than Roger and me cycling up them - but they could go faster than us on the flatter sections- so invariably got a head start up the hills ... Glad when we parted company so you don't feel the competitive kick to get up a hill before them ...... - we decided to have an easy day as another 30 miles to the next campsite - we'll go there tomorrow - lots of high passes on the way as well. Good luck to them doing it all in one day....

We all meet up at the same time - on a small flat bit in between two ascents.

Before we left the campsite this morning, Roger and I just had to have a go on the swing. Here's the photographic evidence - did take some video but taking too long to upload it on to the blog.

Should say, saw this swing and thought of you - Janet and Barry - you'd have loved it.

By the way, I did enjoy my Mars Bar - the first few mouthfuls were every bit as wonderful as I had imagined they would be- but after that - I honestly think I could take it or leave it - and that's the way I want to keep it - so won't be bothering with it again for a while - and even then will only be after I've done enough exercise to warrant it!!! Difficult to know what to eat though when you need a quick sugar boost to keep you peddling (or pushing) up the hills, so we've adopted a new strategy today - honey in a squeezable tube and sliced bread - seemed to work well for us both.

Looking up at the opposite side of the fjord where we were cycling yesterday!!!

There is very little tide effect here so the boats have 'garages'.

The track is blocked by a fallen tree....

... and the track appears to come to a very abrupt stop ....

Looking down onto the campsite

A good spot for the campsite tonight, by the side of a lake, with an automated wire for towing surfers and water skiers around the lake - with jumps for them if they want to use them. The wind really got up as we arrived but settled a little now and drizzle.

Lyngdal, Norway Saturday 7th August

2010-08-07T18:36:00.000+01:00

Not many campsites in the area we are in now, so where there is one it is chocabloc with caravans, campers, tents and children. Squeezed into a small corner next to the blow up bouncy trampoline area - not exactly a haven of tranquility!!! Over 30 miles today cycled between campsites - had three days or so of well under 30 mile days to fit in with the available campsites, so seeming to take forever to move along the coast on the small overview map. Getting into fjord like terrain now, higher hills, steeper ascents and descents. Gravel sections are variable, but if we can we take a paved road instead - not enjoyable coming downhill on the heavy steering bikes down rain runoff gullies with painful looking fall off areas!!! The brakes struggle to stop the bikes on the downhills on the paved roads, even when you are going relatively slowly down them so even more scary on the gravel tracks!!
Two little Norwegian girls are trying to have a conversation with me through the open back door of the tent - they can't understand why I can't understand what they are jabbering away at me ....
We had a 220 metre hill today (along with many many others) - the highest so far - and yes, from sea level - a very steep hill in places so even though a paved road, it was 'take your bike for a walk' time once again - even Roger got a sweat on him - so you can imagine how dripping wet through I was by the top... Almost worth it for the mile or so downhill straight to the busy campsite down by a lake.
Weather has been very mixed and unpredictable - from heavy overnight rain to beautiful sunshine. Yesterday it kept changing from very hot when the sun was out, to very chilly when the sun went behind a cloud. You had to decide whether to dress for the cool and swelter when the sun came out, or dress for the heat and freeze when the sun disappeared.
Had the first puncture today since Aberdeen - my back wheel suddenly went down - a small hole in the inner tube - protected area by the kevlar puncture resistant strip we line the inside of the tyres with - looks as though may have been a small defect in the rubber that has finally given up the ghost. Didn't take too long to sort out before we were on on our way again.

View of the bridge in the distance into Kristiansand, from our campsite Wednesday evening. At least the bridge sloped down in our favour - from left to right (unlike the bridge at Dundee (? think it was there)) - until Roger reminded me that this meant we would have to cycle up to the height to get onto the bridge itself.

A view from slightly closer to the bridge...

The cathedral in the Market Square (Torget) of Kristiansand, with a statue of a poet (Henric Wergeland) near by and some gardens laid out by the brother of the poet. A lovely spot for an early lunch sat in the sun by the fountain.

Up into the forest - and the hills .... - this is a shooting range we came across - the targets are on the other side of the deep and steeply sloped valley - presume there must be some sort of electronic feedback to let you know what you hit! - a long way to clamber down and then back up to read thetargets otherwise....

A typical view through the trees- felt a bit like the scene in Where Eagles Dare, when they are looking down over the surrounding area after skiing down from where they have parachuted in. here is a small village of houses through the trees.

A very expensive campsite, for a grotty field next to a road- you were charged the same whether you had a campervan, caravan, large tent or small tent. A bad deal for the cycle camper - in our experience the more you have to pay the worse the deal is for the cycle camper - you get charged lots and put on crabby sites away from the few facilities you need eg the loos, kitchen, showers etc. This was taken the following morning - you'll notice a small green tent in the shadow of the trees at the back - another neighbour from hell. Mr Norway, aka 'Gob on a Stick'. He could speak good English and latched onto a German family the night before (he was camping on his own) and never stopped talking (common language was English) to them - giving his words of wisdom on all sorts of subjects in a very loud voice. He had a small van with him, parked by the tent- but played deep throbbing, full of base music exceedingly loudly. Our tent was where the photo was taken from, so you can see we were quite a way away - but the ground was vibrating even there. He didn't take the hint when a Dutch guy camping near him said he was off to bed because he was tired- just put the music up even louder so we could all share it with him.... He did turn it off at 11pm - when most campsites say you must be quiet from - so it could have been worse, but when you want to go to sleep and the music is thud thudding away .... - Sue is not a very happy camper ... definitely exceedingly grumpy in fact. You might be wondering where his van is when I took this photo - he'd gone off to the shop after 15 mins of 'Gob on a Stick' advice yet again to the poor German family.

Shows a little of the sort of terrain we are cycling through... you can see the road through the trees in the distance in this photo.

You never quite know what you will see next as you cycle through the small coastal hamlets of holiday homes...

Reminded me f Chris Evans .... Now why would someone want this in their garden???

Lots of flies buzzing around, so the horses are often well protected by natty fashion numbers - I love the ear protectors on this little outfit.

Just to show how adaptable we are - lunch taken sat on some old telegraph poles in an old quarry area.

Lovely campsite last night - beautiful evening. Just after we arrived the German family from the campsite the night before turned up (in the foreground of the photo below, sat on the wooden poles) - and Roger immediately went up to them and started doing a repeat on them of Mr Gob on a Stick ..... - had to drag him away as he completely missed the fact they wanted to put their tent up and not talk to him..... They kept well away from us after this.....

The campsite had three small toy tractors for the children to use, with their own special parking area ...

We're long out of books to read now - we've left them along the way to get rid of the weight for the hills.... Roger has at long last discovered the joy of listening to books on the ipod - so I've lost it to him - and he's now answering me in a loud voice like he tells me I do when I'm listening. He keeps falling asleep though and missing big sections of stories.... Me - I have to listen to it in the dark in bed to drown out the noise of his snoring, do my blog on the computer or Sudoku (a Norwegian magazine of them, but the joy of them is that it doesn't matter).

Another day, another stop at the supermarket for our daily fix of consumerism....

This is Vigeland, a small town full of very strange sculptures. It would appear that Gustav Vigeland is a famous sculpter- with a large museum dedicated to him in Oslo. This one appears to show a figure hurling a child statue ????

Another strange one in the roundabout in the centre of town...

and I found this one, on the pavement, very gruesome somehow - very strange piece to have on show in the public thoroughfare ....

Yet more views as we started on the ascent of the 220m hill today - no views as you get higher up - just lots of trees .....

The end of our long descent down the hill to the lake at Lyngdal - some large ships on the water, so can't be a lake -it's the top of a fjord, so therefore the sea....

View from the campsite - looking much more tranquil than it actually is....

Some more tough days to come - gravel, hills up to 280m, fjords to cycle u, around and back down the other side. Reckon we should be in Bergen in 2 weeks time, so hope to be home by Wednesday 25th August - just had an email from Les and Alice Gould and they will be visiting 'up North' then on their trip over from Spain where they live now. Will depend on how easy it is to fly home with the bikes.

Kristiansand, Norway. Wednesday 4th August

2010-08-04T21:52:00.002+01:00

Sat under a tree at the very edge of the tent area, logging on to the internet from the restaurant - if I try to get on from our tent (10 foot away) I can't.... Is free once again though so can't complain - a lovely spot but double the price of the other campsites we've been to in Norway up to now.

The above is the table I was sat at till late writing my last blog up on - looking very quiet as early morning - very busy the evening and night before up until way past going dark - boats of all shapes and sizes traveling up and down the water.

Lunch time - sat on a bench in the sun overlooking a delightful harbour area, plenty f people watching to be done as we ate our butties.... Felt as though we were on the Amalfi coast somehow, though not as hot as it would be there - really enjoyable cycling.

Then came the 5 mile mountain bike gravel track through the forest - some very steep ascents so plenty of taking your bike for a walk in the hot sun. At times the angle of the slopes was at the very limit of what we could manage to push the bikes up on our own. Needed plenty of rest stops on the way up, difficult to get a grip with your feet on the very slippery loose gravel surface. Always difficult to get photos that show the nature of hill - always look like nothing at all compared to the actuality!!!

... up and over a narrow wooden foot bridge over the narrow but deep gorged river below...

one minute we were way down below the motorway type coastal road (the only other alternative to the gravel track route) ....

...1/4 of a mile further on we have climbed all the way up to cycle over a new foot bridge built over the road ...

... and then down a long steep descent to reach the most amazing blue/green water of the sea ...

We only cycled 23 miles - but due to where campsites are available, finished then- and were we glad to!!! Both of us knackered and slept like logs like night - a lovely quiet site on a farm with only a few other campers - we were glad we had ignored the busy site down at sea level which didn't look very exciting at all.

Another fine day today, and a lovely ride up and over a lowish hill to then cycle along the river down to the coast at Kristiansand -felt like we were in an Alpine valley rather than so close to the sea. Finding a spot to eat lunch can be difficult though when out in the country areas -no convenient benches or bus stops much of the time, just lots of trees.... You have to make the most of what you find along the way - like today for lunch we stopped in a stone quarry - had some good sized blocks of stone for us to sit on and have our dinner ...

Had a change to our normal evening meal tonight - fried eggs and fish fingers ... with eggs left over for scrambled egg in the morning for breakfast. Went for a short walk down to the beach area of the campsite, and a large wooded area left as a nature reserve -all very nice. The objects in the water are the lights for Kristiansand airport -right opposite the campsite. No flights since teatime - and even before this was only a very occasional one.

Another easy 23 mile day today, as the next campsite was too far to get to today - both glad of an easy day - as more demanding gravel sections to come in the next few days.

Arendal, Norway

2010-08-02T23:33:00.000+01:00

Hi there - finally managed to find a way onto the internet - via reception at the campsite we are at tonight - they let me have their code - but I have to sit at the bench right outside reception, overlooking the marina, listening to two lads quietly strumming on their guitars, the sun just gone down over the yardarm (thank goodness as it was straight into my eyes and making it impossible to see the computer screen). It hasn't rained as yet today either - first day for what seems likes weeks. We've been drowned rats quite a few times,and have stayed in a hut three times recently so we could dry out.
The terrain has gradually been getting hillier since we arrived in Sweden - but that was only a taster for the last few days in Norway. You cycle up 50, 100, 200 or 300 foot hills, go over the crest, zoom down the other side and then start all over again. Especially great fun when it's chucking it down with rain! Yesterday we arrived at a small ferry - a 15 minute sail to the other side of the inlet (and part of the official route!!) but found that it doesn't run on a Sunday ... the guy who confirmed this for us had a nasty smile on his face and said in broken English that it was 3-4 miles around the head of the bay to cycle - the map we are using isa strip map - which is a pain if you have to go off route significantly as you have to guess what the roads do ...- anyway, it wasn't 3 -4 miles, it was 20 miles - and very very HILLY miles as well - and then it started pouring down -but by the time we arrived at a campsite 33 miles laterthe sun had decided to make an appearance - and it hasn't rained today as yet - yipee.....
Sweden was a funny country to cycle in- very much Jeckel and Hyde. Realised that it was our fourth time in the country, and yet still don't feel that I have got to any sort of understanding about the place. The cycle route was the worse of the trip - no special cycle tracks anywhere - just routed along exceedingly busy and often very dangerous roads - but then again you'd find yourself on a lovely quiet road, sometimes gravel through the forests, past beautiful lakes and the sort of houses you imagine belong to Sweden. There are not that many campsites really, and those that there were were packed out as it is peak holiday time - and they were so expensive - over £30 a night, and often you had to pay for showers and even hot water to wash up in as an extra as well.
Cycled over a bridge above a fairly deep ravine like river to get into Norway - in the rain - and to be greeted by a one in 3 climb up the cycle path at the side of the busy main road - most definitely 'Welcome to Norway'. This was the first night we opted for a hut as we were soaked right through by the time we had walked the bikes up some sections of extremely steep large rubbled gravel track. What a treat.
Next day I had a very close brush with meeting my end - and was incredibly fortunate. We were following the cycle route, cycling along the pavement with oncoming traffic on a very busy major main road on the same side as the pavement we were on. The pavement surface was terrible - in general there is a lot of what I presume is frost damage to the roads and pavements as we have cycled around Norway - but especially as we crossed a narrow bridge the pavement we were cycling along was narrow and very rutted. It was also raining hard and my glasses were making it hard to see the surface as well as I could have done. All of a sudden my front wheel hit a wide and deep rut that went right across the pavement at about 45 degrees - it whipped my wheel to 45 degrees (there is a lot of weight and power there with the two front panniers affecting the steering) and catapulted me and the bike straight off the pavement in a heap right in the middle of the stream of cars coming towards me. I remember seeing the startled eyes of the woman driver coming towards me, thinking 'this is going to be nasty' and 'this is going to hurt!' - when miraculously her fast reflexes meant that she was able to stop in time and not hit me, and also that the rest of the traffic was able to stop in time without anyone hitting each other. I'm still not sure quite how I escaped with only a scraped leg and a banged elbow - luckily I had my waterpoof on which saved my arm from being grazed. Knocked me sick though as it was quite a thud when I landed. Everything in my top box ended up on the wet road, and had to scramble around to pick everything up and get out of the way of the traffic. One of the panniers fell off due to the impact and a few ore scrapes were added to it. Makes you really careful and paranoid after that about any sort of rough ground we have to cycle over - much much more careful now. That night, I was really quite ill - had to waken Roger suddenly in the night and ask for a sick bucket - there was a tupperware near by luckily. Not sure if it was a bit of a bug or a reaction to my dice with death!!!
Here in Norway the coastline is so indentated, with holiday homes all over the place in nooks and crannies, all looking very nice places to own. They invariably have a dock and a boat outside them - in fact there are so many boats here, of all shapes and sizes and price bracket, they are the equivalent of cars to be honest - with every community on the coast having a marina and general jetty to moor up to - and a small shop near by - or even Thai takaways - so instead of taking the car you take your boat instead. Virtually everyone wears a lifejacket of some sort if they are in a boat. It seems a very nice way to spend your summer, messing around on a boat. There are really good guides you can buy that show in photos all the marinas, explaining the way in and out, and how to get to the moorings etc and all the information about them - like coffee table books.
It seems to be taking us forever to move along the coast of Norway - we keep looking at the North Sea Cycle Route overview map and despair that we'll ever get to Bergen!! We crossed over from Sweden 8 days ago now, but still have another 675 tough km's to cycle yet. Up to now we've cycled about 3,100 miles, so likely to be about 3,500 miles by the time we finish.
We expect we will be home by the end of August - start of September. Roger is looking forward to his comfy bed and settee- he struggles more than I do in getting comfy when he is relaxing - ok when he's fast asleep but gets bad back ache unless sat on his stool(the stool from the Freegon pile at the campsite at Edinburgh that both of us have repaired many times - it's very much on borrowed time at the moment).
The latest thought is that we will fly to Manchester from Bergen, cycle to Elsie and Deans in Sale, then get the tram to Manchester and the X43 to the bottom of our road, then pick up the car from home and drive back to Elsie and Dean's and pickup the bikes and panniers.
Thanks once again for the various emails, texts and postings - lovely to her from you all. Hope you are all having a great summer.

Included the above photo to show us the 'great' camping spot we got at this very expensive Swedish campsite - the tent is down now and we were just leaving but our spot was the lighter area of grass to the right of the entrance to the 'tunnel' under the road to another bit of the campsite - so a constant trail of people walking through it to the water and also to the toilet block and reception/shop etc - all thinking they are very cool by shouting and hollering in the tunnel to hear the echo!!! Immediately behind the pathetic little hedge was a cycle/walkway that again connected other higher bits of the campsite to the toilets, water etc, and above the tunnel was a very busy and noisy main road.

Another rainy lunch stop, not far from the border between Sweden and Norway.

Over the bridge and into Norway - in the rain .....

Drying out the bikes and panniers on the balcony of our wooden hut - they are available on many of the campsites and would be good value if there were 4 of you sharing. Camping is much cheaper for cycle campers at least in Norway compared to Sweden - has varied from 120 (about £13) to 190(where we are tonight) - and the huts have cost 550, 550 and 150 - yes 150 is correct!!! - see later.

The 550 hut!!!

The Swedes especially love their large imported vintage American cars - saw lots of them while we were there.

This excitingly grey photo could have been the last photo I ever took!! From the bridge about 30 seconds before I fell off into the road!!!

The lucky escape!!!!

A fellow North Sea Cycle Route cycle camper - from the north Germany coast area - started a few weeks ago from there, expects to be back again in November. A teacher, having a years sabbatical. All the very best to her, hope to hear about her exploits from her blog when we get home. Have fun!!!!

I love the humour behind this imaginative mail box area - at the bottom of a very long and steep hill that we were just about to cycle up.

Another ferry ride ... I think it might have been about number 25 - need to work it out sometime.

... and yet another ferry - 2 minutes at the most on a very small cycle ferry - look at Mr Bigs house behind Roger - its own man made beach and 2 large motor launches mored up outside it - and I bet it was only the holiday home as well ....

Saw one of these signs about a week ago in Sweden - first one I've seen since then.

An hour or so later and the route gets to yet another ferry - we'd just missed one that would have taken us direct to where we needed to go - had an hour or so to wait for the next one that would take us to a small island near by, and then 45 minutes later the same ferry would arrive back at where we were dropped off and pick us up again and take us to where we were really going!!! - only it was suggested we might like to cycle from the interim stop down to the next stop off point for the boat, further down the small island - which we did.

The ferry arrives - room for one vehicle on the boat.

Leaving on the ferry...

There are no cars on the island where we are dropped off - the locals use a variety of means to transport their shopping and luggage around = eg building materials dropped off by the boat put onto the quad bike ...

This guy was met by this girl and her bikes and the dog- his luggage and shopping was loaded in the panniers, the girl road off on the bike and the bloke walked the dog - up the hill and nearly to the next ferry stop on the island (but he got there sooner than he would have done if he had waited for the next boat that would have taken him directly there -does that make any sense to you?)

... or you have the humble wheelbarrow, lined up for general use by the inhabitants of the island - seem to be plenty of holiday homes here as well - a delightful place.

We cycled to the next ferry spot along the forest trails that connect the various houses and small shop etc

and caught the same ferry on it's crossing to where we wanted to go - a delightful little interlude, well worth being late into camp that night.

a strange sort of campsite - needed some TLC -seemed a very tranquil spot -

- until the neighbours from hell arrived home and partyed and made lots of noise till 2 am or so - slam slam of the car door, laugh laugh like a hyena, ring ring of a text message - a very long conversation appeared to be in progress judging by the number of messages there were, kick kick the football, charge around our tent (the kids not the adults I hope!!), thump thump of music - you get the picture I'm sure. Felt particularly sorry for a girl cycle camper who had pitched her tent very close to one of the neighbours from hell - even closer than us.

Loved this water sculpture - the water spurted in a random way mimicing the crashing waves - it is a small boat with men harpooning a whale.

... and another wet lunch spot ....

the second hut for 550 Kroner so that we could dry out once again ...

Ferry waiting once again - made the maximum use of our hut - didn't stop raining till after 11 am - so as we had it until mid-day - we didn't decide if we were moving on or staying another night until then. Decided as we were having a late start we would take a ferry across the harbour and miss out a 20 mile, hilly route -but we would have to wait till 3pm now - not a problem as the sun was out and there was a suitable place to sit and people and boat watch by the busy and bustling marina and public jetty. Could have sat there all day. Just happened to be shop selling ice creams - and I was about to say - Barry, saw this and thought of you - but then realised that it might get taken the wrong way .... - it's the hundreds and thousands that the ice cream is dipped in that I'm referring to...

Every ferry is totally different- all have their own way of dealing with our bikes. Another fascinating hour long ferry trip -round all the small islands and inlets to drop off the post and one or two passengers. Again, glad we missed the earlier ferry which was a much more direct one.

The wooden box is the mail box, the boat girl has hardly any clothes on (the briefest pair of shorts and her white strappy top) and bare feet - her job was to jump on and off the jetties to tie up the boat and deliver the mail - and no doubt had the eyes of every make on her at each stop.... (what me jealous of her fabulously slender and toned and young body - never ....)

This guy was a passenger on the ferry - the girl put the mail in the box,he got off the ferry an then proceeded to rifle through it to look for his mail, then walked off up the jetty with his shopping in his rucksack. There was a sale in the outdoor clothing shop next to the ferry when we were waiting - both he and the boat girl had made purchases there while the ferry was waiting - a half price sale..... I did mention that we had spent our waiting time people watching ...

A narrow channel for the ferry to slip through.

Trying to show the steep descent but doesn't really work - other than you get a feeling for the speed that the cyclist that came from nowhere as I took the photo is going at ....

and the fact that someone is pushing their bike up the hill the other way ....

another very very steep descent-a gravel track but the steep bit had been tarmaced, but then at the very bottom was a corner into deep and wheel stopping deep gravel - no wonder there was a great big warning at the top of the descent to go very slowly!!!

A lovely spot to stop for lunch - by the time we had finished though the sun had disappeared and the rain wasn't long in starting up once again.

Another ferry to catch, another 2 hour wait - but once again very enjoyable because there was an inline skating competition taking place - very complicated because the circuit went across the car ferry track - so wonderful choreography to get the cars across in between the racers. Gosh they must be fit to do that - you see them out and about on the hilly cycle racks around the larger towns practicing.

You do your shopping in town then take it home with you as a foot passenger on the ferry.

Grotty wet weather once again.

soaked through by time got to the camping site - didn't think there was a hut there but had a 'simple' one for 150 Kroners which we grabbed as fast as we could - no electric just tea lights for candles, a very basic site, no advertising for it so hardly anyone there. The lady told us they were having a concert that night - pop and country and western, starting at 11pm (!!) - luckily we were quite a way from where it was held - could hear it a little but not a nuisance. Raining too hard for us to think about walking up to it. A wood burning stove but no kindling -just an axe and some logs.

the do it yourself hot tub...

The ferry that doesn't run on a Sunday .....

Last nights campsite at a marina-a lovely spot with a Thai takeaway -we think the owner is married to a Thai girl - open to 8pm. Everyone came by small boat and tied up at the jetty to collect their order or wait for it to be cooked - then back in their boats to their holiday home to eat it.

and just to prove we've been to hell (and back) ....

Its after midnight now, cold, pitch black and silent -everyone on the campsite is in bed and I'm still sat here on the jetty. Night night ....

Blokhaus, Denmark to Gothenburg, Sweden to Fjallbacka, Sweden

2010-07-18T19:09:00.620+01:00

(attempt 1+2)

Started writing this blog on the ferry from Frederikhavn, Denmark to Gothenburg, Sweden yesterday afternoon (Saturday) but unfortunately only managed to get a few photos uploaded before the internet connection became really poor. Saved the few photos as a draft and am trying again now -but despite an excellent signal I can't seem to get any more photos uploaded at the moment.

Left Blokhaus to continue cycling north via a 15 km 'sand road' that goes along the smooth white beach about 20m from the edge of the sea, and is used by vehicles as well. All the way along there are cars parked up and families set up for a day on the beach. Mainly relatively good sand but a constant drag and a mild headwind (of course) made it hard work for all of us but especially Barry - who claimed the 'King of the Beach' shirt today. Were some really sticky patches of sand, which stopped Roger and me dead in our tracks if we cycled into them, depositing us on the sand in a heap - our heavy front panniers saw to that. All of us were forced to walk the bikes over these patches, but the trailer on Barry's bike was very difficult to drag along these bits.

More hilly now, despite the guidebook telling us it would be flatter..... Founda good spot for lunch, with a table and benches up above the beach on the top of some cliffs - Barry tried to interest us in some keep fit ...

... while Roger contemplated how easy it might be to accidently drop his bike off over the cliff - an then nearly managed to it for real when he tripped down a hole in the grass....

Later on that afternoon we cycled a short detour and visited a lighthouse in the middle of large sand dunes that are in the process of 'swallowing' it up. In fact the lighthouse has been taken out of service because it can't be seen from many places at sea. An opportunity for us to stretch the legs a little and do some walking for a change.

Attempt 3
Now Friday 23 rd July, Status Quo are playing tonight at Stenungsund tonight - we camped there a few nights ago, the opening night of their Scandinavian tour. Been struggling to find any Wifi at the campsites we have stayed at recently -or if there has been any Wifi, it has been free and not been much use as a very poor signal. Hope this will prove to be better today as paid for it .....

Will see how long it takes to upload a photo -back to our time with Janet and Barry in Denmark ....

Seems to be uploading photos relatively (!) quickly. Here Roger discusses the merits of liquorice with fellow addict Janet, while Barry tries a Funny face with his piece....

The route took us past a lighthouse that is being gradually buried by a moving sand dune.

Sue, Janet and Barry decided to walk up to have a better look.

Quite a wind at the top ...

.. but worth the walk.

Didn't look quite so buried when got a little closer to the lighthouse.....

Janet and Barry made the mistake of putting a new layer of suntan lotion on before going on this very sandy walk - by the time we had run and jumped down the steep dunes you can imagine how sandy they would be.

Back on the bikes again, cycling through small town full of tourists doing touristy type things when a very surprising sight stopped me in my tracks, grabbing for the camera. 'What are we stopping for NOW' says Barry (hard work getting the bike and trailer going from a standing start) as he sails past me ...

Yes - it was an elephant wandering down the road - no sort of restraint in use -just the guy walking at the side. Only had one tusk - made me shiver as he walked past as I took another photo - what would happen if it took a dislike to someone ...

We've been seeing circus posters most of our way up the Danish coast - it was due here in town the day we were there, so presume the elephant was a sort of publicity stunt to drum up customers.

Was very warm in the sun, so very grateful when the route took us through the shade of the forests from time to time.

If you look on the previous blog to this one, there is a photo of Barry and the trailer just making it around a corner after a fast descent on a gravel forest track. Unfortunately he didn't quite make it on this corner (......) - good job there was a hay bale in just the right place ....

A late finish this day for us- we were all very pleased to finally get to the campsite. Janet cycled down into the town to find a supermarket to get some food for our tea while the rest of us pitched the tents etc. The kitchen that was provided by the campsite was a bit of a walk away so decided to cook at the tent tonight - Janet having a well deserved break from cooking it and celebrated by doing her Sudoko puzzles and supervising proceedings.

Janet is still trying to get a photo with Barry where he isn't fooling around....

Roger met up with a Welsh couple and after tea we went to join them for a beer (or two) and a wine or three .... Pru and Mike are on their way to collect their 40 foot sailing boat from an island to the north of Bergen - a long tale as to why it was there- they are planning on sailing it back down south towards the Netherlands and perhaps back to the UK - along the coast and using the canals eg Kiel canal. They told us a great story of arriving at the moorings near Kiel that are part of the British Naval area - just as the (? think this is what they said) Welsh Guards stationed there were about to celebrate the Queens Birthday with all the local bigwigs in attendance - by parachutists jumping into the sea - using a great big buoy as a marker - only they were busy sailing around it, trying to work out what was going on. Then had to very quickly moor it in a difficult spot with everyone watching them.

By the time we got back to the tent it was very dark, and everyone else was long in bed - we'd no doubt been very noisy and were feeling a little guilty - honest ... Remembered then that we'd not washed up the dishes or tidied anything away after our tea ...

For some reason (probably the many glasses of wine I'd drunk) I thought it was a good idea to stick my camera through Janet and Barry's tent door and take photo's blindly (!!!) ...

Was raining and quite miserable when we woke up, but dried up fairly soon so we managed to pack the tents away relatively dry. Had a quick look around the busy harbour before setting of on the final leg of our cycle trip up to Skagen at the very tip of the Jutland Peninsula.

An enjoyable cycle ride along cycle tracks through the forest, enjoying the warmth of the sun, but then suddenly becoming aware of the ominous dark clouds racing up behind us ...

Lots of day tripper cyclists and walkers around - all of a sudden everyone started cycling and walking very fast - in our case we were trying very hard to keep ahead of the approaching rain clouds - we were whizzing along with the wind behind us (bringing the rain clouds with it ...), ever hopeful that we'd manage the 10 km to Skagen ...

But no, we didn't make it - and a real deluge of rain and thunder beset us ...

By the time we reached Skagen we were well and truly soaked - especially Janet as she'd discovered when she got here that her coat was more windproof than rainproof. Went supermarket shopping looking like drowned rats, but by the time we were campsite hunting the sun was out and you wouldn't have believed what a downpour there had been so short a time before. The first campsite we tried, only about a km from the tip (Janet thought I kept talking about the road to the rubbish tip, or dump so led to some interesting conversations for a while until we realised ....) of the peninsula and the end of the Danish route 1 signs, was full, but fortunately another campsite not that far away with room for us - although a bit of a tight squeeze and right next to the football field area on one side and the noisy large trampoline type cushion that was also very popular - it sounds like thunder growling as they jump on it - and a group of teenagers were seeing how many times they could somersault in a row - they were getting up to 7 each.....

Next morning we packed everything away except the tents, then left the fully loaded up panniers in the tents and cycled up to the tip (or the dump!) at Grenen, where it is a very popular pastime to paddle in the waters at the end of the sandbar there with your feet in different 'seas' - the Skagerrat (North Sea) and the Kattegat (the water between the Jutland Peninsula and Sweden). There is a 'clash' of the waves at this sandbar from the two different seas. Barry told us of somewhere they have been on the island of Rhodes where two sea's meet - on one side there were huge breakers while on the other side it was as calm as a mill pond - beginners for water sports on one side, experienced ones on the other side.

Was certainly a very popular spot to be on the morning we went.

A lovely walk from where the road ends along the tapering sandbank. Roger couldn't be persuaded to leave his bike handlebar bag in the tent, so had to carry it with him.

As I had my Crocs (sandals) on rather than my cycle shoes, easy to take the off and paddle in the shallows instead of walking on the sand.

If you can't manage the walk along the spit you can take a tractor driven carriage instead.

This seems to be about as far as anyone seemed willing to go when we arrived ...

So Sue, Roger and Barry waded in as far as they could along the rapidly disappearing sand bank. Janet was left in charge of taking photos, but couldn't work the camera (!!!) so this is the photo of the 3 of us together.

Barry took over the camera then so here's a closer up shot of us with a foot in each sea - getting thoroughly soaked in the process - the waves certainly did 'collide' there with lots of splashing.

Janet sucks in her breath (and tummy) for this shot ....

On the way back we stopped to look at a bunker- Barry practices his Rommel pose ...

... and also his Titanic pose ...

Not to be left out, and boys will be boys, Roger joins Barry in the pit on the top of the bunker.

There is a replica trebuchet, or medieval stone or missile hurler, similar to a catapult in Skagen - looks as though they use it for special occasions, hurling burning missiles into the nearby sea - would be interesting to see the health and safety documents required to allow this to happen ......

Back to the campsite to take the tents down and finished the packing of the bikes, followed by an early lunch before retracing our steps through the sand dunes along the paths we cycled along yesterday in the thunderstorm, before then continuing south along the side of the main road to Fredrikshavn, straight into a strong head wind. Barry needed all the protection from the wind he could to get the heavy trailer going at any speed, so Janet and then Sue acted as windshield. Pitched the tents right next to the toilets and kitchen - but for a change and a celebration as it was the Haworth's last night with us, went out into town for our evening meal (many thanks Janet and Barry for that) - via the train station to sort out tickets for the train journey back to Esbjerg and the ferry to Harwich.

You need to book the bikes onto the trains- and needed to see what needed to be done re the trailer - Barry had read that they were not allowed on the trains so had made it so that it could be dismantled and carried (minus the luggage). The train they hoped to get was fully booked for bikes (only 5 allowed per train) but there was room on a train departing about 12.45 pm (Saturday lunchtime, which suited them as this meant they would still arrive in Esbjerg in time to sort out where they would stay the night - be it the campsite or a hotel - one change of train, about 5 hour journey in total) it seemed that the trailer would be allowed on, but would be booked as 2 bikes. It appeared that you sat with the bikes, and as many cyclists have child trailers there is provision for this on the trains. Barry's trailer is actually a modified child one rather than a bespoke luggage one that many cycle campers use.
As the next stop was to go to the nearby ferry terminal to sort out the ferry tickets for Sue and Roger, didn't know if we would be around to wave Janet and Barry off on the train the following day so did a 'leaving photo' at the train station just in case!!! - spot the deliberate mistake - no bikes or trailer to be seen.... have just noticed the 'no cycling' sign - not sure if we didn't cycle where we shouldn't have the following day?

Roger and I (with the help of Barry) had spent much time debating what our next destination should be. The official poster sized map of the North Sea Cycle Route shows it continuing down the east side of the Jutland Peninsula from Fredrikshavn down to Grena, and then by ferry across to Varberg in Sweden. But, there is a ferry from Fredrikshavn to Gothenburg - that runs very regularly all day that seemed to make more sense - as it keeps you much more truly to the North Sea, rather than deviating off down into the Kattigat Sea. Roger obviously favoured the option that meant less cycling, but would have done the Grena Varberg option if I'd wanted to do it. Couldn't make my mind up - it made logical sense to d the Fredrikshavn Gothenburg ferry, but I hate taking a perceived 'shortcut'. Barry helped to ease my conscience on this one - so Roger says 'A very big thanks mate!!!'. Left Janet looking after the bikes while the three of us went up some steps to where the ferry ticket office was signposted in the dock area - but took you to a covered walkway that went over all the vehicle collecting area for the ferries - walked a long way to get to the ticket office. We were very surprised to find that they were almost fully booked for all the ferry crossings the next day - said it was due to the Dana Cup which had just finished and they were all going home? Not sure this was correct though, even though when we went out to eat after this there was a group of young Canadian soccer players having a very fun time. Also when we were on the ferry lots of youth football teams mixed in with al the tourists and their families. But, in Gothenburg there was the Gothia Cup about to start on Monday, billed as the largest international youth football event in the world with getting on for 1,500 different teams taking part. As I wrote this up I looked up the Dana Cup - which bills itself as the 'most international soccer tournament for youths' and the dates are for the last week in July - ie not happened as yet - perhaps teams go onto this after they have competed in the Gothia Cup????
Anyway, managed to get two tickets for us and the bikes leaving at 1.15 pm Saturday lunch time, an we needed to be at the dock a minimum of 30 minutes before - but the train station was only 5 minutes cycle ride away from the train station so we might be able to wave Janet and barry off if the train came in to the station early (the train was starting from there so likely to be there early).
Eventually got back to Janet, who said she had felt a bit like a prostitute waiting on the docks for a sailor - especially as a ferry had docked while we were gone - and they all came down the same steps we'd gone up.
An enjoyable meal sat outside a Mexican Italian place, very busy - cool and rain threatening, but kept off while we were there and we were given blankets to wear to keep us warm.

Cycled in the dark back to the campsite a mile or two away - rain threatening all the time - can't remember really but think it didn't start raining till we were back at the tents????

Next morning time for Janet and Barry to pack up ready for the train journey ...

... and try to persuade Roger that Barry's remaining camp chair would fit on the back of his bike and be much more comfortable than the three legged stool that I so patiently stitched up one evening for him... Really was too big though so given back to Barry,

Arrived at the train station by mid day - if you look in the distance in the photo below, to the left of the two cranes you'll see our (Sue and Roger's) ferry in the harbour, just arrived.

The train arrived, fun trying to find the correct carriage as couldn't see the red electronic numbers in the sunlight. Wifi internet available on the train you will note.

A photo of where the bikes were to be stored for the journey - Janet's gets there very easily.

... but ore of a struggle for Barry and the trailer with the steps to be negotiated...

... but unfortunately the trailer won't fit through the door at the end of the passage into the compartment ...

... we have to go to get our ferry so leave them with their conundrum of what to do next so we can cycle to the harbour. We had a text later from them saying they had had to take the trailer to bits, had cycled 5 km in a head wind to the camp site at Esbjerg, and caught the ferry home etc all OK - back to all the trials and tribulations of work. Sorry to see them go - been a great beak for us to have them ad their humour with us for the last 2 weeks.

The roads were choc a bloc - peak holiday season, a ferry just arrived and discharging vehicles, while hundreds of other vehicles are trying to get into the terminal to catch the ferry - really easy on the bikes to weave our way through to the front of the queue and push in at the ticket booth. Told to go to a lane away from the cars etc and go to the front of it - but just as we were getting there the ferry started to load the vehicles - so never stopped cycling rally from when we left the station to when we got of the bikes on the ferry itself. Good job we were on early as it meant we got a decent seat at a small table - a bit like gold dust a bit later on - ram jam paced full - so many families obviously either going on holiday or returning.

Arrived in Gothenburg late afternoon, with no cycle route or map for Sweden as wasn't able trace anything before we left. Luckily Barry had found a city map for Gothenburg while we were booking our ferry tickets and we'd found a campsite on the eastern outskirts of the city (Sweden's 2nd city) - now came the fun of trying to get there - tried to go cross country first keeping off the major roads full of trams as the road we'd found ourselves on originally had tram tracks and no provision for cycling so we presumed they would all be like this - found some very steep hills and were debating the route sat on a bench at the top of a steep hill, the sun deciding to come out as we struggled up it,when a local stopped like they do if they see you with a map in your hand - said we'd be better keeping to the main roads and that they all had cycle tracks at the side.... so made better progress after this - but still a long steep hill out of the city up yo the campsite.

As we had to try and get a suitable map to show us the route of the cycle way, and we'd arrived too late Saturday to find a suitable shop, we decided to stay another night at the campsite (Sunday) and cycle into the city to see what was open on a Sunday - the answer is, everything really is open on a Sunday including Scandinavia's largest shopping mall and much more - so many people out shopping, lots of young football teams exploring in their 'uniforms' with their team coaches etc. Was a lovely day, but very blustery at times.

Roger and I have spent a night in Gothenburg before, after a coach ride from the opposite side of the country (Stockholm), on our way home cross country from Beijing. We'd taken the train from Moscow to St Petersburg, then on to Tallinn, followed by a ferry to Stockholm. From Gothenburg we got another ferry to Newcastle (no longer exists) then a train to Manchester, the X43 bus to Rawtenstall and walked with our rucksacks to the surgery. Anyway, when we arrived late in Gothenburg at the bus station the place was deserted, A very short walk took us to the hotel we'd booked into as part of the ferry ticket deal and early the next morning we took a taxi the short distance to the ferry terminal. Couldn't believe how busy it was this time compared to our last trip.
Gothenburg is known as the Venice of Scandinavia ... according to the brochure I read in the tourist office there anyway ....

Spent most of our time in the city in the book shops, not getting very far. The cycle map we needed was available until last year but is now out of print and unobtainable. We found a poster map which showed the route on it but they didn't have anymore and they wouldn't let us buy the used copy that was selotaped to the wall. The cycle maps that were available didn't seem to make any sense, and no sign of a north sea route anywhere. Fortunately for us an older lady in the bookshop came to our rescue and said we needed the 1-100000 maps which are very detailed and hard to see what you want on them - the cycle route is marked as a very thin green line with a (very) occasional small bike symbol on it - different to the very easily seen slightly different green and much thicker national park boundaries - of which there are very many, and all around where the cycle route goes.... She also said that there were no special cycle ways, was often on busy roads and there were often much better and quieter roads to take. Which is all very well but you still need to know where the route goes so you can decide on any deviations ... In the end bought 2 maps (double sided) and some highlighters - spent ages finding the route and highlighting it. Then needed to find the campsites - all on the map but once again very difficult to spot - had to use the campsite blurb which had a map in it showing campsites - to help me find them on the proper map. Not that many campsites really either - so these help to dictate the route you take.

A very striking building in Gothenburg is the 'Lipstick Building', a very striking skyscraper near the river.

Note the bridge over the river - we cycled over this in the rain and drizzle the day after this photo was taken.

The Ibis Hotel is aboard a ship on the river itself.

Some of the flags of the Gothia Cup - we cycled past one of the opening matches on our way out of the city.

Left Gothenburg in the drizzle Monday morning- a dull grey view down the river as we crossed the bridge next to the Lipstick Building. Had great difficulty with the route - followed the signs but at one point, after a particularly steep hill we got the compass out (yes Barry - it was useful for once ...) and discovered we were heading south back to bloody Gothenburg instead of northwards.... Not sure how many extra miles we did because of this....

A useful campsite appeared after about 20 miles, it was raining and miserable and it was another 25 miles to the next camp site - so decided to have a very early finish - worried we would struggle with route finding as well.

Sorry, will have to finish early once again - its dark now, can hardly see, starting to feel sick from being on the computer too long,my allotted time for the internet is nearly over and the battery is run down on the laptop - so night night for the time being.

Blokhus, Denmark

2010-07-14T00:32:00.000+01:00

The camp site at Fano puts up the Union Jack flag for us - it wasn't one of the flags flying when we arrived, but was there the following morning.

Waiting for the ferry back to the mainland in the sunshine. Ferry No. 19 and 20, to Fano and back again.

Just outside the port of Esbjerg are four 'Men Looking Out to Sea' sculptures - fantastic against the amazingly deep blue and cloudless sky.

A picture of the four of us, you'd think we were in Greece somewhere with the sky that colour. The men were so photogenic - as you can tell from the number of photos...

Found a fiber glass 'cave' like resting spot at the side of the road offering shade and a respite from the heat and glare of the sun.

Along plenty of gravel tracks, often through forests and nature reserves, with great variation in both quality of riding surface and also how flat, undulating or hilly they are. Barry is doing an amazing job to keep the extremely heavy trailer rolling on some of he tracks we have been down/along/up.....

Through army ranges and across tank roads etc

We camped just north of the small village of Hvide Sande, in the sand dunes at a very large and spread out campsite - spent the afternoon cycling up a narrow peninsula or spit of land that separates the North Sea from Ringkobing Fjord. One small settlement after another, with huge numbers of small holiday homes nesting in the sand dunes to give them maximum protection from the wind. Very busy with vehicle traffic as the peak season for holiday visitors at the moment. Barry celebrated our arrival at the camp by sampling the delights of the Danish version of the trampoline - a huge plastic covered pillow of compressed air.

The Danish campsites are really excellent to stay at, even if slightly on the expensive side. They have kitchens with hobs, microwaves etc for you to use, and usually there is somewhere to eat in comfort and under cover.

The daily photo of the camp site... the guy ropes in use for the first time today
as a trial in case required later on in the trip.

A lovely walk along the beautiful beach jut the other side of the sand dunes behind the tent...

Followed by more sampling of the trampoline by first Janet,

... and then joined by Barry making it impossible for Janet to stand up, made all the more difficult because the timer for the compressed air filling the plastic cushion turned itself off for the night and gradually deflated itself.

Next morning we woke to heavy rain which rather surprised us. Had breakfast sat in Janet and Barry's tent then whiled away another hour or so listening to the Ipod with one ear piece each, singing along to the eclectic mix of songs I have.

Luckily the rain stopped long enough for us to pack up the tents and get on our way once again.

But then the rain started once again,a real torrential downpour. Time for the waterproofs to be donned...

Half an hour later we were soaked through, but as we turned off the road onto a track through the woods,next to a church, noticed two local cyclists sheltering in a small wooden garage/tool shed so we decided to take shelter there as well. From what stored there we decided that the shed belonged to the church - but even when the two lads decided to make the 5 km dash to home and left us in there, and a lady came into the shed to get a petrol can -nothing was said despite all the tools and equipment being all around us, ripe for being stolen.

So while Barry boiled some water up on the stove for a Cup A Soup each ...

... Roger made the butties for us to eat with the soup ...

... Roger is getting very artistic with his lunch time offering - we had open sandwiches the day before with slices of tomato and cucumber and tastefully decorated with thousand island dressing....

... while Janet dances out in the pouring rain singing (what else?) but 'Singing In The Rain' ....

The rain finally stopped and we were on our way again, past the army firing ranges once again.

On one particular steep incline over a sand dune Barry managed to 'spring' the back wheel out of his bike, causing him to (naturally) fall in a heap. More fettling was required once we reached the next bit of proper road.

A very grey afternoon through the never ending sand dune cycle paths ...

Another morning, another campsite, packing up the tents once again - sun out again -note yet another trampoline in the background - all the rage on the campsites here.

Off on the dune cycle path once again, towards the light house.

Up the 250 or so steps and crawl out of the tiny door at the top onto the viewing platform - very high up here for Denmark.

Good view on the way down of the spiral staircase - once I had managed to get myself back inside via the tiny hatchway - not a pretty site as my knee joints wouldn't cooperate....

Found a lovely spot for lunch - overlooking a ? trout or salmon lake- half a dozen or so anglers around the edges - didn't see anyone catch anything while we were there but the fish were very visible in the clear water and they were leaping out of the water in gay abandon after insects. Every time Barry had his back to the water, or his attention wandered a big fish would leap, and by the tim he looked it would have disappeared once again .... eventually managed to spot one though. Plenty of tadpoles, shoals of tiny fish, dragon flies and may flies in the shallow water at the edge of the lake. Barry teased the tadpoles and tiny fish by causing a dark shadow with his arms over where they were and causing mass panic amongst them - they immediately reacted by swimming off in all directions as fast as possible.

That night at our campsite by the side of a fjord I spent hours stitching up the three legged stool Roger acquired from the Freegon pile all those weeks ago in Edinburgh - it was rapidly becoming unusable - I had a go at stitching it before Janet and Barry arrived, but only lasted a day or so before starting to rip once again - so made use of the piece of thick tape that I managed to rip off my new sleeping mattress (bought in Ribe as mine had sprung a leak on the seam by the valve) the first time I put it away, to reinforce the various weak places on the stool and then made use of the canvas back from the broken seat of Barry's. Made use of the various sewing kits I have acquired over the years from hotels - so in a variety of different coloured threads from yellow to red to black to white to pink to blue etc

Roger then attached the repaired and reinforced seat back to the legs ...

...the wind suddenly got up and the previously quiet campsite was suddenly taken over by kite surfers taking to the water at the edge of the camping field

and Roger tested his char to watch them in action. I'm really impressed with my repair - the whole seat stands us at nil money, including the repairs.

Breakfast the next morning, once again bathed in warm sunlight,

It's very late now, the campsite has been very quiet for hours now - and time I went to sleep. Will fill in the missing words, as an edit, to the following photos next time I get the chance of some free Wifi.

Island of Fano, near Esbjerg, Norway

2010-07-06T20:58:00.000+01:00

On the last blog I was hoping that it might cool down a little - well after another very hot day as we left the island of Fano over the 10km long causeway once again - into a headwind, naturally....

Here is a photo of a very small part of the beach on Romo - one of the widest beaches in Europe, and very smooth and flat with no stones at all - but after all, the island is really only a glorified sandbank. Cars are allowed to drive on the beach, and there are individual separate areas for sailboarding, kite-sailing and wind-buggies.

There is even an 8km bike ride along the compacted sand - not very easy to cycle though without a mountain bike and wide tyres.

Back on the mainland, this is a typical church - very large in comparison to the size of the small villages.

Very hot as we cycled along, desperately looking for some shade and somewhere to sit for our lunch - finally found what looked like an idyllic spot in a garden in front of a church - with a bench and in the shade, but also out of the wind as well that was building up. When we had sat down by the side of the small pond covered in weed and water lillies, could hear what sounded like crackling and popping sounds coming from the water - almost as though it was fermenting. Little bubbles could be seen from some sort of creatures living just below the surface - but never actually saw what they were. Then a very persistent horse fly found me and managed to bite me in three different places - so decided to make a hasty retreat.

Finally found our way to Ribe (pronounced Riba), inland and off the route of the North Coast Cycle ride - we were also minus a suitable map from the border between Germany and Denmark as I very carefully gave Janet and Barry the maps for the rest of the trip before we left, so they could bring them with them -including the Danish maps - forgetting that we would be in Denmark for three days or so before we met them.... Barry did scan and email them and I had downloaded the maps on the pc, but not very useful when you are on the cycle track by the side of a dyke or the sea.

Ribe is the oldest town in Denmark - 1300 years old this year, and well preserved. The King used to have a residence here, and the town was very prosperous until a terrible fire destroyed much of the town and the King decamped - there was not much money to re build the houses so done in an 'old' style -and at the end of the 1800's preservation orders were made that have ensured that the town has remained in a medieval way. Was so hot though when we got there that we really didn't have any energy to look round. We were given various bits of duff information by locals - the supermarkets are shut now(Saturday afternoon), and the best way to the camp site was along the very busy main road, rather than carrying on from where we were and going through the town streets straight to the campsite on quiet streets and cycle ways. Were very pleased that we got the first pick of the camping spots (a massive campsite, but very impressive facilities)- and lots of shade on a fairly bald area of grass, with a table and benches - thought we'd really got an excellent spot. Spent quiet a long time sat at the table cooling down and enjoying the shade, until our Dutch friends, Jan and Ria appeared on the next door pitch. We both put our tents up and then spent hours chatting, sat at the table and drinking cups of tea and coffee. Was clouding over now, as it does fro time to time, but was still nice and warm. Roger cycled to the supermarket close by (that was open till 6pm) and came back with 2 packs of spare ribs to cook on the provided gas bar-b-ques - what a lovely change from pasta.

Just finished when Ria came over and asked us if we fancied cycling into Ribe with them and having a look round and a drink. So very quickly got ready and off we went.

It was still warm but looking even more grey. We wandered around the lovely town, got told off for cycling on the cobbled street in the centre of town, then opposite the massive church we sat outside a half timbered inn - the oldest building in town - and had a drink. Just as I was taking the photo below the first big drops of rain started falling, soin we rushed to sit inside the inn - not happy with us as about to close and we were not eating - but what else are you supposed to do with most of your drink still to down and it's chucking it down with rain and thunder is sounding?

After about half an hour heavy rain, it stopped and we had a 10 minute window to cycle back to the campsite before it started once again. I was waiting for it to stop again so I could go to the loo, lying fully clothed in the tent - but it just kept on raining and raining - and our wonderful pitch was no longer quite so desirable - the ground was so hard that the water did not get absorbed so sat on the surface, and the bare earth made it worse - plus there was a slight dip near the front of the tent - so we were soon awash again inside the tent - didn't help that we had left the ventilation zips at the back vestibule bit open, so the rain had rained in and then gone between the groundsheet and the bottom of the tent and then soaked through into the tent.

Felt as though I was lying on a water bed or a lilo surrounded by water all night - not the best nights sleep I've ever had.

Next morning, the rain had finally stopped but even though we were not moving on, we had to pack up everything and then dry the tent out in the sun - not anywhere near where we were camped - cold and wet under the trees- so had to take everything to where the sun was - really warm there and soon dried things out. Looked a little like the day after Armageddon - all the cycle campers were drying their stuff out prior to packing it up to move on. Roger made a couple of cups of coffee for Jan and Ria, and we once again spent getting on for an hour chatting away with them. They were moving on northwards today as well, via Esbjerg where we were going to meet Janet and Barry at 1 pm. Had to leave our clothes and towels drying as they had got caught out on the washing line in the rain.

Went the most direct route to Esbjerg (pronounced Iceberg) - a head wind so quite hard work, but at least the sun came out. Arrived with enough time to eat our butties before the ferry docked - and there they were - first out of the dock gate.

Great to see them, and glad for them that it wasn't raining when they arrived - they'd seen no rain at all on the crossing and the sea was as calm as a mill pond.

Cycled the 18 miles or so back to the campsite at Ribe - a warm and easy ride as the wind now behind us. Barry pulling the trailer - no lightweight approach for this trip at all - rather him than me anyway - and at leastit gives us a fighting chance to keep up with him - he has been a Category B cyclist in his time, almost turned pro and one point - cycled internationally - so even without any training and a very heavy trailer he can get a fair turn of speed up.

Once back at the campsite, they now needed to put the tent up - did go up easier than last time when we met them a month ago, but willno doubt get easier as the trip goes on.....

Decide to go into Ribe or something to eat - did think about the inn in the oldest building in the town where we had had a drink the night before - but very expensive and Roger and Janet had spotted the 'eat as much as you like' buffet at the Chinese place - on a covered terrace overlooking the river that flows through the town - a lovely spot. Enjoyed plenty of the first course choices - but then found out there was 'help yourself soft ice-cream' from a machine that made it fresh. There were small glass bowls to use - and a great variety of sauces and different coloured hundreds and thousands etc togo on the top. We only realised a little later that those who had obviously been before took the much larger salad bowls with them to put the ice-cream in!!! Janet, Barry and Roger discovered the licquorice sauce which they seemed to really like - Roger going back for seconds - which was a little bit of ice cream and lots of the liquorice....

Ribe is known for the stalks - there used to be over 30 pairs - now it's down to one pair or even none at all. In 2007 the male stalk arrived (usually come before the female) but then the female never turned up - the male stayed around for a couple of weeks then disappeared and wasn't seen again the following year. When they do arrive, Spring is thought to have officially arrived. Various nests can be seen on the roofs throughout town.

There are a couple of night watchmen who are based on those that used to patrol the town streets over the years, watching out for trouble, floods and fires. They also lit the gas lights and sang a song once an hour.... and they do a couple of guided walks around the town buildings in the evening. Both evenings we bumped into the tour just as it was finishing..... You can also go on a ghost walk with them later on in the evening.

Janet enjoying herself lap dancing on the pole by the river that marks the various heights that floods have risen to over the years - over 5 metres in the 1600's......

Liked the brick work on this house - the way that each section is different.

An interesting wind vane .....

Loved the stones used in part of the huge church - lots of different colours to the stones.

There was an outside exhibition - with enlarged photos of some skeletons that had been dug up. This one is a child - the bones have almost disappeared but the coloured beads that were a necklace have remained intact and still very brightly coloured.

This skeleton has had the bottom part of the legs bisected by the foundations of a building that was erected at a later date.

Ribe is celebrating that it is 1300 years old - I thought the logo was great with the R of Ribe being made to look like a 13.

Sorry mum - but saw this in a window and 'thought of you'..... You know I mean it in the nicest of ways....

Took this photo of the cobbled streets to remind me that they have been so successful in draining the surrounding land to the town that the water table has gone very low, and the land under the town buildings has dried out causing subsidence problems. They have replaced all the roads etc with the cobbles, infilled with sand to allow water to drain through into the land below when it rains.

An unusual fountain ...

Liked this sign (presume it means you can park for 48 hours)

A lovely end to the evening as we cycled back to the campsite into the sun set.

Next morning Barry managed to break one of his £15 fold up chairs, so spent half an hour trying to codge up a seat from what was left.

Needless to say - a total disaster.

Never mind - part of the broken stool could be used as a hook to hold the water container up so easy to get water out of it.

e had been planning to go to a small island just off the coast nearby,called Monde - you got to it via a tractor bus that took you across the shallow sea/sandbank area - but unfortunately one of the spokes on Rogers back wheel broke as we cycled into Robe the night before - so by the time it was sorted, plus a new back tyre for my bike it was too late to go.

Janet and me sat most of the morning chatting (what Janet and Sue chatting - never....) before walking up to the supermarket to buy a couple of pizzas for lunch - able to use the ovens at the campsite to cook them. Spent the afternoon in the swimming pool and then sitting in the sun (and shadow when the clouds came over) people watching, before Janet and Barry cycled back to the supermarket to get various meats for us to bar-b-que again. Had to wait a while to get a free bar-b-que and table but worth the wait - under cover and nice and warm.

Just after Roger had got up this morning, the heavens opened and it rained for getting on a for an hour which was a bit of a pain.

The sun came out though by the time we left to cycle back north to the port of Esbjerg once again - warm sun but a strong head wind as when we cycled the same route 2 days ago.

Cycled past the Harwich Ferry - it arrives at the port every other day at 1pm - so as 2 days since Janet and Barry arrive - it was here once again as it was about 1.30 when we got there. The ferry to the small island (sandbank) goes from just down the road from the Harwich ferry - runs every 20 minutes but we just missed one - not a long wait though for the next one.

This is supposed to be a 'nice' photo of Barry - find the deliberate error......

Roger lost his cap the other day - and the only one we could get was either a blue one with large yellow letters saying ITALIA, or this yellow one with Brazils logo on...... - very cheap though - and we won't miss Roger will we???? Janet and Barry both had bright yellow tops on today, Roger and me in orange tops. Looked as though we were competing in something - the yellow team v the orange team, with Roger not quite able to make his mind up.

A local thought Roger and I were from the Netherlands and shouted as much to us - the match between them and Uruguay is being played as I type this in - the TV on in the corner of the room (free Wifi here). The reception and computer room / TV lounge are in the building below.

After we had booked in and put the tents up,and had a cuppa and chilled for a little while, went off for a cycle ride on to the beach - a very long beach once again used for buggies and kites etc.

Down the beach - very hard sand and easy to cycle on - especially with the wind behind us. Then across the sand dunes and back up the road to the campsite where we had a lovely tea of pasta and bolagnaise sauce. Gone very cold this evening, glad to be inside the warm TV room at the moment.

The island of Romo, Denmark; 30 degrees and getting hotter

2010-07-02T18:05:00.000+01:00

The last time I wrote up the blog, while I was doing it Roger was fettling with the bikes - oiling the chains that were starting to go rusty - probably from the sea water of all those ferry trips we've done with them.

... and here's me, still writing up the blog when it was dark, notebook pc plugged into the mains socket in the laundry room, but sitting outside so that I could get the Wifi signal - I got some funny stares as people came to the loos in the middle of the night - and difficult to explain due to language problems as to just why I was sat where I was doing what I was doing at turned midnight.... and a question I have often pondered - why do woman go to the loos in pairs? -even at midnight on a campground?????

The weather has been a mix of very very hot, with or without a stiff wind in varying directions, clear blue skies and completely covered in grey cloud skies, with the occasional very quick rain shower. The sheep on the dykes were finding it hard going in the heat - especially those that have not been sheared as yet - the lambs are not sheared from the look of it, so they must be feeling very hot. No wonder they all stand in whatever shade they can find or on top of the hill of the dykes catching what ever wind they can find.

These sheep were being sheered as we cycled past - what a racket -was a cool breeze at this particular moment so probably felt extremely cold and exposed when all that wool was taken off - some of them look they have got sunburnt skin as well.

The reclaimed land is known as koog land here - and its been very interesting seeing how they go about reclaiming the land. We have seen barges covered in bundles of sticks, all the same length - had decided it was too thick to be thatch for the roofs of the houses. They are used like wattle and daub with short thick fencing type posts to create low fences out into the area they want to reclaim, which is mud flats that are exposed at low tide. These groins then gradually encourage the mud to build up the level so that eventually it becomes proud of the sea in larger and larger patches, with grass starting to become established. Then the diggers go in and dig parallel narrow canals to drain the water off the land - the width of them appearing to be determined by how much water needs to be drained off. The sheep are put onto the land once enough grass has been established, and the sheep crap I presume is then left on to fertilise the newly established land - they have to hop over the drainage ditches. Bit by bit the drainage ditches fill up and the land becomes a fully fledged field.

A bit of excitement one morning - we could see a hill in the distance.... may only be the merest blip of one but after 800 miles or so of virtually flat land (not counting the numerous times we have had to cycle up and down over the dykes) it was worthy of a photo....

... and just incase we hadn't seen enough sheep - there was giant one for us to feast our eyes on as we cycled past.

A very windy day that was making cycling very hard work (yes, it was a head wind much of the day - isn't it always - you can see the wind turbines blades turned into the wind - and we always seem to be cycling in exactly the same direction as they are). Glad to find this sheltered lunch spot with tables and benches in the lee of some tall trees - weren't too sure at all what the sculpture was supposed to be - but found a small plaque, and despite being in German discovered it was an angel - can see this now!!!

Very little English is spoken - I found something online that says that 99.5% of tourists to this area are German - so no need for anyone to speak English really.

Lots of the following signs up all along the busier roads we have cycled along.

Very glad to arrive at Dagebull - wind and sun beaten - a tiny place with a large ferry terminal capable of handling 3 ferries at once - they service the string of islands along the coast here - all not very far off the coast - one (Sylt) with it's own railway over a causeway as the only way to get to it - supposed to be a very up market island - Porches and other sports cars get put on the train to take them over to the island where many Germans have posh holiday homes. Cycles have to go on the train as well - didn't go but would have been fun to access another island in yet another 'different' sort of way. Lots of people staying in the few hotels here, walking out in the cooler evening with not really anywhere very far to go to. As we walked back along the dyke we heard a rousing sing song going on- but just finished as we arrived at the village hall - there had been a two hour (free) concert by a shanty male choir with handbells etc - a real shame that we missed out on that.

Loved the row of bathing huts - first ones we have seen along this coast as we cycle northwards.

Only a very small area for us to camp on - and a bit put out when a car belonging to two young lads parked very close to our tent - and then they sat drinking their bottles of beer in the car seats - and were still there when we went to bed - until Roger commented that at least we could sleep easy as the 'Ghost Busters' were on call and watching over us.

Cycled past a farm and all the fields round about it - full of different sorts of carvings .....

Perhaps these were the ghosts that the Ghost Busters were watching out for the night before?

... and really not very sure at all as to just what this little fella is supposed to be sat on the gate to this field?

One of my pedals was getting very suspect and Roger was worried that it might break on us somewhere very inconvenient - I've had on break on a mountain bike when out in the middle of no-where - a real pain because you can't cycle -can freewheel down hill but thats all - can be a long walk pushing the bike until you find a suitable cycle shop ....

We'd noticed one as we cycled through the last main town in Germany, not far from the supermarket where we made our usual daily shopping stop. Met up with a Dutch couple we'd seen on the campsite the night before - struggling to get their tent up in the wind, and looked as though not put it up very often before. Did debate whether togo and help but some people don't like assistance, and so used to no one speaking much English we didn't in the end. It turns out they spoke excellent English - they are cycling for a month from the NW of Germany to Sweden - they had forgotten to pack their pan though so were struggling to buy a suitable one to replace it. They had parked their loaded bikes by ours at the supermarket, and came out just after us - hence we finally got round to talking to them - it turned out they were also just off to the bike shop as well- they'd had a puncture the day before and wanted to borrow the proper pump to make sure the pressure in the tyre was correct.

The guy at the bike shop spoke excellent English and suggested that we should buy a new set of pedals - which we did. He was really pleased to see we both had British Dawes bikes (they both have a GB flag sticker on the frame) and went off to get his very first bike that he had bought -a 40 year old Dawes bike - he proudly showed us the Dawes symbol, and place of manufacture, Birmingham on the front of the bike. As I've said before our bikes are nearly 20 years old, you can still find them on the internet to buy but would guess they are no longer manufactured in GB, but China or somewhere out east.

The Dutch couple had invited us to have a drink with them in a cafe in town - they went on ahead of us as we swapped the pedals on my bike for the new ones, using the wrench from the bike shop to help get the old ones off, and we looked out for them as we cycled through the busy town streets. Was lovely to get out of the heat of the sun for a while and chat to them - Jan and Ria(n) - sorry if I've got the spellings wrong.

As we got near to the border with Denmark, an interesting and pretty off road section along a half-mile grassy track

.. and here we are in Denmark and not the Netherlands, and here is a photo of a windmill....

Very very hot today - camped last night at a lovely campsite on the coast at Emmerlev. A great cold swimming pool to cool down in yesterday afternoon when we arrived,and air conditioning in the toilet and shower block (first communal ones we have been to I think on this trip). Jan and Ria(n) were at the campsite as well - lent them the kettle to boil some water for a brew -still not got a pan as yet - and even though some hotplates here at the campsite in the small kitchen area, not much use if you have no pan. They re staying at Emmelev today and cycling minus the panniers to some nearby museums. They are cycling to Ribe tomorrow -where we are planning to be so will no doubt catch up with them again there.

More gravel first thing today - lots of lose gravel yesterday as well when we crossed over the border - Roger pulling faces as a bit precarious with the loaded tourers and also harder work than normal to pedal on.

Not the same quality of cycle paths here as in the Netherlands, and also in Germany. After some road work, commenting that we could see the sea without a dyke being in the way, and also how since crossing the border it felt like we had stepped back 20 years or so in time, definitely much more rustic feel to the villages and landscapes. Back suddenly to cycling the inland side of a dyke -came across a couple of cycle tourers coming the other way- we met at a sheep gate (one of many, many gates you have to negotiate along the dykes paths from the Netherlands to here) - the guy said some sort of mumbled greeting, and I knew at once he was British - so had a good catch up of experiences for the next 10 minutes or so. They had come from Romo (where we were off to) and heading for Emmerlev where we had just come from. They were cycling for 3 weeks from Ejsberg to the Hook of Holland (same time as we had spent cycling the same route in the opposite direction) - both very convenient for the ferries from Harwich - in fact the Ejsberg ferry is the only one now that goes from the UK to anywhere near Scandanavia.

A 10 km cycle ride across a causeway to the island of Romo - very hot work - even Roger was perspiring to day -so you can imagine how wet I was by the time we arrived at the campsite in time for lunch. There was an electronic sign as we reached the island - 30 degrees, and it's got much hotter since. Luckily there was a covered area with tables and benches so able to get out of the sun to eat our late lunch.

The campsite had FREE wifi here, so making the most of it - decided to come into the TV lounge as cooler in here and an electric socket for the pc - but the Netherlands Brazil football match just starting so loads of people watching the match. I am sat in a small niche off the room so can't see the TV r understand the commentary so had to try and guess what was happening by the faces and noises of those watching as to what was happening and then look at a web site to see if I was correct in my guesswork - which I was - was 0:1 at first to Brazil, then 1:1, then 2:1 - so lots of very happy people.

Hopefully it will cool down later and we will feel like going for a cycle ride around the island, minus the panniers for a treat.

We're a day ahead of schedule (the schedule more or less runs out after we meet up with Janet and Barry - had to have one to make sure we got here in time, but hope to make it up aswe go along a bit more from now on) so are cycling to Ribe tomorrow, then on Sunday we'll cycle up to Ejsberg to meet the ferry and then cycle back to Ribe again - supposed to be a lovely town so did;t want Janet and Barry to miss it. Then we'll turn north again and cycle around the Jutland Peninsula, leaving Janet and Barry to make their way back then to Ejsberg and the return ferry to Harwich, and well get the ferry over to Sweden.

Will be good to have someone else to have a conversation with - we've been cycling now for 9 weeks or so now with only each other for company - I think we've done really well - very few fallings out, and when we have it's only been for a minute or two. Having spent so much time in each others company on travel trips over the years we are both very very predictable on what we will find annoying and frustrating!!!

Stinteck, near Busum, Germany

2010-06-27T18:20:00.293+01:00

Am typing this lying on my bed mat in the shade of a hedge by our tent. The football started a little while ago - here was a cheer from the nearby caravans so presumed Germany must have scored - just checked it out on Google - and yes, it's 1:0 to Germany - the horns have just gone again all over the campsite and cheers galore - so now presume it's 2:0 to Germany ... (just checked out Google and yes, that' the score) We're keeping a very low profile here...

The weather is fabulous today - not only is the sun cracking the flags, but the wind is also warm as well - cycled in T shirts for the first time for ages today.
No noises from the campsite to indicate it - but just seen on the up to the minute news of the game that England have scored - so 2:1 now.... Very subdued though compared to how I would imagine it would be on an English campsite with the blokes all watching the match???
It's now 8.30pm - taken me this long to upload the photos included in this part of the blog - I knew about each goal to Germany a minute or two before it was reported on the webpage I was keeping an eye on - 4:1 - the biggest defeat England has had in a World Cup match ever..... - the campsite came back to life once the game was over. Roger has made tea for us, plus a couple of brews as well in the meantime, I've finished off with the last of the Hobbit biscuits (Hobnobs in UK). I'm well and truly in the shade now - almost time for the fleece to go on.
Back to Wilhelmshaven, where we stayed overnight in a hotel so we could catch ferry number 14; Wilhelmshaven to Heligoland which left at 9 am. The view from bed in the morning was tranquil, it looked as though the weather would be perfect for the trip.

Got to the ticket office for just after 8, when it opened. The lady in the office spoke no English, so not the easiest of conversations for either party - didn't appear to have had bicycles on the boat before, and we had to explain in pigeon German what our plan was - and eventually when the computer decided to behave itself she found a price for a bicycle to go on the ferry - but only charged us for one bike, which we discovered when she gave us the tickets with a final look of relief (the printer wouldn't play ball for her either) - so when she looked up a minute later and saw us still there it must have been hard to smile at us!!- more computer and printer niggles, but finally we had our ticket - to give to the man waiting on the gangplank a few feet away. Our bikes were cycled up the gangplank by a couple of blokes, and we were asked if it was Cuxhaven or Busum we were going to be sailing to in the evening from the island. Until that point hadn't realised that Busum was an option - didn't even know where it was - or if it was on the route. Well, in retrospect Busum is on the route - that is where we have go to today - but it would have been a gigantic cheat, missing a large portion of the German cycle route out - can live with the day or two's cycling we've missed by going to Cuxhaven from Wilhelmshaven, but not with going to Busum.
Didn't think too much about the question of where we were going to in the evening until later on in the day.
The boat left on time, after given a very loud, and very long blast on the horn minutes before - telling any stragglers to get a move on perhaps,and also no doubt warning any craft outside the harbour that it would be on its way out very soon, so get out of the way.
Not a huge number of passengers on board, but we managed to pick the wrong side to sit on (and we thought about it before we sat there) so were in the cold shadow of the upper deck for the first 3/4 of a hour - finally a few rays of sunshine found our heads - then the captain changed direction ever so slightly - and back in the cool again. Finally went on the upper deck,the sides of the deck covered in so no view from the seats but at least sheltered from the wind - serenaded for some of the trip by a bloke on his accordian for some of the journey - with a German flavour to his choices until 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor'. Couldn't work out if he was a passenger or was provided by the boat - he came round to all the passengers to have a chat - was he after a tip?

It might look a beautiful blue sky but it was a cold wind blowing - sending most of the passengers down below.

I closed my eyes listening to the ipod, and enjoying the sun on my face, wrapped up in my windproof - may even have been zzzing on the quiet when suddenly realised it was much colder and - was that a drop of rain on my face? Opened my eyes to find that we were in a dense sea mist - couldn't believe it - were not going to see very much of Heligoland at this rate....

After 15 minutes of this and no sign of the mist disappearing we gave up and went to go inside - but found our way to the 'car deck' - and where cars would normally be they had converted it into a play area for kids - palm trees and a large sand pit, plus provided some of the local double wind protected sun seats - it was so lovely and warm hereat the back of the boat - no wind at all, and somehow the sun was finding its way through the mist, so as no one seemed to be interested in making you pay to use them (I'm sure that in theory you should do) we made the most of them for the rest of the trip - despite the noise of the engines it was a great place to be - wish we'd found it earlier.

I well and truly fell asleep this time, so Roger extracted his revenge for all the photos I have had of him in similar circumstances and took a photo of me - when I commented that I looked like a beached whale he agreed (!!!) and said that's why he'd taken it - who needs friends with a husband like that .....

I hasten to add that I am deliberately hoisting my shorts up to try and make the tide line a little less obvious on my legs!! It's just unfortunate that it makes it look as though I've got stockings on that are at half mast!!
The tannoy started up and I think the guy was saying (in German) that we should be able to see the island of Heligoland now -but obviously we couldn't because of the mist - got a laugh from the rest of the passengers anyway and they all started peering over the side of the boat - as you can see below,there's not much to see. The island is there, very close but completely hidden to view by the mist.

As we got close to the island the mist just seemed to up and go - and there it was- the island in all its glory.

Suddenly realised that the boat had stopped and was dropping the anchor out in the bay -and that there were a steady stream of small motor launches coming out to meet the boat to transfer the passengers to the island. First we knew about this - how the heck were we going to get the bikes off the boat into the launch, and then get them transferred onto a different boat to take us to Cuxhaven in the late afternoon - when no one speaks any English??

Even more of a poser when you get to the door to leave the boat to get on to the tender!! Luckily the lass on the right of the photo at the door was the member of staff we'd spoken to the night before who had said 'it will be no problem to transfer your bikes to another boat' - or words to that effect. At least she knew what we were wanting - and waved our concerns aside when we tentatively asked about what we did with the bikes - 'You do Nothing - Just enjoy yourselves' - and get in the launch asap..... So off we went, wondering whether we would see the bikes again ....

The island was heaving - four day tripping boats arrive within 15 minutes of each other -daily throughout the summer, and leave within 15 minutes of each other in the afternoon - so at about half past 12 the sleepy island is rudely awakened and is a heaving mass of tourists until about 3 pm when they all start making their way back to the harbour to stand in the queue to get the launch back to the boat to go home. People stay here though as well, there is a row of similar looking hotels near the harbour. If you were sensible you'd stay indoors or have a nap between 12 and 4pm, unless you have a grockle shop full of tax free goods, or selling food, drinks and ice creams. Reminded us at different times of lots of different islands we have visited - Alderney, Jersey, Sark, Gibraltar etc with a hint of Charlottetown in Labrador thrown in.

A mix of tackyness and tranquility all within half a square mile of land. The area immediately around the harbour was flat with modern sops and amenity type buildings. I loved the bright colours and wooden clad buildings - reminded us this time of St Johns in Newfoundland. Found where we had to buy our ferry tickets back to Cuxhaven -again the lady in the office didn't really speak much English and seemed surprised by our tale of our bikes - and how they would be transferred between the two boats - no price for the cost of transporting a bike on her computer, so said we would have to pay for them on the boat. Nothing more that we could do now - Roger had great faith in the female crew member who spoke the best English - so we might as well do as we were told by her, and enjoy ourselves.

This flat area ends abruptly at 200 foot sheer cliffs, with the houses of the island being built up on the plateau above. There was a lift of some sort to take you up and down (you had to pay) or steps up to the top - as Roger put it - 'For Cheapskates' - so guess which way we went... - lovely views on the way up though. Felt like hard work on the leg muscles -completely different set of muscles in use to cycling - going to be fun getting back into any sort of fitness when I get back to start running again.

From the top could see the small sandy island near by, Dune that used to be attached to the main island, and also be a white cliff (see last entry in blog) - we'd seen the small ferry boat in the harbour that runs between the two islands - the runway strip and the beach are situated on Dune.

Despite all the tourists that had descended on the island the streets looked very quiet in the small town. You can see why there are no bikes here - there isn't really anywhere to use them. There are some electric utility vehicles - you can just see one in the photo below - they have a 'secret' back way up to the top of the plateau.

Found the church - not too difficult with a spire standing proudly over the houses - a very modern looking one - but everything here had to be rebuilt after the islanders were allowed back on in 1952. I'd read about the plaque to Queen Victoria in it, which must have been one of the few things that survived all the bombing.

Was in English, which is a pleasant change given that nothing else is on the island. Can make out about two thirds of the words -was given by someone who came from Heligoland, when it was 'ruled' by England, and when Victoria had been on the thrown 69 years. Don't suppose many people stop to take much notice of this plaque.

Some lovely views again from the plateau - the red cliffs surround the plateau in a v shape from the flat harbour area. There is a paved walkway that goes all the way round - and is where most of the tourists migrate to at some point in their time on the island.

I'd read that the island is supposed to be virtually allergen free -but not sure how this can be as plenty of flowers - both in the gardens and growing wild. And then there is all that duty free perfume to assail your nostrils in the shops.....

The walkway is a little like the yellow brick road - except it is q pinky red colour. The cliffs curve in and out, and seem to be made of a very soft sort of rock that looks as though it must erode very easily - but must be tougher thn t looksto have survived this long in the midst of the NorthSea, and all that bombing by the Brits.

The sea birds nesting on the cliffs were spectacular - would be great to spend some time on the island so that you had the time to observe them properly - and away from all those tourists. At the far tip of the island, furthest away from the harbour area was a sea stack - we dubbed it The Old Man Of Heligoland.

The land in this area of the island is very undulating as a result of all those bombs (see previous blog for details)

and one indentation even has a sign saying this was produced by 5m000 kg of bomb blast.. You can see that despite over 1,000 tons of bombs being used by the Royal Navy in one day - you weren't going to get rid of the island this way.

The sea mist was long gone now, and the sun was beating down. In the winter the temperature can be up to 10 degrees armer than Hamburg as it misses the cold winds from Russia, and never gets below -5 degrees. Today the sheep were looking for as much shade as they could - and as we've seen along the way on the dykes, a favorite spot is under the wooden bench seats - or huddled together to give each other shade. They stand looking stupified and panting like dogs in hot weather - the ones that have been sheared fair better than the younger ones that still have thick fleeces on.

Back down the steps to the harbour area now - couldn't resist a photo of these stuffed cats and kittens - well presented to catch the shoppers eye.

Had found someone in the information post that spoke some English and asked her where the signpost that pointed the way to Zanzibar was - she didn't know at first but some colleagues were able to tell her, so we went to find it. Although the four tourist boats have to anchor in the bay and use the launches to bring people ashore (been like this since tourism started in the early 1800's- due to the shallow sandy water around the island) there is a deeper water smaller harbour as well where goods re brought to the island. The signpost was hidden up a small street near here,and has the names of lots of different small islands and the distance and direction of them from Heligoland.

Zanzibar is 7335 miles away - and also Robinson Crusoe Island, Pitcairn, Tasania etc are all mentioned.

Just time for n ice cream and then walk back to the harbour again - the launches start taking you back to the boats an hour before they are due to leave - we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time, just in case of any problems with the bikes...

Already a large queue for the boat to Cuxhaven - and didn't they squash as many as possible on board. We were relieved when we got on the new boat, on asking about the bikes to be told that no problem, they were on board. Didn't get to see them so had to take it on trust that they were actually there. No idea how the transfer took place - but would have been done directly from boat to boat using the launches.

On the way home we were very aware of the shallow and sandy nature of the sea by the swirls of sand all around the boat as she moved through the water.

Got off the boat at Cuxhaven - told that the bikes were at the front of the boat for collection - got there just in time to see that they were being winched off - no doubt this is the method used in the bay at Heligoland as well. Amazingly everything survived intact and in the right place - we'd taken no special precautions as we had no idea this was going to happen - we thought we'd be pushing them on and off the gangway!!

So survived the day, with bikes and baggage intact - now a 10 mile cycle to the campsite - made worse because of a deviation due to the erecting of lots of new wind turbines along the side of the river bank. Celebrated our enjoyable day out with a pizza at the restaurant just by our tent, up on the dyke bank with great views over the river. Cuxhaven is on the southern mouth of the Elbe river that goes inland to the port of Hamburg. It's very wide, and there is no bridge across to the north side until you get to Hamburg at least - there's a tunnel under the river at least there - but our map doesn't go far enough to tell me where the first bridge actually is. Busum, where we are now is on the opposite side of the river moth, just round the corner on the North Sea. There used to be a ferry across the mouth of the river, but no longer The next crossing point is a ferry about half way up the river towards Hamburg, which we decided to make for - stopping this side of the river at a campsite I'd found on a local cycle map I'd bought as we were deviating from the route in the book we have. Only when we got there no campsite - looked again at the map and what I'd thought was a green tent symbol was actually a green horses head when you looked at it carefully!! So had to cross over the river on the ferry to the north side and cycle 10 miles in the wrong direction, towards Hamburg instead to find a campsite. Lots of large container ships making their way up the river - Roger and I took the Harwich to Hamburg ferry in 2000 (doesn't run anymore) on a 2 week Landcruiser and roof tent trip to the Ukraine, and I still remember how enjoyable it was cruising down the river Elbe in fantastic weather.

The houses are very different now - on the south side of the river an example is:

We were really lucky for a change with the ferry across the river - we arrived about 4pm on a Friday afternoon of what promised to be a great weekend weather wise to find an enormously long queue of traffic waiting to go across on the ferry. -The great thing about being on the cycles is that you just go straight to the front of the queue - and just as we got there the last of the vehicles on the ferry that had arrived came off and we were waved forward onto the ferry - I was the first to board. There are 4 ferries working the crossing - the river is still very wide here, but any more ferry boats would make it no faster as there is just enough time to empty and fill one and set off, just as the next ferry is coming in to land.
Ferry No 14 - Wilhelmshaven to Heligoland
Ferry No. 15 - Heligoland to Cuxhaven
Ferry No16 - Across the Elbe river, Wishhafen to Glickstadt

Sorry, I'm going to have to go to bed- I'm sat on a chair outside the laundry area peering at the keyboard by the dim outside light, plugged into the socket inside for the washing machine - but can't get the wifi indoors so thats why I'm outside. My laptop ran out of power earlier on. Getting very odd looks as folk come to the loos - its after midnight now - and they want to know what I'm doing but don't speak English ....
Will edit this and finish it off tomorrow morning.

Back again now - it's Monday morning, 7.30am German time and the heat of the sun on the tent woke me up. Opened up the doors to let a breeze through - the wind is back at the moment - no doubt will be a head wind as well just to cheer Roger up - he really hates a head wind with a vengeance.

The ferry across the Elbe brought us to the north side of the river, on the outskirts of the town of Gluckstadt, probably about 30 miles or so from the outskirts of Hamburg - which I was very glad to give a miss to. The queue was equally as long on the other side with vehicles waiting to cross. Had to either cycle another 20 odd miles into a strong wind to a campsite if we went towards the mouth of the river, or just under 10 miles with the wind behind us if we went towards the Hamburg direction - decided on the latter option, which was good asmeant we got to see the old town and harbour of Gluckstadt.

We've thought about a scoring system for campsites that we've stayed at - marks would go for them being available at the right place, so this campsite would have scored a minus mark probably for being so far off route, but would have scored well for many other things - full marks for closeness to the cycle path,free showers, a small selection of cold ice-creams and beer available to buy and the cheapest we've paid for quite a while - just under 9 Euros. Loss of points though for no toilet paper in the loos - we carry a half roll around with us for such times, which we replenish as required from a toilet block of a campsite. Next morning, back in the cycle path - yet again Crap Alley - and there are plenty of much worse stretches than this.....

The sheep crap dries really hard in the sun and can really jolt the bike if you cycle over a large lump, so you have to watch out. I can't believe how much there is - all over the grass of the dykes as well - and you'll find people picnicing and sunbathing in the midst of it all.

The houses have changed once again now we are north of the river. Lots of thickly thatched roofs, lots of lovely houses to look at as we cycle past.

Followed the river down stream - a nature reserve along the banks.

... via our daily trip to the supermarket - double lot today as Sunday tomorrow.

Lover this weather vane in some ones garden.

Ferry No. 17 - across the Kiel Canal, at Brunsbuttel - the canal starts at a lock off the Elbe river estuary here - again we just arrived in time to be ushered first onto the ferry. This canal is reputed to be the busiest stretch of manmade water - with something like 43,000 ship movements a year, not including small craft. It cuts about 250 miles of water out and an often stormy trip around the Jutland Peninsula - and after being widened in the early 1900s made it easy for war ships to pass from the Baltic areas to the North Sea. A free ferry this one

Had just finished and tried to publish this edited blog -but had dropped the internet connection and lost what I had written for the end of the blog - have had enough so will re write it next time if I've the will power to do it then -but not at the moment....