Blokhaus, Denmark to Gothenburg, Sweden to Fjallbacka, Sweden

(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.