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Cycling from Amsterdam to Copenhagen
Day 15, 26th June 2014
12 km + 35 km = 47 km (760 km from the start)
From Augustenborg Fjord camp site to Ringe
Photo: Google maps
From Maria's Diary:
Thursday 26th June -
Up early this morning - left around 0750h and started the long ride towards the ferry. We arrived around 0930h and bought tickets for the trip across to the island of Fyn. We met up with some English cyclists and chatted the whole way over. Managed to buy breakfast on board as well.
We watched a man go out and get his boat ready for fishing. Within five minutes he was on his way.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0736h - 0741h 25th June 2014
It was a beautiful morning.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0749h 25th June 2014
Nearly ready to go. I just had to do up my backpack, strap it to the back of the bicycle, and then put the other stuff in the black box on the front.
We found that supermarket bags were ideal inners in the black boxes. You could just lift them out along the way for lunch and coffee stops, with everything we needed easily available.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0750h 25th June 2014
The radweg from our camp site to the ferry terminal was in excellent condition, and we made good time.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0810h 25th June 2014
Outside Augustenborg we came across this sculpture by Piet Hein. It is called Kuben, and was completed in 2008. It weighs five tons and stands seven metres tall.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0841h 25th June 2014
Additional text: http://hejsonderborg.dk/piet-hein-kuben-spheres-within-cubes/
We arrived at the ferry terminal and bought tickets.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0931h 25th June 2014
The ferry docked fifteen minutes later.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0945h 25th June 2014
We walked our bicycles on board, and put them in a safe place, attached to the bulkheads by occy straps, so that they would not move, and went upstairs. The ship left a minute later, at 1000h, as per the timetable.
The Danes and the Germans both have a most commendable attitude to punctuality. I wish the relevant services in Oz were as reliable.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0959h 25th June 2014
When you travel as we do, you make the most of every situation. We needed breakfast, and for me a reasonable (though not as good as the caffeine and taste rich coffee I make) coffee, a German (Danish?) sausage, good cheese, and a seeded roll indistinguishable from the German gold standard was sufficient, and welcome. Maria had the salad, which she can have on her own!
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1009h 25th June 2014
From Maria's Diary:
After leaving the ferry we had a very hard slog to Korinth. Much of it was on a fast road with lots of traffic - no verges and lots of climbing - it was a nightmare.
We reached the other side at the ferry terminal near Bøjden, on the island of Fyn, and stopped to see the next load of vehicles board the ship for the return journey.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1053h 25th June 2014
However we were soon on our way, and passed this bloke getting his motorbike and caravan set up ready to go.
I had never seen that combination before!
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1054h 25th June 2014
The road which we were dumped onto was not at all bicycle friendly. There were no radwegs, and the traffic was very fast.
This is a panorama stitched from four images, and this process makes a straight road, as this is, look curved.
In general, Denmark is very much unfriendly to bicycles, which we found to be different to the general impression most people have of Denmark, and hard to understand.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1116h 25th June 2014
Another beautifully designed and finished house with a thatched roof.
This one uses an unusually thick ridge thatch. The lightning protection wiring is just visible at the far ends of the thatch, and was not necessary down the ridges because the roof is so steep.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1133h 25th June 2014
Approaching the turnoff to Faaborg. We continued straight ahead, staying on Highway 8.
We were cycling on the narrow verge of the road, with fast traffic zooming past. With a little bit of effort, this could easily have been a good cycleway, there is plenty of room.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1146h 25th June 2014
This is where things started to get really hairy. A steep road, a very narrow road verge, and fast traffic.
The worst part of the whole trip.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1211h 25th June 2014
From Maria's Diary:
At Korinth we asked a man for directions to Radweg 51 and he showed us the entry to a new rail trail which took us 12 km to Ringe along some scenic country side - mostly dead flat and no traffic. It was heaven compared with what we'd experienced.
We were very relieved an hour later to get off the highway and onto this radweg along a disused railway line, which took us sixteen kilometres from Korinth to Ringe along a great track.
A passerby in Korinth told us about it, we had already passed the entrance and were half way down the hill out of Korinth, so we backtracked.
We had a bit of trouble finding the entrance, which is unmarked, so we kept asking passersby till we struck lucky. You have to go down one of the streets beside the old railway tracks to get to it. See directions below.
Being a former railway line automatically means that the gradients will be very gradual, and there was no traffic at all.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1324h 25th June 2014
When coming into Korinth from Faaborg, just before where the old railway (which you will soon be following) crosses the road, turn left at the Korinth Pizzeria (click on the photo on the left), down Kaj Lykkesvej (photo on right).
The start is about 200 metres down the small street, keep looking to your right towards the train tracks, you will need to keep a sharp eye out for it.
If all else fails, you could just walk your bike along beside the old rusty railway lines past the old railway station. They lead directly, of course, to the rail trail.
The rail trail cycle path is marked with a green dotted line on the map at left. As always, click on the small image here to see the full size image.
Photo: Google Street View and Google maps
This is the sign at the start of the rail trail, in situ, with the old railway lines in the background of the photo.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1324h 25th June 2014
At a shelter shed having lunch.
The trail is available to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The area was being maintained while we were there, with cleaning up and removal of weeds.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1338h 25th June 2014
We passed this church, with a steeple and a small 'onion' dome.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1405h 25th June 2014
This building, apparently a private dwelling, had an interesting roof line.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1408h 25th June 2014
This field of wheat, with a farmhouse in the distance, looked like a very good crop.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1415h 25th June 2014
Approaching Espe Railway station, with the old track on the right. The building appeared to be used now as a dwelling.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1454h 25th June 2014
The sign reads:
A place to be
Follow the path to the north approx. 300 meters, then you come to Espe Folke and Tumlepark, which is Espe's green area. Here, there are fields with lizards and ponds with frogs.
There are also shelters, tables and benches, a lunch shelter as well as a campfire space. The area is private, but with a special agreement on public access.
Gravel for the railway Espe Folke and Tumlepark came from the old gravel pit, which supplied gravel for, amongst other things, the construction of railways.
Gravel was dug in the area from 1927 until the 1950s. At that time there was a special gravel pit track between Espe Station and the gravel pit. The track was removed in 1963. The hill was dug away. The gravel was deposited in an esker, a ridge, which was deposited by meltwater that ran under the glaciers during the last Ice Age. Many hills have been used for gravel excavation in Espe Forest and Ringe Forest. In the area between Espe and Ringe, the Danish Nature Agency has created nature areas and planted forest. The purpose is to protect the groundwater and give the area's residents access to nature. There are good opportunities for walks in the area.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1458h 25th June 2014
Text: Sign
We picked some very welcome ripe rapberries growing wild on the side of the road.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1503h 25th June 2014
40 minutes later we were in Ringe.
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 1543h 25th June 2014
From Maria's Diary:
Both of us were dead by the time we got to Ringe. We were directed to a camping place behind the huge Sportscentre with a camp kitchen and free everything including Wifi in the cafe section. We put up the tent, made dinner and then went over to check emails etc.
We set up the tent in a good, sheltered spot, and went to make dinner. (The tent photo was taken the following morning.)
Photo: Don & Maria Hitchcock 0517h 27th June 2014, 1732h 26th June 2014
From Maria's Diary:
By 1900h I was ready for my shower and bed. We decided to take the train to Odense in the morning and then across to the main island. The cycling is so tough around here it will be good to make up some time.
Cycling from Amsterdam to Copenhagen
Day 15, 26th June 2014
12 km + 35 km = 47 km (760 km from the start)