4 days bikepacking across the Danish countryside
Bikes. Danes love their bikes. It’s rooted so deeply into the cultural makeup that it’s practically genetic. When the Klindts proposed this 4 day trip, I was all in before they could finish laying out the roadmap. We began the journey pushing off from Odense around 11:00AM on a Wednesday, heading towards Svendborg — about a 50 km ride (around 31 miles for hacks who aren’t on the metric system yet). From there we would catch the ferry to Ærøskøbing and set up camp for a few days.
The roadsides we pedaled down were golden with wheat as far as you could see— like Midas himself touched the whole country. Denmark is also abundant with berries. We plucked cherries, blackberries, apples, plums, and mulberries along our way. The ferry was transporting lots and lots of cars, and was also blissfully free of charge for us and our bikes. The ride itself was a smooth hour and 20 minutes over the Baltic, ending in the charming seaside town of Ærøskøbing. People have said this island is one of the most romantic places on Earth and I could see why immediately. We shuffled our bikes off the ferry and headed around a kilometer from the harbor to settle into our camp. We unloaded the saddlebags off our steel chariots, wandered into the cool sea, and swam right near some fishing huts you’d be sure to spot if you Googled Ærøskøbing. Jellyfish, crabs, and other scuttle-y critters shared the clear waters with us, easy to see and avoid. We relaxed the evening away, knowing the following two days would be filled with swimming, eating, and drinking.
On the second day we rose early for a morning dip in the same swimming spot, and planned our day over a breakfast of oats and the apples and blackberries we’d picked the day before. There’s something really special about eating that close to the Earth, living alongside, sharing space with what you’re eating. Since being in Denmark I’ve eaten mostly an organic, pescatarian diet without having to try. We had fresh fish for lunch from the local market and wasted no time having our first beer of the day at the Aeroe Distillery, owned and operated by a Danish couple who just happened to have a love for whiskey, too. If you ever find yourself in Ærøskøbing, it’s the best place to spend an afternoon. You can even take a tour for 100 kr (or about 15 usd) that includes a tasting. On our afternoon walk we saw some kids jumping off a barge into the water. We couldn’t help but join in, and I executed one of the worst backflips anyone has ever done without seriously injuring their body, water is part of life here. We ended up in the bay 4 or 5 times a day, simply staying in rhythm with the rest of town. After picking up a pizza from Restaurant Amore Mare, we enjoyed it on the beach with a sunset and a fire once the sun had fallen below the horizon. A few friendly strangers joined us for conversations late into the night. The bay was full of sailboats bobbing in the moonlight; sailing culture in Denmark is huge and they even won a gold medal for it in the Olympics this year.
The next day we cycled about 10 km to a small cafe on a winding road. The structure itself was a recycled shipping container. We were greeted by the owner and his dog, Tarzan (little resemblance to the Tarzan you may be thinking of). Our welcome consisted of a delicious sandwich (a vegetarian panini) alongside one of the best views I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing in tandem. Watching the sea roll in made us itch for a swim, and after floating into the afternoon, we biked back into town for some ice cream to begin a night of drinking and singing. Our final evening’s dinner had to be at the fanciest place in town: Mumm Restaurant. I had ratatouille with escargot, we sat in the vineyard, and from here you can imagine our bill yourself.
Later that day we had the pleasure of running into Jan, proprietor of Expedition Kindness. He travels around the world documenting the human kindness he finds at every turn, and compiles an annual photo book of his findings. You can find his site here .
Saturday was our final day and was gusty as towns on the sea can be. It reminded me a bit of the last leg of my TCT hike . We tore down our camp and hopped back on the ferry, shuttling us back to the mainland. There were a lot of memorable views and moments on this trip, but my biggest takeaway was just how far two wheels and a metal frame can get you. There’s calm in the simple practice of travel, ebbing and flowing alongside the routines of whatever charming seaside town you end up in.
<3 TC