WEEK 7

Day 43
94 km to Nieheim
A pleasant run through Korbach.  My hands are still weak but no worse. I request a long-term weather report from my husband in Sweden to assist with the final decision which I must make tomorrow - Skagen or what. Feel happier despite various my aches & pains.

Day 44
121km to Nienburg across a boggy, tree covered sandy heath on a cool, drizzly day. No visible wildlife and much less birdsong than in France. Roads still miss town centres and cycle paths switch back and forth across the road, over root damaged surfaces, broken bottles etc. Cooler weather means that at last my bum is bearable! The town is nice, with a pedestrianised centre but rather dead in the evening. The hotel is very comfy and serves an excellent breakfast. After clear instructions from my daughter I have decided to try and reach Skagen by the 13th. Poor weather is promised. I can only hope it will blow the right way.

Day 45
109 km to Harsefeld via Rottenburg in increasing side then headwind which gives me perhaps my hardest afternoon yet. Old but spotless campsite thankfully open and run by friendly dragon. The Elbe has to be crossed tomorrow. Hope the ferry takes bikes! An exhausted Norwegian arrives on his way south to girlfriend in Italy. He has cycled against the wind and has suffered 5 punctures. I feel very sorry for him

Day 46
107 km to Hanerau Hademarschen, crossing Elbe via ferry west of Hamburg.
Anti-cyclist, autobahn obsessed, Mr. Super-officious, road maintenance guy almost physically throws me off empty road that he says is autobahn between Witser and Itzehoe.   I am forced to leave via the ‘on’ sliproad and with no help in finding way through. With an extra 15 km and much faffing about I seethe with  bigoted thoughts about Germans and Germany. Nice hotel though and friendly, helpful locals who offer a room for the night if the hotel is full. A Gospel choir practice in the function room but goes home as I get ready for bed.
 

Day 47
109 km to a nice quite, spacious campsite in  Lundtoft, Denmark via Flensburg and crossing the Kiel Canal at Oldenbutel. A very pleasant run on small roads for the most part. At last! So nice to have been without hooting and gesticulation sessions today. I wonder if they feel threatened by people on bicycles? Met a seasoned Dutch pair also on their way to Skagen, having lost 4 days to sprained ankle sustained on evening walk. Previous trips included Santiago de Compostella and back, the Med and back, Land’s End to John O’Groats! In a bookshop I found a good Danish cycle map, covering the whole country in reasonable detail.
 

Day 48
97 km to  Vejle, staying with the 170 for speed. A bit boring but good cycle path. Youth Hostel is full when I arrive but fortunately I booked during the day. It turns out that my room mate, who had draped all her possessions around the little room got soaked in the rather impressive thunderstorm I'd witnessed but avoided. A hot, rather close day.

Day 49
101 km interesting run up to Langå, following cycle route 33 through Gudenå valley, over highest part of Denmark and along Jutland’s longest rivers via Gamla Rye and Ry. Very tranquil and pretty and a nice area to revisit but I have little time to potter. The old railway bridge in Langå carries a tale of resistance WW2 work in 1943 supported by the SOE. Rather tatty little inn full of drunk Danes with a room that looks bleakly out over a railway shunting yard. It reminds me of a scene in ‘The Man who Fell to Earth’.

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