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Where am I?:^mistymornings-->Cycletouring-->Scandinavia 2006-->Day 7

Day 7. Hanstholm to Blokhus.

Distance 92.6km. Average 15.3km/h.

A bright sunny day greeted us. One advantage of the breeze off the sea was that the inside of the tent was almost completely dry. We breakfasted (I seem to remember Damae getting fresh rolls from the reception), and packed up and were ready to leave at just after ten. The German we'd spoken to offered to take a picture of us, and we found that a fine idea. We took our leave via the toilet block and headed back up to the road. Left out of the campsite, onto the NSCR Denmark, and way-hey a headwind.

The headwind was the big feature again for today. However it was better than the day before and this was reflected in the distance for the day. The other improvement was that there was a lot more cover from the woods that lined the route. There was also a lot of off-road again today. We hit the two types of surface that were most demoralising; one was deep fresh pebbles and the other was hard sand with a scattering of pebbles on it. Rather like a hard biscuit with hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top. The third type, loose fine gravel and sand, we encountered mostly on inclines where the recent torrential rain had broken up an otherwise reasonable surface.

The literal as well as metaphorical high point of the day was Bulbjerg which is a headland that rises high above the surrounding dunes. Not surprisingly there was a short and very steep climb up to the top of Bulbjerg. Despite a valiant attempt by me to cycle to the top, we both ended up having to get off and walk. We arrived in time for a very late lunch at around half past one. Stan had had a grumpy moment not realising that Damae had just said 'Bulbjerg we must see that' and hence didn't understand that this was a cool place to lunch.

We cycled as far as the bumpy concrete path went, and parked the bikes up. They both promptly fell down, this being due to the stiff breeze that was blowing off the sea. We lunched on cheese sarnies if I remember correctly, undoubtedly chocolate was eaten and I brewed some tea.

After lunch I wandered around a bit whilst Damae did her best to relax by doing the sun worshipper thing. I took pictures and videos and a panorama to get an idea of the landscape. A gentleman obviously very busy with taking his own picture managed to place himself right in front of me at the wrong moment and then stay standing there. So here is his posterior for posterity.

Bulbjerg (which some people claim is the largest sand castle in history created for the 1879 Pan European Sand Castle Competition by the mad Duke Jenssonsson of North Judtland) has an impressive view of both the sea and the coastline. It is actually a large lump of limestone reaching a hundred and thirty meters into the sky, which also sticks out into the sea rather like the corner of a star shaped Dutch fort.

It was, not surprisingly, fortified during the Second World War, by the occupying German forces. The bunkers were in unusually good condition (although not particularly well furnished) and were open to the public. A strange experience a little akin to visiting Dachau, a place of war and inhumanity and yet just another lump of concrete (albeit a metre thick). I suspect though that Bulbjerg was not the most exciting of places to be stationed, not being terribly close to a pub or cinema.

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* There is a link to the video so you won't have to download it if you don't want to.