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Day 19 part 2. Hirtshals to Sæby via Skagen and Fredrikshavn.

We arrived at the end to find a tourist honeypot. Naïvely we though that it would be a peaceful dune area with nature all around. Nope it was full of people, the car park chock-a-block with cars and coaches. There were plenty of bicycles too.

We walked with the bikes to the shore just past the car parking spot and sat in the sun. Damae lay down for a while doing the sun worshipper thing whilst I put the kettle on for a cuppa. With the tea brewed we had a late second lunch of runny Danish honey and melted butter on bread. We finally had finished the Danish honey bought in Hirtshals before heading to Norway. I took a few photos of the view, there were old concrete bunkers scattered around, I presumed remnants of the Second World War. I stood on one to get a higher view point and took a photo of the light house.

The tip of Skagen was lovely, I think we saw it at its best although I'd have to see it a few more times to be certain. The light is supposed to be special here, as is the sea. Two seas meet each other at the tip of Skagen and in rough weather you apparently get some wonderful waves as the currents crash into each other.

As for the town the houses in the centre were immaculate or at least on the outside. It was like a real live picture postcard, one of the old re-touched ones. I found it a bit creepy though, almost unreal in its neatness. It reminds me of a sort of Disney style theme park, and I wondered if Skagen was kept immaculate for the tourists or because that is what you do if you live in Skagen. Painters (not the artist sort) certainly must be kept busy in Skagen and I think the DIY shops must do a brisk trade as well.

On the way out we stopped at a Netto for provisions. By the time we headed off towards Fredrikshavn it was gone half past three and rather late. So off we went retracing our steps for the first few kilometers. At Hulsig where we crossed the railway on the way to Skagen we carried straight on alongside a main road. It was actually quite nice as the cycle path was sheltered for most of the way from the road noise and the side wind by a dense hedge and trees.

An hour or so after leaving Skagen we stopped at a supermarket (in Albæk I think). Damae picked up something to drink and some fruit. Our peace was disturbed by a couple of persistent wasps looking for sweetness. We drank and ate quickly, hit a nearby WC before heading off. We looked at the map before leaving and realised that there were few campsites on the route until a place called Sæby around fifteen kilometers past Fredrikshavn.

The weather was fine, in fact baking hot, and with the fortuitous state of affairs regarding the side wind, we made good time as far as Fredrikshavn. There we stopped by the docks in a small square just off the route for a snack and a drink. We decided that we had to go all the way to Sæby so needed to refuel and gather our energies. We were now a little tired and the weather had cooled considerably.

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