Finally late last night searching for somewhere to stay we found a bed and breakfast in a tourist magazine.I phoned them up and we had a place. We then checked on the map it wasnt actually in Assens it was 10kms east of Assens.We decided to head to Assens check with tourist bureau and if they knew of something closer to cancel it.

The conference hotel out of Faaborg had a really good breakfast and was suprisingly quiet overnight, the conference participants must have worn themselves out. I had looked longingly at the sea the night before and we saw 5 men heading to the sea in the morning. I thought what a shame I should have had a swim but 5mins later they returned only 2 were wet so perhaps it was a bit chilly.We managed not to get covid at the packed railway stations of Bremen and Hamburg so we were a bit concerned when we were hearing lots of coughing and sneezing at the conference hotel.Keep away from us…

We set off from 2kms south of Faaborg and after we left the main town centre and spent the first 1.5kms climbing up.I sensed it wasnt going to be an easy day.At least we now know to pack morning tea and lunch and plenty of water as nothing is going to appear en route, apart from the odd bit of fruit off trees, today was tiny plums a tad sour.

It was rolling hills continuously.We felt we were going back 40 years to how the UK used to be , one car passing every hour hedgerows full of birds and insects and tall hedges and huge oak trees.The thatched houses here stemmed back to the 1600s and were formed in a rectangle around a courtyard with huge wooden gates to enter, so unchanged over time.

We were thinking where to stop for morning tea when we came across one of the Danish wooden shelters.It had 3 benches and tables, firepit, wood stacked up, a tap for water plus a long drop toilet.This one you had to scan a QR card and pay 10krona each to sleep tbere.A bargain except we dont have sleeping bags or thermarest mattresses with us.Anyway a lovely place to stop, the lake next to it was looking a bit green with the lack of rain so I suspect you’d need a mossie net aswell.Opportune stop to refill our water bottles aswell as there are few other places to do so and climbing those hills was warm work.

We cycled past lovely camp sites with huts facing the sea.We had looked into one of those but you needed to stay 2 nights which meant carrying a lot of food aswell.Lunch today was a bench with a great view all around a good spot after a long climb up.As we were sitting there an oldish man stopped on his electric bike for a chat and said did you know they call this area “The little Alps”, no we didn’t…still only a couple of hills did we have to get off and push our bikes up to the top.

We cycled on into Assens and headed to the tourist bureau , no Assens only had one hotel and it was always full and weekends the other 3 bed and breakfasts were also full.I knew the youth hostel was full aswell.She said the bed and breakfast we had booked was only 7kms away I think she forgot we were on bicycles bike paths are always longer.We had a quick cuppa at the cafe the local cinema yes they know how to make coffee and tea , we’ve got it sussed.Then it was back up hill and dale for 10kms till we reached our very traditional farmhouse.We had picked up supplies for dinner in Assens so finally relax time in our huge appartment in the roof of the farmhouse almost traditional dutch style with our bedroom full of beds for children.The owner had sold off the farm about 10 years ago.We asked him about pig farms and why we had seen horses,cows and sheep but none of the famous denmark pigs running around fields.It turns out those long barnlike buildings I’d seen with wide chimneys weren’t smoking houses for fish but pig farms.The chimneys allowed the release of all the gases the pigs produced, he did say they were very regulated now so no overcrowding of pigs etc but still not so nice for the pigs.

Saturday Sept 3rd-Day 18

We have just found out STRIKES for British Rail on the day we get off ferry and Rail strikes continuing through Southern Holland……rescheduling was required…we need to cycle all through Holland to Hook of Holland and not rely on trains and take an earlier ferry back to Uk.

Reorganising found us cycling off to Tommerup Station today.This turned out particularly good as after 10kms we saw a sign to the Skoda Museum and the Weaving Museum. We couldnt let this pass as yesterday we cycled past Strojer Collection one of the worlds best private collections of sports and elite cars, unfortunately you do have to book in advance so we missed out.So after a cuppa at the museum cafe Tim went into the old barn housing the skoda collection and I turned left to the Weaving Museum in the old Manor House.My tour was lead by an elderly man who knew how all the old looms worked, his childhood was helping his mother working a loom used since ice age times now only still used up in the artic circle.He was able to demonstrate how all the old looms worked,incredible living history.I didnt get to finish the tour as Tim came to get me as bicycles were calling, we had had a strong head wind so had been slow going.However plenty of blackberries en route to keep the energy levels going, I did check that all the weeds were growing ensuring we weren’t also eating chemical sprays.We reached Tommerup Stn and figured out the ticket machine we wanted to travel via Middelfart to Kolding, somehow we ended up going via Odensee, so no Middelfart.Another year, Middelfart was where we had been trying to find accommodation for Sat night , with the train option we were able to end up at Kolding with plenty of hotels available. Finding train carriage and bike reservation was all straightforward, the place for the bike had a light flashing saying reserved all very efficient. Trains were not crowded so pleasant after Germany.Yes we did have to change trains but all very easy.

Kolding has a very historic castle as this was the old border with Germany .The castle itself burnt down except for its stables but was rebuilt in the 1970s.The town has a rusty archway used for the 100 year reunification celebrations which the king and queen Mary walked through, 2 years ago no photo Tim thought it was ugly! A few really lovely half timbered houses in the town aswell.It started its month long cultural festivities yesterday but nothing on in the streets tonight.

So the plan is now to get to the dutch border to allow us time to cycle through Holland to the ferry earlier than planned due to UK rail strikes. Still we have had some experience of Denmark and certainly would love to come back to explore more.