Northern Germany and Denmark (Trier - Hirtshals)

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Looserlama

Regular
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hi!

This summer I'm planning a trip across Europe, and one of the legs will be going up from around Luxembourg to the tip of Denmark. I'm planning on going up from Luxembourg (or Trier) to Brake on the Fietsweb Ring 1 and then up to Hirtshals on the Jutland Route. So that's Luxembourg to Koblenz then over to Kassel, then up to Brake right above Bremen, over to Glückstadt, up to around Flensburg, across to Ribe, then north to Silkeborg, Aalborg and finally Hirtshals.

I had a few questions for people who have done parts of this, or biked in some of the areas I'll be going through:

1. Are there any important/dangerous things I should be careful about in these regions?
For example, weather: like the Mistral in France, or the heat in central Spain, or dangerous wildlife?

2. Are these regions generally considered bike-friendly?
Are there good bike roads, or small roads with very low traffic? Are drivers considerate of bikers?
I've heard that Denmark is pretty bike friendly, but I'm not sure about northern Germany?


3. Are there many campgrounds around? And is wild camping acceptable in these regions?
Are there any particular resources you have used to find campsites in those regions?

4. Do you have any route recommendations?
I can't really change the areas we'll be biking, but if there are specific places somewhat along the way that you have found that are particularly spectacular or interesting in some way (unique culture or scenery for ex.), I would love to hear about them!

Thanks for any and all help or advice you can give me!
 

Haitch

Flim Flormally
Location
Netherlands
Hi!
1. Are there any important/dangerous things I should be careful about in these regions?

2. Are these regions generally considered bike-friendly?

3. Are there many campgrounds around? And is wild camping acceptable in these regions?

4. Do you have any route recommendations?

1 Not particularly, much pleasanter than in the UK
2 Yes. Koblenz is on the Rhine Route, Bremen on the North Sea Route, all the way to Skagen (tip of Denmark)
3 Loads. Free "trekker huts" in Denmark too. Campsites can be expensive in DK
 
northern Germany is also bike friendly.
Wild camping is not acceptable in Denmark but there are free tent sites available, but you need to buy the book that tells you where they are

www.friluftsraadet.dk/overnatningidetfri
It is called "overnatning i det fri" and facilities range from somewhere to put your tent to hot showers, fresh water, toilets, wooden shelters, wood for a fire place and even axes on chains plus all the wood. The book is only availasble in Danish, so it is useful to get someone to translate key phrases for you, but it is well worth it.

Http://55nord.dk/Diverse/SearchResult/Overnatning-i-det-fri-2014.aspx direct link to purchasing it in advance but I understand you can buy it in tourist information offices but we never tried. The campsites with the maps to them that look like ordnance shifter maps tend to be the Danish equivalent of the forestry commission ones or the outward bound schools which are the free one. The other are either village community ones (free) or peoples land or even garden and there was a small charge of the equivalent of a couple of £'s per head when we were left there.

Both my first and second tours used these sites extensively and both our tours went the way you are planning. Link in signature.

There is a look hole in the law for camping wild in Germany. If you have an emergency that prevents you from being to your destination you are permitted one night and one night only in woodland I understand. Said emergency can be a Spain
Sprained ankle that needs resting, this came from a very helpful Germany lay we met but we never tested it out, instead sticking to a network of small sites which course around €10 a night if that.

As for weather, the west coast of Denmark is notorious for headwind going north due to the weather off the north sea. If it gets too bad just move inland! Also the north sea cycle route which runs up the west coast had a 15km section along a nudist beach. This may sound great and is for the first km, but the next 4km to the only available off is hell. Find another route.
 
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snorri

Legendary Member
Just what the others have said.
Camp sites seemed reasonably priced to me with good and clean facilities, I preferred to spend the Euros and enjoy the facilities rather than have concerns about wild camping.
 
Ribe tourist information office sell "overnatning i det fri".
You can figure out what it means without too much Danish. I only had trouble locating one campsite in the forest but it was beside the North Sea Cycle Route. All have water and toilets. Many have wooden shelters. Camping costs are between free and 3 Euros. Beware of ticks.
In addition there are some basic Forestry Service campsites.
 
Ribe tourist information office sell "overnatning i det fri".
You can figure out what it means without too much Danish. I only had trouble locating one campsite in the forest but it was beside the North Sea Cycle Route. All have water and toilets. Many have wooden shelters. Camping costs are between free and 3 Euros. Beware of ticks.
In addition there are some basic Forestry Service campsites.
Not all of the ones I have been to have had water or toilets, so chose carefully if you are low on water!
 

Domestique

Über Member
The overnatning i det fri sites are brilliant if you can do a bit of research on them before you go. I am one of those who likes a shower at the end of the day. Also many offer a breakfast for little bit extra. And the shelters are a great way to camp.
Whilst in Germany you could spend a bit of time in on the islands, we stayed on Amrum.
Enjoy your tour, there is much to see.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Why are you stopping at Hirtshals and not Skagen?

There is lots of free camping in Denmark and sturdy wooden shelters are put up in lots of really good places. But we dont tell anyone about them. Just drop into any information office and they will let you know where the local ones are.

You always find taps in Danish Church yards and quite often toilets.

Danes are outdoor freaks. If you are sensible and they see someone camping in the wild with a bike they will be fine about it. Best advice is pitch late and leave early and make sure you really clear the site.

I suggest you do another search for your route. Search for Haervejen cycle route and you will get a lot more information. It is the same route but different name.

This is a free shelter that we stayed in overlooking a beach.

20140705_151305_zpsvztkpgl1.jpg
 
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Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
1: Dangers - Nothing that would be out of place in northern Europe - We got rid of the bears and wolves some time ago. The only species that need concern you are the mosquitos and humans.

2 - Bike Friendly - Cycling is the norm, car driving is the exception.
This is a map of the bike routes of Germany, Mostly car free, all signposted, mostly with hard surface designed for bikes, with cycle friendly B&B's and cafe all along the routes.
http://www.esterbauer.com/uebersicht_d.html

3 - Campsites - (Campgrounds) - Lots, but you need a map of some sort to find many of them

4 - Routes - Keep to the rivers. In Germany the main cycle routes follow the rivers

We cycled the section from Luxemborg to Koblenz last May - We looked at all the maps and books, this one is by far the best one (Ensure you get the English 2013 version)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moselle-Riv...7987&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=estebauser+moselle
(Allow for a day off in Trier, there is a lot to see)

We also cycled up the North Sea route in Denmark in 2006, It's very plesant, but a bit boring, as you have the sea on one side and dunes on the other, for day after day
Personally I'd go up through the middle of Denmak
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Quite sensible - I have cycled in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden and Skagen is the only place i have had troubles with mosquitos - the density and size of starlings

It must be your aftershave. I have never had problems with mozzies in Denmark.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Summer months I tend to be near the sea not forest camping. Autumn and Winter camping in forest shelters but the mozzies are gone by then. I did get mozzies in Sweden. But Sweden is just one big forest anyway and so its hard to get away from them.

Ticks are the danger in Denmark. But I can never remember ticks growing up in the UK. Do you have them?
 
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