Motor Boat & Yachting — November 2017

For boating, these tranquil expanses of water

are like magic carpets that fl oat you effortlessly

between fascinating harbours, some tiny and

quite shallow, others big enough for ships

museum dedicated to the history of Ejby Havn. Eel fi shing
was once a major industry in these fjords and sea trout still
thrive here. Danish smoked eel with scrambled egg is an open-
sandwich classic, scrumptious chased down with freezing
schnapps. Smoked sea trout is also the biz, thinly carved on
smørrebrød and garnished with dill. Making a note to lay
in some eel, we lunched on succulent herring and, since we
were driving, sipped Tuborg without any sharpening akvavit.

ORØ ISLAND
Later we headed back north to where Orø island splits the Isefjord
into two navigable sounds. Orø covers fi ve square miles and has
a population of around 800, though there are also many summer
houses. The harbour is on the south-west corner, jutting out
from some marshy coastal shallows. The Holbæk ferry docks
at the outer pier and we squeezed past it to enter a cramped
basin packed with local boats, except for one empty stretch
of jetty dead ahead. It looked like a tight fi t, but our quirky
little ship slid in with a smidgen to spare either end.
Sociable Orø had a very welcoming boat club in a waterside
chalet. We were soon relaxing on its veranda, drinking beers
with half a dozen of its genial members. All of them spoke
good English, with the musical Danish lilt which is so engaging.
We received useful pilotage information, a restaurant tip for
Roskilde and various colourful views on international affairs,
including Brexit.
Strolling ashore, we followed a leafy lane to Bybjerg village and
found a general store and a striking white church with a red tiled
roof. There were locals cycling about but few cars, and in warm
drowsy sunshine, the island looked idyllic for long summer hols.

NORTH UP THE FJORD

Although the weather stayed quiet next morning, freshening

westerlies were forecast, so we left early to follow the west side

of the fjord up to Hundested and the open sea. With our shallow

draught, we could tuck in quite close should the wind brisk up.

From Orø Harbour, you curve well out into the sound before

turning north to avoid a broad area of shoals and a fl at island.

SWEDEN

GERMANY

JUTLAND

DENMARK

RÜGEN

LOLLAND

FYN SJÆLLAND

Kattegat

Baltic

Sea

Lille

Bælt

Kieler

Bælt

Store

Bælt

ORØ

Mecklenburger

Bælt

N

Copenhagen

Malmö

Kiel

Lübeck

Rostock

Rødby

Puttgarden

Hundested Helsingør

Holbæk

Roskilde

Kiel

Canal

River

Elbe

nautical miles

0 10 20 30 40

31

TRAVEL

A calm morning
in Isefjord

GETTING TO HOLBÆK

Preferring relaxed sea travel

to airports, we took the car

on a Stena Line overnight

ferry from Harwich to the

Hook of Holland. This route

gives you time for dinner on

board, a comfy night’s sleep

and a civilized morning start.

We drove through Holland

and Germany on the A1 with

a pleasant ferry interlude

from Puttgarden to Rødby

in Denmark, arriving in

Holbæk early evening.

A week later we returned

to Harwich the same way.

Contact Web: http://www.stenaline.

co.uk. Tel: 0844 770 7070