September 2019 Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine http://www.camc.comTOURING DENMARK
Beautiful coastlines, ornate castles and colourful cities – no
wonder the Danes are so contented, writes John Rawlings
D
id you know that Denmark is actually
m a d e up of m o r e t h a n 4 0 0 i s l a nd s,
including Zealand (the most populous and the
island on which capital Copenhagen sits), Funen,
Lolland and Fur? That it has one of the oldest
monarchies in the world? That it is the third
happiest country in the world?
I learned all this during my recent trip as well
as one more very important fact – the Danes are
lovely, friendly people.
The journey from Hook of Holland to our
campsite, Dronningmølle Strand, on the north
coast of Zealand, was more than 500 miles (we
saved some time by taking an additional ferry from
Germany). But it was more than worth it – the site
i s ju s t a co uple of m i nu te s’ w a l k f r o m a love ly b e a c h
of the same name, on what is referred to as the
Danish Riviera. There was something about theplace – it may have been our imaginations but the
sun seemed to feel brighter here, and the air
fresher, than anywhere else on our trip.
This part of the country is also known as Royal
North Zealand due to its proliferation of castles
and its popularity with kings, queens and nobles
over the centuries. Conveniently located less than
an hour’s drive from Copenhagen, it’s a popular
holiday destination for the Danes, who often
leave their caravans, complete with huge awnings,
pitched for the season for weekend retreats.
K r o n b o r g C a s t le i n He l s i n g ø r, ju s t 10 m i le s
from the campsite, is a classic example of the rich
h i s to r y of t h i s r e g io n of D e n m a rk. D at i n g f r o m
the mid-1600s, this magnificent Renaissance
fo r t r e s s i s f i l le d w i t h b e a u t i f u l r o o m s, i nc lu d i n g
a 60m-long ballroom (the largest in Europe when
it was built), plus a fine collection of tapestriesand paintings. It is known as ‘Hamlet’s Castle’
as Shakespeare used it as inspiration for ‘Elsinore’
in his famous play – although nobody knows
whether the Bard actually visited. Live
performances based on Hamlet are staged here
daily during the summer months.
The castle occupies a strategic position on
Zealand’s north-eastern extremity, where the
Øresund – the stretch of water that separates
Denmark from Sweden – is at its narrowest.
If you want a taste of Sweden while you’re
here, ferries cross the strait to Helsingborg
throughout the day.
Make sure you explore Helsingør’s quaint old
town, admire the boats in the marina and visit the
fascinating Maritime Museum of Denmark – an
attraction whose exterior construction is almost
as fascinating as the exhibits held within.44
Nyhavn, Copenhagen