Last Updated on: March 31, 2024
The last two days on the road were spent in northern Germany and Denmark. We still had quite a distance to go to Hirtshals and our ferries.
In reality it would be more than two days for us to get back home. But Hirtshals and the north of Denmark marked the end of the Euro-Adventure.
Early evening on the Elbe and the Wischafen – Glückstadt ferry
Last two days: day 1
The mission of the day was to ride from Gummersbach to Gluckstadt. Which would be about 500 kilometers. Like on the way south, avoid Hamburg by taking the ferry across the Elbe. The thought was to spend a night at the same hotel we used on the way south.
From Gluckstadt the journey would go through north through Denmark, preferably on smaller roads, to Bikers rest in Løkken.
The route included many miles or kilometers on the Autobahn. There’s no way of denying the efficiency of German motorways. At the best of times. If you can avoid congestion caused by roadworks, accidents or something else.
There’s also no way of denying how boring it is.
Early evening on the ferry from Wischafen to Glückstadt. looking southwest.
Northeast of Dortmund we got on the A1. Fortunately the traffic situation wasn’t too bad. South of Bremen we found our exit, rode through the city and continued north to Wischafen.
The Gluckstadt – Wischafen ferry is my preferred route past Hamburg, if on a western oriented tour. Whether north or southbound. It offers a nice break from riding, and helps slow things down a bit.
As usual the Elbfahre / ferry was packed.
It was early evening when we arrived at the ferry. Lots of cars were queued up as usual. But a motorcyclists prerogative is to avoid it all. And so we did.
A booking mishap
On the other side of Elbe we rode to the hotel at the main square of Glückstadt. I’d booked for us in advance, but as it turned out, the wrong date! Probably happened in a distracted moment and I didn’t pay attention. The hotel was full on this day, and the app probably had selected the next best option.
Bokel-Mühle Am See was a pleasant surprise.
We did some search and found an alternative northeast of Glückstadt. Sometimes even mistakes leads to improvements. The price was a bit of riding in darkness, but Bokel-Mühle Am See more than made up for it. A lovely land hotel, situated by lake Mühlenau.
It delivered on all accounts!
Down by lake Mühlenau
Sometimes mistakes may lead to pleasant surprises. My mistake can certainly be classified as one such.
Lake Mühlenau, right by the hotel
Last two days: day 2
After another lovely German breakfast we continued north towards Denmark. The weather was great, the forecast for most of the day looked ok. And with great weather, the choice between freeways and roads not travelled is an easy one.
Sometimes a GPS might throw surprises at you. If you’re willing and it’s set it small roads mode. This one surprise led us to Kanalfähre Breiholz, and I believe one of the shortest, if not the shortest, ferry crossing in Germany.
On Kanalfähre Breiholz across the Kiel Canal, Germany.
The ferry is free, and runs in a straight line across the Kiel canal.
We then continued north towards Denmark and crossed the border a little west of Flensburg. The decision now was to avoid motorways for the rest of the day.
The abandoned shop south of Billund, Denmark
From the border north towards Billund. At an intersection south of Billund we stopped at an abandoned shop and some derelict buildings. It looked like someone had just abandoned the place, with surprising stuff scattered all over the place.
No we won’t try again!
Our next stop was in Løgstør in “Nord-Jylland” where we met up with a friend of mine. As ince it was his birthday we invited him out for a treat and had a nice time. He’s a biker too.
But departing from Løgstør our luck ended.
Bikers Rest & home
The last leg up to Bikers Rest and Løkken was >45 minutes in torrential rain, pitch black darkness and gale force. Once again the cheap auxiliary lights, bought on AliExpress for the shocking amount of 38 bucks, paid dividends. Without those LEDs neither I, or Truls-Erik for that matter. would have seen much of the road.
Departure from Bikers Rest. Truls-Erik first, I a little later.
The next morning I took the ferry to Larvik and Truls-Erik the ferry to Bergen. But as his departure was in the later afternoon he spent half a day roaming around in north of Denmark.
I rode right up to the Hirtshals, and from Larvik straight home. Arriving I looked at the dash (below). Not bad for about 11 days worth of adventure!
Not bad for 11 days worth of riding!
It had been a short, but awesome and eventful experience. My first ever with a travel companion down to Europe and home. If you don’t make plans, surprising things might happen!
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