That the island Funen A beautiful cycling destination is now clear. On day 3 of their trip, Andrea and Maks ride the final stretch of the Herregårdsruten, the manor house route on ‘Bike Island Fyn’, as the region has named itself. Cycling on Funen is truly breathtaking! Don’t forget to read the first two articles of this beautiful journey.
- Cycling on Funen – Out on the road with Andrea and Maks – Day 1
- Herregårdsruten: Cycling on Funen, with Andrea and Maks
Text: Andrea Lodder – Photos: Andrea Lodder – Maks Groeneveld
Time flies when you’re having fun
Today is already the last day of our trip. I open the curtains of our cozy room, and through the slightly fogged windows I see a watery sunbeam coming from behind the gray clouds. It’s a bit of a gloomy day, but with yet another blissful Danish breakfast on our lips, we hop on our bike. First we drive back and forth to the nearby Helnæs peninsula. According to the hotel owners, it’s definitely worth a visit as well.
Dreaming of the Atlantic road
You may know the ‘Atlantic Ocean Road’ in Norway. This actually looks a bit like it. It’s not quite as impressive, but the road is surrounded by the sea from both the left and right sides. The winding road of about 1.5km long leads you to the island of only 19km². When you drive out to the southernmost point, you’ll come across a holiday home, a gallery, a restaurant and finally the lighthouse of Helnæs along the way. We’ve taken some photos and start with today’s route. It will take us from Faaborg to Svendborg today.
Having a nice time cruising
Today we’re moving a little faster (for our part). At least, for the first hour. Because the further we drive away from the coast, the more steep climbs we get. Beautiful rolling roads of up to about 5% km/h. You could rightly call it hilly today. On the left is a pasture with pigs, and a little further on one with alpacas. They don’t really do cows here; we can count them on two hands so far. Meanwhile, the gray clouds have been replaced by a beautiful blue sky with gentle clouds and it’s even getting a little warm. Finally.
Surprises
As the route has sometimes surprised us in the past few days, it is doing so again now. The navigation tells us to turn right. Cross the golf course, into the forest. Okay. A winding forest path that turns into a paved path is a nice change from the beautiful asphalt roads. Small stone walls and wooden fences add a bit of English charm. Just a little more before we see the sea again near Faaborg, where we will have lunch at one of the better fish cafes in the region.
Faaborg harbor
There is a lot to do in the port of Faaborg, so it is very busy there. We haven’t seen that many people here in the last few days. But that’s also logical. There are a lot of boats here, and it’s a super nice and colorful town that has something of Volendam. Right in the harbor you find the Øhavsmuseet. In this museum you find a lot of information about the history and nature of Fyn. Very interesting if you like history. A little further on we see the Røgeri Café, That’s where we need to be. It’s already lunchtime too, so timing-wise we’re doing well! As if it were meant to be, there’s a table right by the water available immediately. In the café, the most beautiful and delicious freshly caught fish is on offer. From shrimp to prawns and real fish fritters. We, on the other hand, are going for a simple fish and chips meal. Under the watchful eye of a number of large seagulls, we empty our plates.
Wobbly roads
We roll out to Faaborg again and continue on the rolling roads. Along the way, we pass a few signs indicating that otters can cross the road. That brings our inner Freek Vonk to the surface again, so with each passing passage we slow down a bit and hope to catch a glimpse of these creatures, but unfortunately not. Yet Denmark has a rich and diverse flora and fauna. Secretly, it’s even more beautiful than we had thought!
The sea star
It is 4 o'clock and we arrive in Svendborg at Stella Maris. A beautiful hotel and restaurant on the water. With a luxurious room overlooking the water ‘Svendborgsund’, we are ending our last evening here. The 10-course dinner is just as luxurious and has been carefully prepared by the Dutch chef Semmy Woudenberg. From delicious langoustines to beetroot and a caramel dessert that leaves you licking your fingers. Normally we are not big fans of fine dining, but now that we are here we might as well take the full experience. We can’t imagine a more beautiful ending to this trip.
Tomorrow morning we will take the train back to Odense, where we will load the car again and make the journey back to the Netherlands. A trip of +/- 7 hours. But, let’s be honest. We’d rather spend 7 hours on a bike than in the car. We really enjoyed the beautiful and especially serene tranquility here on Fyn.
Final thoughts
As I already mentioned, you might not immediately think of Denmark as a bustling cycling destination, but if you want to find some peace and quiet, this is what you need. Now we have only cycled part of the Herregårdsroute on the island of Fyn. But if you cycle the entire route, you will also visit the islands of Langeland and Ærø during the 660km. A route that is guaranteed to bring adventure, and which is also a unique feature: the route is completely mapped out. In short, Denmark is an absolute must-see when you are tired of the standard cycling destinations and ready for something new!
Cycling on Funen day 3: the route!
If you also want to cycle on Funen, check out our routes on komoot.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.