Dennis Knuist is on the road for Cycling Destination on the beautiful cycling island of Funen (Fyn). It is one of the nicer parts of Denmark to go cycling. The Tour de France 2022 finished just over the Great Belt Bridge in the Nyborg town. The sprint there was won by Fabio Jakobsen, then the circus moved on to other Danish islands. Funen has a lot more to offer and now it is time to get the word out about it. For this adventure, friend Sjoerd van Bemmelen tagged along. A great story that makes you want to jump on your bike.
Preparation
Good preparation is half the battle. Denmark is similar to the Netherlands in terms of climate. At the time of the visit, it is still nice and summery, with the occasional cloud in the sky. Most items from the basic packing list are very handy, but the shoe dryer can probably be left at home. It is never wrong to carry too many spare tyres or, in the case of tubeless, an extra outer tyre and fluid. For us, a good Summer kit from Etxeondo sufficient. For routes and inspiration, we have good contact with the local tourism office. We drive parts of the Herregårdsruten as well as other beautiful sections. Check out the route of our first day at the bottom of this article.
Cycling island of Funen Day 1: Odense - Nyborg
When I was asked if I wanted to go to Denmark, I did not hesitate for long. That I could take someone with me on this trip was double celebration. We had a lot of fun with the preparations and the routes were quickly made. On Monday morning, I leave with Sjoerd for the island of Funen (Fyn). Our first overnight stay is in cycling capital Ødense to be precise. We had the option of going by train, but in combination with private bicycle along was nicer to go by car. Before we leave, we check the route and a 9-hour drive is our part. The journey goes very smoothly and when we arrive in Ødense at the end of the day, waiting for us at our hotel Knudsens Gaard a warm welcome. This hotel, just outside the city centre is the perfect place to start.
Evening rest, preparing for tomorrow!
Not only is the reception good. There is no dedicated bike cellar, but bikes can be taken to the room, which is very nice for us cycling fanatics. The food in the evening is also top-notch. Three courses with local specialities: salmon, meat, many healthy vegetables and again fresh fruit and ice cream. That's a nice After dinner, we made final preparations for the first ride tomorrow. The start of our ride is a little further from the hotel. Funen, however, is a cyclist's paradise. There are cycle paths everywhere here and we move easily and quickly to the start location.
Herregårdsruten
So we will cycle a stage of the Herregårdsruten. This route was recently introduced and it is highly recommended, even if you have an e-bike or gravel bike, for example. Our first route runs from Ødense to Nyborg. A variation of country roads, beautiful coastal strips and beautiful houses and castles on this route. This is also what the Herregardsruten is known for: it literally means mansion route. Along the way, we make a stop at Østergaard, one of those magnificent mansions. Further along the route, we come to Munkebo Bakke. There you should stop and enjoy the view of the sea. This was also the Vikings' lookout point from where they could see the enemy approaching over the sea.
On our route, Kerterminde is the logical stop for a good lunch. This coastal town has a nice number of seafood restaurants where you can eat the 'local catch'. We plonk ourselves down at Tornoes Hotel. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, as they say in Groningen. There is also the possibility of making a slightly longer stop at the Viking Museum, and if you really have time to spare, the sea aquarium might be a nice alternative.
On to Nyborg
After our lunch, we set course for our second part of the Herregårdsruten started towards Nyborg. This whole section we drive quite close to the coast and along the way you have several wonderful viewpoints of the Størebælt bridge. On the way you pass, among other things, the vineyard of Stokkebye near the town of Bovense. Absolutely fantastic to see. Here they not only make wine but also caviar. We could have had a small glass, because for large parts of this stretch the wind blows at our backs. It's nice and fast. At the end of the afternoon we arrive at our finish in Nyborg. Hotel Hesselet is right on the coast and from our suite we have a view of the Storebælt bridge. We can't wait for the sunset view! What a fine first day on cycling island Funen.
