By
Natasha Culzac
09:00 EST, 7 June 2013
|
10:15 EST, 7 June 2013
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Strokes of sapphire and turquoise twinkled across the
motionless expanse of water in front of me as the blistering sun danced
across its surface and my feet sank into biscuit-coloured sand.
Had I accidentally boarded a flight and woken up in a village edging out into the Adriatic?
No, this deliciously pinching heat, crystal-clear sky and inviting beach lining the ‘sound’ is in the Nordic country of Denmark, just over an hour north of Copenhagen in the area of North Sealand.
Dramatic setting: East Denmark’s Renaissance-period fortress, Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, was immortalised as the setting for Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’
The area has been dubbed the ‘Danish Riviera’ and its close proximity to the capital, wealth of historical and artistic attractions and miles of coastline have made it a perfect escape for city dwellers seeking a meander in the slow lane.
As a reference to its beauty, its place name is often referred to with a ‘Royal’ prefix denoting the reigning Queen Margrethe’s affiliation with it – one that cannot be overstated.
Beach beauty: Natasha and friend Kimberley were surprised by North Sealand’s sandy shores
The monarch and her family travel to North Sealand every summer to spend the season in the 18th century Fredensborg Palace on the shores of Lake Esrum – a white, patina-roofed mansion with extensive gardens open to the public.
North Sealand’s romanticism comes from its quaint towns, boutique BBs and stunning historical lands, which include the forests for hunting and riding that have been the playground of kings and queens in bygone years.
Idyllic: Cycling is one of the best ways to get around in Denmark, particularly along the picturesque woodland paths in Louisiana
An hour on the train from Copenhagen airport, Helsingør (or Elinsore in Shakespearean English) is a perfect starting place for a drive or cycle around this picturesque section of eastern Denmark.
The town’s Renaissance-period fortress, Kronborg Castle, was immortalised as the setting for Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’.
The town has a disused shipyard that is currently being transformed into a £150million cultural centre and maritime museum, having successful beaten attempts by developers to build flats and offices that would have regretfully fringed off Kronborg’s UNESCO world heritage site.
Iconic: The statue of HAN (literally translating as he) was unveiled in Helsingør last summer
Nestled within the town, half-timbered buildings line the streets and cyclists weave through them on the flat terrain.
I cycled north from Helsingør, making a detour from the calm coast (and its views to Sweden) inland, through forests bountiful in beeches to the idyllically-hidden Hammermøllen by Hellebæk (www.hammermollen.dk) – a water-powered mill that was used in weapons production between the 17th and 19th Centuries.
Bountiful land: Hammermøllen by Hellebæk is a water-powered mill now housing a small museum and café where Natasha and friend enjoyed a ‘Danish ploughman’s’
It now houses a small museum and café, offering traditional Danish cuisine. Ours was a platter of rye bread, raw herring, cold meats and cheeses – rather like a Ploughman’s.
Smørrebrød is another revered dish, an ‘open sandwich’ consisting of a piece of dark rye bread lovingly smothered with various meat or fish toppings. It was once the preserve of the working-class but is now having somewhat of a gastronomical resurgence.
In this woodland I imagined that I was treading in the same footsteps as author Hans Christian Andersen, who as a young man was sent to Helsingør’s Latin School for a year in 1826 before attaining worldwide success as a writer.
Continuing our journey northbound we stopped briefly at the Esrum Abbey, a wonderful Cistercian monastery that was originally constructed in 1151 but was largely demolished after the Danish reformation in 1536 in its move from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.
Here you can buy a lunch, which has been prepared using recipes from the Middle Ages, and explore the hallways of the remaining Abbot’s building which has a monk’s skeleton on display and a tiny 13th Century fresco.
At the northernmost tip: The Gilleleje Badehotel welcomes weekend breakers with pared down Danish style and retro posters
The child-friendly beaches of Gilleleje (pronounced Gill-e-lie) are on the northernmost tip of Sealand, where a spa hotel, the Gilleleje Badehotel, welcomes weekend breakers with a nautical interior and retro posters. But it was slap bang in the middle of the region, just 16 miles south from Gilleleje, that one of the most stunning buildings I have ever seen took my breath away.
Frederiksborg Castle, located within the town of Hillerød, is a shining example of Dutch Renaissance architecture, tactfully copied by the reigning King Christian IV who also rolled out that same style to many of his other projects.
I would highly recommend a tour of this site, including its intricately-manicured Baroque gardens and gilded church.
Its walls enclose hundreds of years of entertaining royal stories, and it’s the place where the coat of arms plaques of the highest Danish order are displayed. Sir Winston Churchill was appointed as a Knight of the Elephant (in 1950) and his plaque, emblazoned with British insignia, is hoisted on the wall next to former President Eisenhower, both of whom received Danish honours for their World War II accomplishments.
Hundreds of years of entertaining royal stories: The walls of the Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød are where the coat of arms plaques of the highest Danish order are displayed, including Winston Churchill’s plaque
Aside from the intriguing and colourful
history of Danish high society, we moved on to see what contemporary
issues were tickling people’s tastebuds.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is the Tate on a beach. Its humble entrance disguises what unfolds to be a wonderfully spacious museum attracting the young, trendy Copenhagen-Hoxton types who picnic in its huge garden overlooking the Øresund Sound.
It’s also about to open an exhibition by Yoko Ono who is laying on a retrospective until the end of September.
A shining example of Dutch Renaissance architecture, left, can be found
within Frederiksborg castle, with its gilded church and Baroque gardens.
A simple arch, right, affords a precious view of the Castle in Hillerød
However, a trip to a quintessentially quiet suburban part of town just wouldn’t be complete without a night’s stay in a gorgeous family-run BB.
Hotel Villa Brinkly (www.brinkly.dk) is just a 20-minute cycle ride from the Louisiana and is ideally situated a short walk from the train station, near a rustic restaurant called Gorms, and the larger town of Helsingør.
Run by husband and wife Erik Steen and Anette Petersen it’s the friendly service that really tops it off as we sit and laugh with the owners over a glass of wine. Erik then tells me: “We are the biggest hotel in Snekkersten… we are also the only one.”
Cycling is one of the best ways to get around in Denmark, even in the capital Copenhagen where the web of cycle lanes really puts the UK to shame.
It’s possible to do this tour – and others – solely on push bike, stopping at the points of interest while your belongings are moved from hotel to hotel for you, and it is one of the most splendid ways to experience Danish culture.
Travel facts
Under two hours’ flying time, Denmark
has a good selection of flights from the UK to Copenhagen. From
Copenhagen Airport take the scenic coastal train to Elsinore in just one
hour. Or hire a car with Hertz from £67 per day including unlimited mileage.
Prices at the Gilleleje Badehotel (www.gillelejebadehotel.dk) start from 1395 DKK for a double room, incl. breakfast.To book: info@gillelejebadehotel.dk /Tlf: 48301347
Prices at the Hotel Villa Brinkly (www.brinkly.dk) start from 1150 DKK for a double room incl. breakfast. To book: hotelbrinkly@gmail.com / Tlf. +45 49 13 20 91
Gorms Restaurant, Strandvejen 232C, 3070 Snekkersten, Tlf. +45 49 22 50 60, info@skotterupspiseri.dk or visit www.skotterupspiseri.dk/forside
For more information about Love on a Bike: http://www.visitnorthsealand.com/ln-int/north-sealand/gastronomy/love-bike
For more information on Denmark go to www.visitdenmark.co.uk
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