Denmark, Southern Islands
If you like camping then this is the cycleway is for you. Denmark has some great camping along this route which begins in Copenhagen and travels through the southern parts of the country to the German border. Copenhagen is known as the cycle capital of the world, half of people working in Copenhagen ride a bicycle to work. Denmark has more than 7,000 kilometers of coast line, sand dunes, forests and open landscape with plenty of cycle routes in the countryside and four EuroVelo routes.
The nearness to the Baltic Sea and the many scenic islands with varied landscapes, makes this ride a mix of nature and culture. There are many interesting sights, from unique museums and churches to large amusement parks and a variety of food choices.
There are two potential ways to get to Germany. Using national route no. 9 along the coast of Zealand (Sjælland) between Copenhagen and Berlin on a marked cycle route. The route mainly follows the coast across Møn and via Bogø to Falster. From Gedser on Falster's southern tip, a ferry goes on to Germany. The entire route is 900 km.
National route no. 9 in Denmark is also EuroVelo 7. From Copenhagen to the ferry port at Gedser, the route is flat and follows either small roads or cycle paths. It is rideable for families with children. The Danish part of the Berlin-Copenhagen route was certified with 3 stars in 2012 by the German Cyclists' Club, ADFC. Continue on BikewayBerlin. Distance is 300 km.
EuroVelo 10 is another way to Germany. The cycleway follows the Danish national route no. 8 (Baltic Sea Route) from Jutland over the islands of Als, Funen, Taasinge, Langeland, Lolland, Falster, Bogoe and Moen and finally to Zealand. Some of the isles are connected by bridges, other by bicycle-friendly ferries. Continue on the Baltic Coast Cycle Route into Germany.
Guides, Maps and Other Information
Denmark by Bike has a list of cycle routes in Denmark. Go to the "Maps and Books" tab then scroll down to "Cycle routes in Denmark to download." The download link is on the left of the map and looks like a downward facing arrow.
EuroVelo 10 Follows the Danish national route no. 8 from Jutland over the islands of Als, Funen, Taasinge, Langeland, Lolland, Falster, Bogoe and Moen and finally to Zealand. Also, there is more information at EuroVelo Cycling in Denmark.
Baltic Coast Cycle Route Starts at the borders of Denmark and Germany near Flensburg and follows the northern coast of Germany.
EuroVelo 7 follows national route no. 9 from Copenhagen to the ferry port at Gedser, from where it crosses over to Germany and is known as the Berlin-Copenhagen route.
BIKEWAYBERLIN The international Berlin-Copenhagen cycle route links the German and Danish capitals. An excellent site with lots of detail. Same route as EuroVelo 7.
Bikeline Has several guide books for Denmark. We have used Bikeline guides and have several in our home library.
Danish Cyclists' Federation Has a good page with links to regions and general information and rules of the road for Denmark.
Map information
There are many cycling apps with maps available for iphone/ android. Here are a couple of the better offline apps.
Naviki Is the best mapping app we've found so far for Europe. This is a Danish based app that seems to have all major bike routes. Requires a map purchase for offline use.
Can be used to follow this and other routes. Click here for KML files that can be loaded into the app. Baltic Sea Route, National Route 9. Place the file in the maps.me bookmarks folder (MapsWithMe/bookmarks or alternately, email/text it to your device and open the file with maps.me. Total Commander works great for managing and opening files.
Guru Maps has the ability to show maps other than OpenStreetMap, in particular OpenCycleMap. KML files can be imported by "opening" the file with Guru. Place the file in a folder or email/text it to your device, press and hold and open with the app. The route will appear in "collections." A user manual is available.
Brochure for cycleways in Denmark: National cycle routes in Denmark
Here is a link to the North Sea Cycle Route
What it is Like
The ride starts in Copenhagen, one of the most bike friendly cities in the world, and travels to Germany by two possible routes. For us this was a camping trip except for our stay in Copenhagen. Only a small amount of extra equipment is needed for camping in Denmark in the summer months. A small tent, light weight sleeping bags, and a small stove. Denmark campgrounds are well provisioned and may include cooking facilities, showers, cabins occasionally and places to purchase food. It may rain at times so be prepared with a rainfly and ground cloth for the tent.
This is our complete outfit for 2 to 3 weeks of bike camping. We will buy food along the way.
Typical campground scene in Denmark. Most of the campground will be occupied by trailers (caravans) but never fear, the people are friendly and may invite you for dinner.
- Best Season
Late spring into early fall. This is northern Europe and rainy weather can appear at any time. Occasional thunder showers can develop throughout the summer months.
- Elevation Changes
Overall the elevation change on this ride is near zero but you will encounter gentil hills throughout the ride. There are no mountains in Denmark, the highest point is at Møllehøj at 561 feet. There are easy ups and downs riding to and from the shore.
- Ride Quality
The cycleways are paved throughout the region but be ready to explore the more remote corners of the islands on gravel roads. Hybrid bikes will do fine on the rougher roads. The traffic on the cycleways is for the most part very low and mostly on low-traffic roads. Passages through the cities are mostly on bike paths.
Signs are provided on the routes with the blue sign "Østersøruten". Signs may be inconsistent however for the national routes but regional or national route signage helps to show the way.
Beyond the Copenhagen area, cities and villages are fairly small and easy to ride through. There is usually some interesting sight or museum to visit in each village.
Crossing over to the island of Møn. There are some large bridge crossings between the Islands. We did not have any problems making the passage, there is plenty of room on the sides for bicycles.
Ferries complete the transportation link when bridges are not available. They are a welcome break from the routine, you don't have to pedal to continue the route. There is plenty of space on board for bicycles.
- Travel Tips
The cities of Flensburg, Kiel, and Lübeck have regular train service to all parts of Germany. All are wonderful places to visit.