This morning also starts with sports, at the TISVILDELEJE BEACH. Besides, the sportive activities, the girls learn more about how the former fishermen and pilgrim place TISVILDE turned into a hotspot for tourists. It goes from the sea to Denmark’s oldest pine forest, TROLDESKOVEN. Troldeskoven is part of the western part of Sealand’s largest heath, the “TISVILDE HEGN” FOREST. Here, the V-GUIDES explore traces of an OLD CASTLE RUIN, A MISSING VILLAGE, and many other exciting cultural legacies. This is how they come across THE HILLS IN TIBIRKE where they find SCOTCH PINES, JUNIPERS, and HEATHER-COVERED HILLS. From the vantage point “UDSIGTEN” the girls have an excellent view of ARRESØ LAKE, a stretch of water from Roskilde Fjord and the woodlands of GRIBSKOV.
Inspired by that view and a second breakfast in the vegetarian restaurant THE LITTLE CAFÉ, the girls visit EVA MÜLLER at TIBIRKE KUNST, THE CONTEMPORARY ICON STUDIO. The artist shows the V-GUIDES how she creates icons in the original meaning of the word but in a contemporary design. Very close by, the girls come across the TIBIRKE CHURCH, built around 1120-1130.
At HANSENS ICECREAM they nibble on a cool ice cream before the girls in BRITT SALVER‘S ATELIER & GALLERY learn more about the small artworks to take on the bike (art money), painted bicycle cards, and other pieces characterized by bicycle joy, sensitive moments, and a tribute to life. The French and Swedish antiquities and industrial vintage items for home and garden at ESTHERS GARAGE are also admired, as is HANS FREDERICHSEN’S stringent but user-friendly glassware at ARRESØ GLASHYTTE.
Now a detour leads to the organic farm project RABARBERGAARDEN in the city of HOLLØSE, midway between TISVILDE and VEJBY. After a visit to LAMA GLAS, the girls head along the VEJBY STRAND to the coast of des HEATHERHILL, THE NATUR RESERVE BY KATTEGAT. The area reminds the girls of the Scottish Highlands. The friends are impressed by the imposing slopes of 15-20 meters which were formed during the last Ice Age. Maybe the adventurers treat themselves to a coffee to go, ice cream, or a pizza at IL TERRAZZO HEATHERHILL.
Then the path leads to the unspoiled sand and stony beach STRANDBJERGGÅRD and to RÅGELEJE BEACH with its striped bathhouses at the seafront. In the RÅGELEJE area, the friends also discover the MAGLEHØJE. After visiting GLASS BLOW – RÅGELEJE GLASPUSTERI, the girls go to GREENS FROM KOLSBÆK where they find fresh vegetables directly from the field in the small village of KOLSBÆK. Then it’s back towards VEJBY, where the team stops at KØDSNEDKEREN to taste tasty sausage products from free-range animals and good Danish brandy at SCHUMACHER’S AKVAVIT.
Then it’s on to HELSINGE. On their way, the V-GUIDES stop at the award-winning ØRBY WINERY located on a hilltop in ØRBY. The explorers then stop at the organic visitor TRANEGAARD FARM in LAUGØ. Here they pet the JERSEY COWS, CALVES, GOATS, and RABBITS, and have fun with PONY RIDING. In the cozy cafe and a farm shop, they treat themselves to a refreshment.
The travelers discover LAUGØ SMITHY where they can see how smiths used to shoe horses. Thirsty, the girls go to the small craft brewery DET VÅDE FÅR (THE WET SHEEP) where beer is produced, which promotes presence, coziness, and laughter and inspires conversation about good ingredients and locally produced food. Furthermore, the team discovers the organic Farm, TOLYKKEGAARD, where beer is made from scratch, as the locals say, “from soil to glass”.
The girls explore THE DOLMENS IN VALBY HEGN and then THE MILL in RAMLØSE. Here a detour is made to the RAMLØSE HAVN at the bank of Arresø. The V-GUIDES then head to the GARBOLUND VINEYARD, located on the south side of a hill out to HELSINGEVEJ north of ANNISSE. Here, the vines grow so to speak, with roots in holy water. At the foot of the hill lies indeed the sacred source SNOKILDE. Legend says that ABBOT WILLIAM OF ÆBELHOLT MONASTERY blessed the source so that its water had healing properties.
The journey continues south to PIBE MILL, located in the beautiful hilly landscape of HØBJERG. The girls learn that the post mill, which must be turned into the wind by hand, is dating back to 1789. The path leads the V-GUIDES further to the UNESCO World Heritage THE PAR FORCE HUNTING LANDSCAPE, where the king once pursued his favorite pastime, hunting. Through Gribskov, ONE OF DENMARK’S LARGEST FORESTS, full of vast wildlife, the girls reach another natural gem, the HALDBJERG NATURCAMPUS at HALDBJERG.
The first distillery in North Sealand that focuses on producing Danish single malt whiskey is now on the agenda, THORNÆS DISTILLERY, located on the FARM FALKENDAL in KAGERUP. After a tour, the V-GUIDES test the highlights of the house in the cozy tasting room.
Now, the adventurers discover GRAESTED (GRÆSTED) and the deep forest, large lakes and bogs, salt marshes and dunes of the NATIONAL PARK OF ROYAL NORTH SEALAND and NORDSJÆLLAND’S BIRD PARK AND ZOO with 2,000 birds from all over the world and a large collection of reptiles and smaller mammals.
It goes from nature to technology when the V-GUIDES visit the VETERANTOG CLUB’S WORKSHOPS. The people who work on the trains, run them, and restore them show the girls, why they love to work here on a voluntary level and invite the girls on a trip (*see later). After a stop at SØBORG CASTLE RUIN, it’s time for a treat at farm KOLLERØDGÅRD ICE CREAM & WINE. While licking the delicious ice cream, the V-GUIDES walk through the vineyard and see a modern farm in action. The girls strengthen themselves in CAFÉ HAVESTUEN.
Now the V-GUIDES are discovering the northernmost tip of Sealand, GILLELEJE. Here the promised nostalgic ride in one of NORDSJÆLLANDS VETERANTOG’s vintage trains awaits the girls. During the cozy trip in the authentic old carriages, they feel the wind in their hair and enjoy the wonderful view. Maybe they can also steer the steam locomotive themselves a bit.
After such an action-packed day, connoisseurs treat themselves to one of the traditional hand-made chocolates at CHOKOLADEVÆRKSTEDET JOTA A/S. Confectioner, CHRISTIAN BAHR, shows the girls how he creates the chocolate. Then, Hanne Carlsen invites the girls to her studio HANNE CARLSEN ART. The artist shows the girls how she interprets the nature of North Sealand in abstract paintings.
The girls find inspiration everywhere and learn that in the roof space of the picturesque GILLELEJE CHURCH, many Jewish refugees were concealed during World War II. Local fishermen, at great risk to their own lives, smuggled them to Sweden, hidden under the deck in their schooners. The V-GUIDES then hide in the GILLELEJE LABYRINTH, where they also have to solve quizzes and riddles. After finding their way out of the maze, they head to a HISTORICAL HUNT that ends in the SHIPS HALL AND THE OLD HOUSE OF THE MUSEUM NORDSJÆLLAND.
Now it’s time for some relaxation at SMIDSTRUP BEACH, GILLELEJE BEACH, and STRANDBAKKERNE BEACH. The day is coming to an end. On the way back to town, the group stops at the MUSEUM OF LIGHTHOUSE HISTORY | NAKKEHOVED LIGHTHOUSE. Here, they enjoy the impressive sea view and sunset over the KATTEGAT and the ØRESUND from the lighthouse’s top.
The path leads to the GILLELEJE HARBOR where the girls enjoy the food and atmosphere in the restaurants and also the CULTURE HARBOR and the EVENTS IN KULTURHAVN. Tired, the group splits up. While some want to stay at the BB LIGHTHOUSE, others stay at the SEASIDE HOTEL and HOTEL GILLELEJE STRAND.
© VALEUR MEDIA 2023