Today, we cycled 74 km and climbed 255 Höhenmeter across three islands, from picturesque Guldborg to the cliffs of Rødvig.
We set off in the morning from the island of Lolland, which we left right after Guldborg. On Falster, a rather monotonous but well-maintained bike path along the country road awaited us. Here, Ainhoa (on “Beast”) really had to battle the wind as our pacemaker. The island was pretty quiet, and there wasn’t a single bakery along the route.
After just 20 km, we left Falster behind us and drove across the Queen Margrethe II Bridge, which opened in 2026 and was so new that some of the railroad tracks were still being laid…
Just above the bridge passage for recreational boating (clearance height 26 m), we stopped briefly so Merle could look at the boats (and buoys, such as the red-and-white vertically striped leading buoy with a red ball as its top mark), while Ainhoa had to stand there freezing.
We left the 4-km-long bridge over the Storstrøm and headed toward Vordingborg on Sjælland, where we treated ourselves to a proper brunch (given the time of day). We really liked Vordingborg; the combination of the charming Danish old town and its proximity to the sea, in particular, gave us that vacation feeling.
Shortly after passing Vordingborg, however, we almost had to turn back: Merle’s rear tire had lost air, and when we tried to pump it up again in the parking lot of the Danish Netto (🐕), all the air escaped. Vordingborg was now already 5 km behind us, and the next bike shop wouldn’t have been until Præstø, 10 km away. Without hesitation, we rang the doorbell of a Danish man who had several bikes parked in front of his house. Luckily, the man was home and was able to help us out with a bike pump. So today we also got to interact with the locals!
We continued on through rolling fields, occasionally passing through beautiful, shady stretches of forest. We then chose the little town of Præstø for our second longer break, where Ainhoa adjusted her tire pressure, and we polished off a few snacks at the very sheltered harbor.
From Præstø, we rode along what had been the most beautiful stretch of the trip so far, following the coastline. First along the so-called Præstø Fjord, an inlet with the character of an inland lake, and finally along Faxe Bugt. We were particularly taken with the fine sandy beach (and a Labrador playing in the water), but since today’s destination was all the way in the east of the island of Sjælland, we still had to pedal a little further.
We headed a little further inland again, where Ainhoa, on freshly inflated tires, gave it her all, so much so that it was almost too fast for Merle. (The rocket was fired up!!)
We arrived at the campground at the entrance to Rødvig just before four, as if a whirlwind had swept us in. We really like this campground, too—everything is clean and tidy, and our cabin today is even bigger than yesterday’s.
After a short break (and lots of gummy bears), we ventured down to the town of Rødvig, back on our bikes without any luggage for the first time—it’s amazing how light a bike can be! In the evening sun, we were able to soak up a little more sunshine and relax our muscles in the ice bath (also known as the Baltic Sea). A special highlight was the cliffs and the island of Møn, which was still visible on the horizon.
We need to get plenty of rest now for our final leg to Copenhagen—it’s going to be another grueling one!
Bottom line: Denmark is flatter than Merle’s “over-50” jokes.
