The Danish Monastic Route
Long and sunny days has come to Denmark, and now we are all expecting the beech tree to come into leaf - this is the ultimate sign of spring in our little part of the world. Spring is the perfect season for walking adventures, and a day out in the forests or across the open field, while the sun is warming you up and the birds are singing all their favourites, that is like paradise!
Why not mix the enjoyment of nature with a spoonful of culture? This is possible now thanks to Jens Kristian Krarup, a retired headmaster for the Priest’s High School in Denmark, who has used a lot of his welldeserved leisure getting a dream come true. The Danish Monastic Route, a 1.700 km unbroken hiking experience through the whole country, connecting all the natural wonders of Denmark with a rich number of churches, medieval monasteries and other cultural highlights.
The route is described in books with the name of "Klosterruten" (sorry, only in Danish so far!), which are still in course of preparation. Until now, two books have appeared, and with these two goodies in your pocket it is possible to walk all the way up into Jutland, the western "mainland" of Denmark, the only part of the country which is not an island. Along the "fiords" and streams, you come to old cistercian abbeys, mighty cathedrals and small village churches, often with artistic surprises inside.
Even if you don’t understand a word of Danish (and I understand why!), it is absolutely possible to follow the instructions and detailed maps in the books. And remember that along the route you will meet a lot of friendly Danes, that speak a very good English or even German. There is a homepage for the route, www.klosterruten.dk, which also has a summary in English and German.
After my article about the island of Bornholm last time, I was asked how to get there. Very simple! Get into a train at the Copenhagen Main Terminal, going for the Swedish harbour town of Ystad. From there you go directly into the express ferry, that takes you across the water in 1½ hour to Roenne, the main city at Bornholm. You can buy your ticket for the whole journey at the Copenhagen Main Terminal, just say: "En returbillet til Bornholm!", and I’m sure you will get a return ticket for the pearl of the Baltic Sea!
I wish you all a lot of good walking out there!
