Dear all, Writing this from Stade, a beautiful old town where we have taken refuge after all the rain. As we have time to spare, it doesn't matter that we haven't made Hamburg today.
The rain started yesterday-''rain legs on''. Rain legs are a very sexy piece of mostly waterproof kit that straps round your middle and goes down just below the knee, so as you peddle along, legs should be dry-well, thighs anyway. I, perversely, quite enjoy cycling in the rain, as long as I am warm and waterproof. Sandy doesn't feel quite the same. My problem comes if we take shelter, cos' my body temperature drops and I get cold. Anyway, slowly the rain stopped and then we cycled into woods, you know that gorgeous smell of trees and grass after rain, especially as they had been felling and there were loads of sawn up pine trunks, tho' the forest was mainly deciduous. Then came the hill! We have had various small hills and slopes, especially by the sea, but this was long and hard, mainly cos' it was wet and soggy under our bikes, with bare forest floor (Nigel-you would love it, but not when you have a loaded touring bike rather than an off-roader).
We survived.
As more rain was threatening, decided to stop in a tiny hamlet, Osten, staying in an old-world 1764 hotel next to the river (1962 flood sign showed the whole village must have been flooded-this was due to a tidal surge affecting Northern Germany like the one that hit UK in1953). Next to our hotel, was a Schweberfahre, built in 1909, a huge bridge like edifice with a gondola hanging from it which still carries folks across the river. Apparently there is one in Newport, according to Sandy. And yes, it rained most of the evening and night!
This morning was drizzly, luckily the punctures came before it really tipped it down. It was proving to be a beautiful cycle inland, through pretty villages, roads lined with chestnut trees, rhododendrons, often used as hedging, in full bloom. Stunning-we are missing ours at home. Everything very green, still most of the houses built with very high ridge roofs, we are not really sure why here and in Holland they use this construction, as it seems an awful waste of roof space-no windows to be seen. Perhaps someone could enlighten us. Then-Sandy, there's something wrong with my bike-couldn't see my flat back tyre. Sandy did the 'biz' as he is brilliant at this bike thing and I'm a bit of a woos, then checked the tyre, off we set, then-Sandy!! and it had gone again. After thorough searching we found a fragment of brown glass embedded in the tyre wall.
As we always carry a spare tube each, once again Sandy did the 'biz' and decided that as the rain had stopped, he would just have his windproof on. Bad decision as the heavens opened! Thus we cycled on getting rather soggy and made the decision once again to cut the day short, so stopped in this fabulous town of ancient buildings(many built late 1600s) round every corner, many renovated beautifully, cobbled streets as there are in many towns and waterways to add to the interest. We are staying in a Gasthuus, also really old, sited in the old town overlooking the canal.
Time to explore and people watch from the many cafes. An even better bonus at this Gasthuus, we can pay by credit card. During our whole journey thru' Holland and Germany, hardly anywhere takes cards, which wehadn't bargained for. As Sandy, now being a grumpy old man, likes writing letters to those in power, I have suggested he writes to Angela Merkel to get it sorted.
There is a silent agreement that we don't camp in the pouring rain unless we have to. I have been enjoying the camping so far, hopefully we shall be able to do more if the weather improves. So many people keep telling us how awful the weather is and how abnormal it is. Those that know us really well will be pleased to hear that Sandy, as usual, is up and ready to go in the mornings almost before I have climbed out of my cosy sleeping bag. After so many years of family camping, we became used to the tent collapsing around us as we ate our breakfast-nothing has changed. I expect that Pat had the same 'early problems' when he and Sandy were cycling in Scandinavia. I'm afraid Sandy just has to wait and it also means that he takes the tent down, if I really play my cards right.
Pleased to say that my btm ie my coccyx is rapidly improving. Gastronomically we are really enjoying the asparagus season, beautiful, thick, tender, white spears. Yummy. luv gilly

Hamburg. Good weather, very pleasant cycle. Diverted onto Elbe cycle route because of road works. Then ferry across Elbe. Dist. 43.9, ODO: 963.2.

Hi Ho Yer All, What I did not know was that hambergers are namesd after Hamburgers (ie the hamburg people) - Lonely Planet is a host of knowlegde  and the Beatles started their careers here on the Reeperbahn - fund of useless stuff!!
Please remember Gilly and I are cycling to Copenhagen and supporting Martin in his bid to raise money for a 'Boma'. Please take the time to look at his appeal website and follow the link to his main site. http://www.martinsbomaappeal.webs.com
Gilly seems to have taken over as narrative writer and I have been relegated to bit part player. One thing I forgot to mention in the last campsite was that the majority of caravans seemed to be permanent - not static vans as in a British site but touring vans which do not tour with large windbreaks and walls to demark the space. Well as tenting interlopers we were put amongst the non touring tourers and the 'locals' had dedfinate paths they took to and from the various facilities and one such route was were we had camped. Gilly and I were sitting in our camp chairs (made from thermarests and chair kits) and a lady camp around the courner and walk between us and our tent - not a lot of room and quite clearly our domain - and blow me about 5 minutes later she did exactly the same thing comming back. There was plenty of room the other side of the tent and only needed a 5 metre detour. We were still giggling at that when someone else did the same thing - unbelievable - I said to Gilly we should go and walk across their veranders and inside their windbreaks. We decided that we would set up a road block with our bikes - this we did and the prblem was solved.
I also had a mishap with my sandles - they broke and are now somewhere on a rubish tip in Germany. This was some good and some bad news - the good news is that my panniers are now lighter but my cycling shoes do not get a breather - and had my sandles not broken the following incident that nearly caused the next war would not have been so serious! I normally where my sandles in the evening but we were on the underground in Hamburg last night and as a sailor I pride myself that I can normally stay upright on moving objects - the underground trains in Hamburg are wider than Londons Tube, people sit fore and aft but there is no overhead hand holds. Gilly and I were standing and I was holding on with one hand, the train did a sharp unexpeted slow and I swiveled round and moved my right foot back pretty smartish - it landed on the heel and on the toe of the man behind me - I had no idea he was there but he got the full 20stone on heel onto his foot. Had I had sandles he would not have been is such agony - however he wasx wearing purple suede slipper things which gave him no protection, I appologized but he was in so much pain he could not speak = so I babbled a b it in English - he was not a happy bunny - bunny being the right word as not only did he have purple suedes but a slightly off pink suite, flowerey silk shirt and cravate - perhaps that was why he was so close behind!  however we got off at gthe next stop and he limped to a seat with a tear or two in his eye - I could easily have broken his foot.
In Stade - great place which Gilly has told you all about - we went in to settle-up the evening before as we were making and early start for Hamburg - the bar area had a group of men who obviously had a few too many but were in jovila spirits. Whilst I was doing the biz on older gentleman started talking to Gilly and he was at the stage of inebriation that he knew what to say but his words hesitated before comming out. He spoke a few words of English and Gilly was speaking back in English and they were communication famously when he suddenly said to Gilly - ' what language are you speaking?' I thought to myself this conversation is goining nowhere!
Hamburg has been a good break - we booked a sightseeing trip on an open top bus which was German and English - except they only spoke German - we booked an English speeking boat trip around the harbour which went 15 minutes early so we missed it and had a German speaking trip (we gathered that they process a large number of containers - we had a nice meal down the Reeperbahn but gave the live shows a miss - we must be getting old!
The trip is going well - normally do 45km before lunch and stop early - we have about a week or 8 days cycling to Esbjerg but will be stopping for a few days in the Eastern Friesen Island - Sylt maybe. Regards Sandy

Uetersen. hot today. Great cycle out of Hamburg along north bank of Elbe. My seat post snapped so diverted to a larger town to get it sorted. Bike fixed. Dist. 47.4, ODO: 1010.6

Dear all, Sometimes in life things don't go quite to plan.Today the sun has shone all day, with little wind. Our route took us along the eastern edge of the Elbe, really beautiful with the blue river, boats and ships, the occasional huge container ship moving slowly beside us (the Captain just about able to see from the bridge, across the top of his hundreds of balanced containers), yacht harbours, expensive houses with amazing views, marshes and beaches. Yes, even beaches, every so often along the shore, even close into the centre of Hamburg. All imported sand, but many people were lying  out sunning themselves with the odd person, mainly children, dipping a toe.
Our idyll was somewhat halted when, in a small town, we were halted by striking school children and their teachers. Something to do with the closing of their school. It seems quite funny when it doesn't involve you and you are just a bystander.
Out of town and on to the polder. At this point an apology. Having met a very nice Dutch couple the other day, who were cycling some of the Elbe cycle route, Sandy was told that the polder is not the high bit, that keeps out the sea, but it is the track inside that we cycle along and the high bit is the dyke-remember the boy who saved Holland by putting his finger in the hole in the dyke?
I digresse. So there we are, in the middle of nowhere, far from any town, with just sheep, cattle, birds and the occasional passing cyclist for company-no, none of them stopped to help, when Sandy's saddle post shears in half. Oops!! Could have been very nasty! For those who have little knowledge of bike terminology, it meant that the metal stick thing that has the saddle on top was now caput and we had no wrench with us to remove the duff bit, so no saddle. With Sandy's ability for improvisation, we spent about 45 mins trying to make a saddle out of our baggage. Every time it aws too unstable, until version 530-no, not that many really! The success was using one of his rear panniers on the luggage rack and he was able to cycle with a bit of difficulty but ok. Allour camping stuff got piled on the back of my bike.
Changing our plans, we were going to cycle to the nearest town to find a bike repair shop. Having missed lunch and it was now mid-afternoon, we needed to fuel our bellies after all the exercise and it would be the oneday we hadn't bought food for lunch. Stopped at a lovely cafe in a converted farm barn for tea and cake-very peaceful in the sunny garden until a ? WI outing arrived-about 20 of them on their bikes. One of them said ''this will ruin your peace''.
It was after we had cycled on that Sandy realised that he also had our laptop in his ''saddle''. By then it was too late to alter things, so we have now proved that 20 stone can sit on a computer for 15kms cycling and still work. Here is the proof!!!
The bike shop guy was brilliant and Sandy now has a proper saddle back on.
While in Hamburg we were real tourists-the double decker tourist bus with commentary, harbour tour, sight seeing, walking around the city (what Sandy calls aimless meandering) and not visiting any museums. Very sadly we missed the highlight of Sandy's year-a night in April dedicated to visiting 40 museums one after the other-eat your heart out, Sandy. (for the uninitiated, Sandy hates museums-will visit one if we are lucky during a holiday, doesn't understand why we have to look at pieces of broken pottery! If I want to see more, or an art gallery, I laeve him in a cafe, people watching while he sups beer).
Hamburg is really centred around its harbour, continuously busy with ships and boats of all shapes and sizes, ferries dashing everywhere, one could sit and watch all day. The city was bombed by the allies in July 1943 and suffered horrendous damage, with thousands killed, resulting in a city that has few of the old buildings left.
One very powerful memorial is at St Nicholai church-well, the burnt out steeple and a few side walls. You can now go up the steeple in a lift to see the views and read some very moving accounts. In the crypt is an exhibition that includes the Nazi wiping out of Warsaw, bombing in both Coventry and London. The whole place is now a memorial ''to all victims of persecution and war 1933-1945''. The message written on one of the displays is that although the bombing of so many civilians in Hamburg was inhuman, it would not have happened if it weren't for the many inhuman acts of Nazi Germany.
PS his new saddle-post works well, but as the saddle is now  in a slightly different position, he is muttering about chaffing again and may have to go back to annointing his crutch!!
PPS he has found some new sandles and wears them proudly.
luv Gilly

Brunsbuttel. Hot day. Good cycle along north bank of Elbe. Stopped early as next campsite is 50k away! Camping with German mud/foot/hand ball team. All pissed. Dist 30.4, ODO. 1079.4

Busum. Another hot day. Very little wind. Great cycle. Have now left Elbe behind. Dist. 54.7, ODO 1134.1

Dear all. We have finally left the mighty River Elbe behind, that has been our companion for so long. We now cycle towards the North frisian Islands and Denmark.
As many of you know, Holland is the land for cyclists but so is Germany. Everyone cycles, usually starting on bikes with no pedals at the age of 2, when they learn to balance on 2 wheels by just scooting along with their feet, then soon on go the pedals and off they go. Bikes are mainly sit up and beg bikes, with about 3 gears, metal baskets on the back or front. They go fast, weave in and out of pedestrians as many pavements are shared, cars give way to bikes at many junctions, there are an amazing number of cycle ways/dedicated cycle paths, it's brilliant.
Not quite as easy when it comes to camping as it is proving difficult to find camp sites even tho' we are close to the coast much of the time. If you are in a campervan (ok Jenny and Mike, you can take that grin off your faces) there are so many lay-bys that you are allowed to go in. It means that we are adjusting how far we cycle to fit in with camp sites when we can. Also, if weather is glorious, like yesterday, it is great to stop and slob in the sun. Today we have a rest day in Busum (can't work out on this computer how to put in an "umlaut", but the pronunciation is just as you thought-bosom). quick decision yesterday as weather was glorious. So---it pours with rain! (we don't have access to weather forecasts, unless we take a sneaky peak in the newspapers at the book stands) and is now just dull-at least we don't want to go on the beach which we have found costs us E3 each per day!!-known as a visitor tax. It is a lovely little town set around a harbour with cafes galore, actually has some sand on the beach, rather than mudflats and is very untacky.
At every campsite, an interest (or not) unfolds. Our neighbour here was one of the "I do 100 kms per day cyclists with every gizmo under the sun on his bike. If we were around, he hovered until we responded then went on and on and on about everything, a third of which I could understand-as he knew Sandy can't speak German, I got the full works. Luckily he set off for Kiel today, despite the rain. We took a ferry over the bottom end of the Kiel canal (Nord-Ostsee Kanal as it is known here) at Brunsbuttel, before deciding to have a 'chill afternoon' as we had found a tiny campsite. What could spoil our relaxing afternoon?..........The Mud Olympics!!!!
Into the site came a party of very nice, very noisy Germans, who were due to play this wierd game the next day, on the mud of the Elbe River, at its lowest tide-it is a mixture of football, volleyball and handball, all played in thick mud. Held annually, 8 teams, no Brits so far. From arrival they started drinking, but very good natured with it, continued all the remainder of the afternoon(as they waved their German flags for us and sang "Ich liebe Deutschland", I did counter with "I love England" but didn't quite match the volume). On into the evening evening and the wee small hours-I can just about remember when we had such staying power. And were they noisy! Although we were leaving early in the morning, we thought at least they might sleep in with their hangovers (matches didn't start until low tide at 1pm)-you've got to be joking, by 7am they were waking the whole campsite up again, drinking and blowing their hooters.
Having seen a picture of the games on the front page of the local rag, guys just covered in mud, some sinking up to their waists, I can understand why they needed to be pretty drunk.
luv Gilly

{Rest day around Busum - 21.4km}

Husum. Today was a cloudy AM and hot PM. Gentle southerly wind pushing us along. Good cycle. Dist. 54.3, ODO. 1219.2.

Norderhalen. Very small place. Early start after rain to visit a halligen - a sand island - Halig Hooge. Good day. Dist. 40. ODO. 1259.2

Dear all, You know when you wake up in the morning and hear the rain beating against the window (in our case a tent)and think this is a good day to light the fire and read a good book? And then you both decide that perhaps going for a bike ride in this pouring rain might be a good idea. After 2 hours, feeling rather wet and hungry, you go into a cafe, which is  really shut, but the kind  boss man takes pity on two drowned rats and you get scrummy hot chocolate to warm you (and he doesn't even complain at all the water you leave on the floor!). A short distance on, a puncture (Sandy). Then more cycling and another puncture (Gilly) and it is really so miserable changing yet another one in the rain. We pass a hotel, shall we stop now? No room at the Inn. More cycling, another puncture (Sandy) and with both spare inner tubes used, we have to repair the tyre. That has been our day!
However, in a masochistic way, I really enjoyed the cycle(Sandy was`very pee'd off at the last puncture-there are loads of tiny stones on the cycle ways and with the rain, they stick to the tyre and then slowly work their way through). We were cycling along the sea most of the way, it is fascinating to see all the work they do to prevent flood, there were a myriad of birds and sheep, sheep, sheep, who seemed to have a death wish in the rain, wanting to run into our bikes. Now we are warm in our hotel, desperately trying to dry our wet clothes-no way were water proofs man enough for the job today. Are we mad?
So, what is a Hallig (plural Halligen)? It is a wafer-flat islet, one of about 10 scattered across the Wadden Sea in the Schleswig-Holstein National Park. In the Middle Ages there would have been about 60, but so many have been lost to the sea. We took the ferry to Hallig Hooge, one of the nicer ones. They are quite flat, with usually no dikes for protection. Houses are built on Warfts (wharves), artificial knolls that hopefully mean they are protected from the floods-at least 3 times a year for Hooge, others can be flooded up to 20 times a year. We saw `a film of this-quite dramatic when the whole Hallig floods with just houses jutting out above the water. A strange existence, one or two Halligen only have one farm sitting above its Warft.The ferries have very clearly defined channels through what is basically mud flats-plenty of seals basking on the mud banks.
Yesterday we also saw a Matt Ashworth look alike, shearing sheep! The twitchers were out in force, blocking our route at the River Eider estuary-all you bird lovers really should come up here, it is fantastic. Tomorrow we pass into Denmark, although we will return to Germany when we go to Sylt, one of the North Frisian islands. We have loved the last 3 weeks in Germany, a beautiful part of the world if you likje open spaces, the sea, wildlife etc.
PS Did you know that sheep love sleeping on the tarmac of roads cos' it is so warm? The dikes are continually grazed by sheep, as they compact the grass which helps stabilise the sea defences. They then concregate on the roads inside the dikes to sleep. So-----we cycle continually through sheep shit when we are on the coast. Doesn't do much good for our bikes!
luv Gilly

Niebull. Rain overnight, then rain most of the day. 3 punctures caused by small stones sticking to the tyres when wet and working thro' to the inner tube. 20K to Denmark. Dist 46.1 ODO 1305.3

Hi Ho yer all. 2 years ago when Pat and I cycled round Jutland I can remember Pat talking to a Danske guy and asking about the smell and the reply was 'that's the smell of money' - the smell is pigs and lots of them, all grown inside like battery hens - it is a smell I can remember and one that is just 20km away. Tomorrow we will be in the land of the Vikings once again.
The journey from Hamburg has been good - the Elbe was a great cycle and I have enjoyed Schleswig-Holstein - an area that I can remember from school days and about Germany annexing them but it is an area of open space, an area of man's fight against the energy of the sea to reclaim the land that the locals have for centuries beeing protecting. I have no idea what Gilly has written but I am sure she has given a good description.
This is almost the end of my first journey through Germay since rugby tour and my first impressions of a country whoes people take themselves too seriously I think I standby. When they smile you can have a joke but when they donot you stand to attention. When booking into the hotel tonight I fely for Gilly who is my interpreter, the receptionist certainly had not been to charm school and became very curt with Gilly, the receptionist gave her no leeway for being a foreigner, spoke very quickly and had a face that could sink a battleship. However it was made up by the waitress in the restaurant who had a smile from ear to ear and with whom you could joke. It is usual for the waitresses to ask me what we would like to dring etc and I look at them in a blank fashion without a smile on my face and eventually say that I have not a clue what thay are taking about and if they wish to address me to do so though my wife - and then smile - normally we ahev a good laugh.
I have been suprised at the willingness of the locals to speak English if they can - there is not the reluctance that you get in France. Everyone almost without exception has been very helpful but both Gilly and I have not yet come to terms with 'the stare'. If when riding we dare to speak to anyone you get the stare with the downturned mouth and if to say 'how dare you speak to me'. We had the multiple stare last night - having returned from out trip to Hallig Hooge we went into the cafe/bar by the campsite for some food at about 8.30. We sat down and there were 3 men who just looked and looked at us plus the the wife of another customer - we got it from all sides and it was not just for a few moments it went on for nearly 30 mkinutes - This is something we have noticed for the last month - Gilly reckons they are taught this at an early age.
The camping has gone well - Gilly seems to be enjoying it and to me it makes the trip as we have been in fairly remote country. On the last trip before we left Pat asked me if he should bring a Jetboil - not being a gadget man an ordinary stove I thought would be better but Pat brought one - I am a total convert - it is the best bit of kit I have with me - boils water in less than a minute - we use it whenever we stop and in the hotels - great bit of kit. Talking of gadget men in the campsite a couple of nights ago was mister gadget - spoke no English but could he talk! he had a dynamo on his front whell which recgarged his phone, his Tm Tom (GPS nav thingy)  and his laptop as he cycled along - impressive. He was also a 100km a day man - we have only met one other couple who are 50 - 60km a ady people - a dutch couple we shared a ferry with in Hamburg. We were sitting in a restaurant the other night having secured the last hotel room in the village when at 20:00 up cycled a coupl;e looking for accommodation - no chance and the next village was at least 30km away - that's why I like to finish early in the afternoon.
That's all for now. Please remember Martin and do go onto his website. Thanks to Colion for keeping our site upto date. Next email from Denmark.
Regards Sandy

DENMARK! Emmerlev Klev. Near Hojer. Low cloud all day. Camped after lunch and wind backed 180deg. and heavens opened. Not too sure about tomorrow with this wind. Dist. 36.8 ODO. 1342.1

Have not moved. After overnight storms the wind is too strong to cycle. Camping, so cycled into town for supplies. Hope for improvement overnight.

Dear all, After our soaking on the last full day in Germany, we hunkered down in a hotel to dry out. Next morning, it was raining! Check weather forecast.- 70% chance of precipitation! Let's stay another night, we don't want to get drowned again. No room at the inn-told this  by the rather abrupt receptionist from last night, who had obviously given the charm school a miss! I left rather worried about her as she looked really unwell, great brown rings around her eyes.
So-decision time. You've guessed it, we decided to push on. Rain stopped and we actually reached this camp site before the heavens opened, even getting the tent up and everything, including ourselves, safely stashed inside.
We had had a lovely cycle, light winds that saw us pass easily over the border between Germany and Denmark. There were still signposts/buildings from the days when the border meant passports and customs, but as usual in Europe, you just carry on (with a photo to remind you). Apart from the language, there is no difference between the two countries at the moment.
Decided to stop early when we found this lovely campsite (so glad we did). As many of you know we don't always plan where we will be on any given day, just cycle in the right direction and hope that there will be a site or hotel at roughly the right time (but see below). This site is just north of a lovely hamlet called Hojer-old thatched buildings and a very old mill. The site itself, on the coast, brilliant facilities, green open spaces, is owned by the bank!! with a great couple running it, their first experience in this field. The guy who owned it walked away last year when he went bust. Over the road the hotel is also closed-Denmark suffers the same recession problems as many other countries. We were followed in to camp by Viking Man (Sandy reckons he is a trainee Viking as he cycles in bare feet).
With the rain of yesterday came the wind. Galeforce winds have raged ever since. There was no way we could cycle on this morning-we were due to go further up the coast and then cycle 10 kms across a causeway into the teeth of the gale. This would take us on to Romo, from there taking a ferry to Sylt (yes, back into Germany)-both North Frisian islands. So....we are still here. Went into Hojer this afternoon to shop for our camp supper-on the way back my bike would hardly move, the wind was so strong and that was unladen! My hair is looking like I have been pulled through a hedge backwards-I just have to accept that it is the new style.
On the subject of food. Having found the food in northern Germany very samey, very narrow selections on the menus (why no lamb, when there are millions of them around?), over the road from here is an amazing venison restaurant/shop, great food (only 3 items on menu, all venison), really delicious. Communication difficult as we had no common language, so in the translation we found we had booked for 7 people rather than 2. We didn't have to buy 7 meals!! but it was gorgeous enough to have tried. This site is almost empty (our last 5 weeks have been punctuated by locals complaining about the weather-it's not just the Brits, you know), there is the odd house around, but the restaurant was heaving. If you don't like hunting, don't go there-stuffed animals and birds everywhere.
Back to travel plans. Many of you may not know that Evie (2), Ewan (4 months) with Jo and Ian (both a bit older) will be joining us in a week to cycle from Esbjerg to Copenhagen. The kidlets will travel in their trailers, should be great fun (trailers are the recent fad in our family-Lily and Max have one, as does George.  Flo, Izzie and Theo are old enough to cycle their own bikes!). Because of their arrival, we have actually had to be a bit more organised about our daily plans, so today was perfect to look at the route, plan campsites etc. allowing for 'kiddie' stops, remembering that Jo and Ian have both got to go through those early days of being bum sore etc. We just hope and pray for better weather-if it is gales, we don't mind westerlies to blow us along.
It is still blowing a hooley out there, when will it stop. Me thinks-I need my  wine that awaits me for supper.....so farewell. luv Gilly

Still in same place. Wind too strong to cycle across causeway to Romo. Much calmer now so on the move again tomorrow.

Kampen on Sylt in North Fresian Islands. Calmer today with heavy rain AM. Crossed to Romo, then ferry to Sylt. Here for two nights. Dist. 63.5, ODO. 1416.2

(Kampen) Dear all, What a bizarre place of contrasts, but a lovely place and we can see why it is such a favourite holiday haunt for Germans. We approached from Denmark, mainland to Romo Island via a causeway (why did we believe the weather forecast given to us by the campsite manager, or is it just that Germans give lousy weather forecasts?). What should have been a sunny warm day turned into a very wet 10 km stretch of cycling, once on the causeway you don't really stop.
However, things picked up from midday, we decided to ferry straight to Sylt and cycle to a camp site, by which time blue sky had started.
Sylt is 38 kms long, only 700metres wide at the narrowest point, beautiful white sands down the whole west coast which is also ravaged by regular strong winds. Thus the presence of the "strandkorbe", a sheltering straw type basket seat for two, found everywhere on th ecoast of Germany. They are to be seen in their thousands, on the beach, promenades, city centres, people's back gardens, even up mountains at the top of ski lifts apparently. Great seats, but as the wind usually comes from the sea, it means that most people are sitting with their back to the water, looking at not much!!
Dunes, dunes and more dunes, covered in heath, gorse, guelder roses (which are quite rampant and so pretty) and marram grass. Masses of very big thatched houses dot the land. Allthis lovely scenery, then you go into Kampen, home of the designer shops (usually in said thatched houses) selling Louis Vuitton, Cardin, you name a designer and they sell it. Then the rich and famous, with branded paper carrier over their arms, strut their stuff down the main drag, to see and be seen, or eat in the overpriced restaurants. Luckily much of the island is far more low key, lovely scenery with nature reserves, woods, many, many birds and as I said, fantastic beaches. Great place to chill.
We gather, as with many of the Frisian Islands, this is also famous for large, overweight, very brown (all over) naked German gentlemen, often seen partaking of beach saunas and then the idea is to plunge in the north sea. These are for everyone, if you are that mad-at present the sea looks very uninviting.
Ferry to Romo tomorrow and hopefully sunshine for our night's camping-well, not t night but you know what I mean. Next update from Denmark. luv Gilly and Sandy

Ribe. Cloudy with NW breeze, ok for cycling the causeway from Romo. Now in the heart of Viking country in oldest town in Sandinatia. Explorking tomorrow. Dist 46.4, ODO 1511.3

Hi Ho Yer all, It's been a while but at last I have got my hands on the computer - I'll have to be quick as Giily is on the prowl looking for it!
I think Gilly sent an update from Sylt - what a great island - sand, sand and more sand. We left there a couple of days back and went on to Romo the next Island north. Sylt is in Germany and Romo is Danish. Romo has very few peoplel iving on it but twice as much sand. I liked Romo and I think Gilly prefered Sylt - it was the lack of development that I liked. We camped in a huge campsite next to an 80metre wide beach which is 10km long. We have now moved back to the mainland and we are in Ribe - the oldest town in Scandinavia and will expore it tomorrow. It has a Viking centre and is the centre for the Vikings in Denmark. Pat and I saw a few people on our last trip under training to become a Viking - naked swimming - walking and cycling in the rain without protective clothing etc. I guess they all have to come to Ribe to gain their horned helmet or whatever it is gthey get when qualified - I will find out and let you know. We saw our first trainee Viking a few days ago when storm bound waiting for the wind to aboate so we could get across the causeway to Romo. He arrived at the campsite cycling with no shoes and not a lot of clothing, stepped off his bike and noncholantly walked across the sharp gravel to reception. Young man with a beard and wandered around the site seemngly impervious to the cold and the wind.
Gilly and I are quite fit now with nearly 1500km under our wheels - the bikes are going well except for puntures - I have changed my back tyre after the last punture as it seemed to be getting a bit thin and have had no futher problem. Gilly had a slow puncture today and while we werechabging the innertube a couple of Danish cyclists (husband and wife) stopped and we chatted and looked at my front tyre and said no wonder you have a punture these tyres are not up to Danish gravel - interestingly it was Gilly who had the punture and he passed the comment about  the only tyre which had not had a punture during the trip!
Gilly and I are now melded to our bikes we are man and machine as one eating up the kilometres! On our way across the causeway to Romo in the rain I noticed in my mirrfor some cyclists catching us up and they eventually passed us - it was a teacher with 6 primary children - then a few minutes later ano of them asked me - ' ther teacher with the rest of the class sailed past - so much for man and machine melded together! We stopped and talked to a couple of German men - about 40 I guess, they had started in Boda in Norway and where wanting to get into Germany today to catch a train to Hanover - 'how many KM's a day are you doing'one of them asked me 'about 50 to 60' I replied, I could see they were not immpressed so I asked the question and got the reply - 180 to 200km per day - 8am to 10 pm they were cycling - I thought why are they cycling - is it for the journey and the see the country, if so they see it only thro' a see of sweat, I guess it is fofr the challenge and they can tell their mates that they did 3000km in 2 weeks - well it is certainly not why Gilly and I are journeying - were here to taste the wkine and the beer!
We will be in Esbjerg in 2 days meeting Jo, Ian and their 2 children off the ferry and then we head west to Copenhagen - I am hoping that as they have loaded bikes and towing a trailer each with a child inside that Gilly and I will have no difficulty in keeping up and my cycling morale will be restored.
Please check out Martins website - this leg of the NSCR is to help raise funds for a 'Boma', thank you all who have already sponsored us/Martin it will help someone who has spent most of his life helping others despite his own disabilities.  Regards Sandy

(Ribe). Very windy - some sun. Interesting town. Went to Viking museum. To camp just outside Esbjerg tomorrow to await Jo and Ian's arrival on Sunday. Dist 14.3, ODO 1525.5

Dear all, Quote: "the shortest distance between two people is a smile" This is written on the board at the entrance to our campsite, lovely isn't it?
A coup today, Sandy went into yet another museum and said it was 'relatively interesting', this despite there being loads of broken crockery! It was the Ribe Viking Museum and gave a very good history of this lovely town, the oldest in Denmark, starting from markets in 700-800 up to fully fledged town by 1100. Some wonderful old buildings, many built in 1581 and beyond, after their great fire in 1580. Sandy is becoming a real convert to these old places, having loved Stade in Germany, as well. Must say much of the enjoyment of the museum was because text was in English as well-so much easier than struggling with German, or not understanding anything much in Danish or Dutch!
In 3 days we meet up with Jo and Ian, our cycling and camping will take on a new dimension with 2 small children. I just wish they were here to use the baby/child washroom facilities. Reception were telling us that a Grandmother, small child in tow, nappy in other hand, said she wanted to make a formal complaint. Apparently, the child used to be quite happy having nappy changes in their caravan but now insisted they went to the special room!!! It is amazing.
With child friendly music in the background, it is painted in primary colours. Two baby baths, one is a sealion, the other a sioux canoe. Even bath toys provided.
Various sizes of showers, all in discreet cubicles, baby changing areas with mobiles above.Two basins, one has a sioux head-dress around the mirror above and the basin is his drum, the other has Disney figures holding up the basin with a similar mirror surround. The toilet stalls are modern and funky with carved doors in primary colours. Can I use it?
From Esbjerg we shall be saying goodbye to the Wadden Sea, which has beeen our constant companion from Holland, all the way up the coast of Germany and now into Denmark. It is an incredibly important area of wetlands, much of it a National Park. Mud flats` at low tide stretch as far as the eye can see, housing a massive number of worms, snails and molluscs. This in turn results in the area being inundated with breeding coastal birds and acting as an ideal way station for millions of migratory birds-all this life just under the water allows them to build up their food reserves before moving on. Salt meadows have formed in front of the dykes, built to resist the sea in the constant battle against floods, and with the constant drying out/being covered by saltwater, these meadows house very specialised plant and animal life. The Frisian islands, the Halligens, the constant evidence of work being done to keep the sea at bay, makes for a fascinating area. On our bikes, we become so much more a part of this than when whipping past in a car.
So-we await the arrival of Jo and Ian. luv Gilly and Sandy

(Bogense) - rest day, explored Bogense.

Dear all, Jo, Ian and the children arrived, bringing better weather with them and they found the hills! This has been quite a shock to everyone, including our leg muscles.
For Sandy and I it is not so bad, as we have become fitter than we thought. For Jo and Ian, pulling the laden bike trailers is harder, but at least it is not Devon hills. They have been training and are managing really well.
Today is a rest day in Bogense, we are in a great campsite, I am sitting looking at the sea, beautiful and relaxing. Life has settled into a different pattern, tied into  feeding Ewan and everything else that happens when there are 2 tiny chidren in tow. Having said that, both Ewan and Evie are coping really well, despite the heat. Amazing that we our big concern is finding shade. I have a new name 'Bike Mama' as Evie can't say Grandma.
The landscape has changed, gentle, lush, rolling countryside, trees everywhere which we are not so used to. Beautiful poppies lining the fields. We attract quite a bit of attention, not sure whether this is because the children are so gorgeous, we have 2 trailers rather than the normal one or they just think we are mad doing the bike/camp combination.
Our next stop will be Odense, when we shall immerse ourselves in the world of Hans Christian Anderson.
Don't forget to check out Martin's website, as we are doing this for him.
PS. imagine Jo's and my astonishment when this Dansk caravanner happily drove his caravan through our campsite, just skimming between our two tents!! How rude is that!
luv Gilly, Sandy, Jo, Ian, Evie and Ewan

Sorø. Train across to Zealand. Good ride on very hot day. Dist 36.2, ODO. 1853.4, J+I ODO. 285.3. Come on England, what a load of . . . .

Dear all, A brief train adventure between Fyn and Zealand, when we just managed to squeeze bikes and trailers into the carriage, blocking everyone from walking up and down, but at least the journey was `only 10 mins as no=one is allowed to cycle the bridge between Fyn and Zealand. The conductor only let us on cos' we had valid tickets, perhaps the ticket woman made a boo-boo booking us on. It was not helped by students with decorated prams, full to the brim with all their food and backpacks, taking up loads of space as well. All part of the end of term celebrations for college students-decorated lorries were carrying the students around town as they screamed and yelled and blew trumpets and generally were as noisy as possible. They all wear little sailor's hats with the coloured bands representing different disciplines eg economics etc. This carries on well into the night. Great fun waving to them as we tried to navigate our way through this bustling city, the cycle capital of Denmark. More cycle ways than anywhere else and on street corners there are boxes where you can blow up your tyres. Fantastic. Really kind young man helped us out in the final cycle through the woods when we were confused as there were no camp signs, even stopping his journey and escorting us.
We have become the masters of lunching/brewing up on grassy places on the road side, particularly if it is a shady spot for Ewan. Amazing where you will stop when the baby needs feeding. Yesterday this lovely lady stopped her car just past us, towards the end of our lunchand said that if we went 800 metres up the road there wasa lovely picnic spot!! Well-what you don't know??
There was no persuading Sandy to go into Hans Christian Anderson museum! The rest oif us hadn't realised what a prolific writer he was-156 fairy tales, not just the ones we know and love. Books, poems, autobiographies etc. In some ways a sad man, always thwarted in love, but highly talented.
Still great weather, making camping so much easier and apart from minor bike problems, all is well. Apparently Sandy has had a loose front 'mech' as it is known in the trade which affected his gears, while he has also spent  time fiddling and adjusting Jo and Ian's bikes, so they are actually cycling in the correct positions now.
Behind me Ian and Sandy are watching England v Germany-how sad is that. Evie is chanting 'bike Mama' cos' she wants my attention and Ewan is chortling away-he really does laugh loud for such a young baby. Ian has succumbed to shaving-he couldn't stand the itchy stubble any longer. Tomorrow we aim for the east coast of Zealand and then up to Copenhagen. Will it feel wierd when we don't get onto the bikes each morning? luv Gilly, Sandy, Ian, Jo, Evie and Ewan

Køge. Very hot day. Reached east coast so will swim in Baltic tomorrow. One of trailer's bolt sheared with Evie in - exciting moment but all ok. J+I should be congratulated, they have done good. Dist. 58.71, ODO. 1912.1, J+I ODO. 344.0

Dear all, Poor little Evie, far away in the land of nod, had a rude awakening when her trailer broke as we cycled down a hill. A bolt had sheared. With 4 clever heads put together, a repair was made using a tent peg and cable ties. Moral of the story?-always carry tent pegs.
We are now in Koge in the east, having cycled from coast to coast, across 3 islands. Sandy and I visited here 37 years ago, when there was a ship's visit (I was preggie with Jo at the time). At the first evening's cocktail party, guests were amazed to hear that we were camping, having carried our camping stuff in the ship's hold. Really can't remember much about it or where the camp site was. We are having 2 nights here for some beach time, before our final cycle into Copenhagen.
For 8 weeks sandy has been trying to find 'prawn cheese spread' that he and Pat ate in great quantities for breakfast on the Norway/Sweden leg. Pleased to say we have finally found some and he has had it for lunh about 4 days in a row. It's ok but I wouldn't go bananas about it!
Evie has gone from a timid beach child to one who just loves the sand and sea-has a strop if we try to leave! She swam in the Baltic-as the tide came in over the sand, the water was sort of luke warm and perfect for her to play in. Even put her head in! The water has hardly any salt in so she really enjoyed the whole experience.
Have discovered that we are in the same campsite as 37 years ago, then it was tiny, now huge and different. luv Gilly

COPENHAGEN. Followed coast north with good wind. Esconced in a Best Western for 2 nights! Train to Ebsjerg than ferry to UK on Friday. All is well.

Dear all, We are in Copenhagen after 1960 kms. (Jo and Ian 392 kms). The sad news is that the little mermaid is in China for 8 months! luv from us all.