Bornholm - Baltic Sea and interesting buildings
In the following report I present a few buildings and landscapes of the island Bornholm and the neighboring Pea Islands. I saw them from my bicycle in the summer 2000.
Bornholm is the easternmost island of Denmark and situated in the middle of the Baltic Sea between Sweden, Poland and Germany. Bornholm is nearly as large as the German island Rügen and a good place for going by bicycle and tent around the island. You can reach Bornholm by ferry from Denmark (Copenhagen), Sweden (Ystad), Poland (Swinoujscie on Wolin) or Germany (Mukran on Rügen). Taking the bicycle with you is hardly more expensive than a normal ferry passage.
The four Round Churches are typical and well known sights at Bornholm. They were built in the 12th Century and you find them in Olsker, Nyker, Nylars and Østerlars. The fortress ruin Hammershus is also very famous. It is the largest castle ruin in Northern Europe (free entrance, 2000). Hammershus was built around the year 1250 as a usual castle. Nine years later it was rebuilt into a solid castle fortress after the first destruction.
Landscape of Bornholm
At Bornholm the varied landscape is very interesting and also somewhat unexpected: endless golden fields, deep dark forests, steep rock coasts and large sand beaches, hills and mountains. And everywhere you see small farms in the nature.
On Bornholm there is a well kept and often asphalted bicycle way net. Many ways are far away from the main streets on former railway lines. In addition there are also busses into all towns and villages.
Pea Islands near Bornholm
If you go one hour by ferry from Bornholm into the northeast you will reach the Pea Islands (Ertholmene) with the two islands Christiansø and Frederiksø and many smaller rock islands. Christiansø is 22 hectares and Frederiksø four hectares large. About 120 people are living on these both islands. And everytime the wind is blowing, sometimes also a very strong wind. Therefore the journey by boat (about 20 EUR, 2000) could become somewhat more adventurous...
Wild camping, as permitted in Sweden or Norway, is not allowed on Bornholm. Instead, there are commercial campgrounds that can only be used with a Campingcard and yearly mark (both available on site).
An insider tip at the time was the annually changing camping options at farmers' fields: at their designated field edges, you could find a water connection, a dry toilet, and a fire pit. The night cost only 15 DKK (two Euros) in 2000. At that time, there were seven such places on Bornholm, which were not listed in any brochure. To my knowledge, these camping options have not been available for years.
Cycling on Bornholm is really a great adventure because of the manifold landscapes and the good conditions.
Link Tips
- Visit Bornholm island travel guide
- Christiansø arrival, walks, accommodation, and more
- Christiansø ferry link from Bornholm
- Bornholm at Wikipedia
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... more sea around Gotland:
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... more sea in Skagen:
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... canoe instead of bicycle:
