Norwich to Uppsala (Sweden) day 7. Another day another country.

Day 7. Another day another country

I was very excited when the alarm went off this morning as this was the first hotel that provided a bike pump. I would finally be able to pump my tyres up to my liking rather than the hopeless job the so called German bike mechanics had done.

To add to my joy the forecast was for a dry day (it wasn’t) and the first 10 miles were on a super flat fast surface. So for once I got off to a fast and dry start.

Better still, shortly into todays ride I found a large bike shop and was able to buy some super warm waterproof gloves. I put them safely in my back bag as I wasn’t expecting to need them today (I did).

My old gloves found a new home in a nearby bin.

After about 30 miles I was ready for a stop but had not yet seen a single bakery. In Germany they had been one on every corner of every village. I worried that perhaps the Danish just didn’t eat bread. 

Just I was thinking I would have to refuel from the portable emergency bakery (PEM), a static permanent bakery popped up. 

And it was a very good one and had Danish pastries. I assume in Denmark they are actually called Danish Danish pastries so that’s what I asked for, which is probably why she gave me two.

It was a fabulous stop with excellent hot chocolate, pizza and DD pastries so scored well. If only it wasn’t on a main road and had had a museum about a famous Danish cyclist, that I’d never heard of, attached it would have gone into first place but instead score a good 7.16.

I’m glad I stopped there as I didn’t see another bakery in all my time in Denmark. I hope Sweden does better.

The route went round Copenhagen on the cycle bypass so I didn’t get to see anything wonderful or wonderful on this part of the trip as I hoped.

After yesterdays eclectic mix of scenery then today was back to cycle along side roads and through towns. Just before the ferry there was a nice costal section and I got the impression that on the right route Denmark would be a great place for a cycle holiday (Mrs Crusader take note).

The ferry crossing itself was very straight forward although the warm tea and pastry at the ferry cafe could only muster a 4.37 rating.

I’ve been on 4 ferries to get here but they can only be one winner of Ferry of the week and it’s todays Denmark to Sweden. Very efficient and nice length of crossing. The CEO of Forsea is probably over come with joy at the thought of receiving his ferry of the week certificate.

Now in Sweden I immediately asked the first passer by the way to Uppsala Parkrun. And I couldn’t believe their answer when they said where it was. Which idiot went and put it on the wrong side of Sweden! I’ve now got to cycle to the other side (and up a bit) and Sweden is very big.

But I’m on a mission, so off I set. It was now that time of day when it starts to rain so it was waterproofs on, again, and the chance to try the new gloves. Fortunately they performed excellently and for once I finished with dry hands.

It was a mixed bag in terms of the route with some road, cycle paths and tracks with not a lot of scenery to enjoy (probably as it was pretty misty). But I did finish with several miles of smooth tarmac through the woods so a nice way to end another very long day.

Tomorrow things start to get more isolated so the PEB is going to need a good restock before I set off. Weather looks like it’s deteriorating again too.

Tomorrow’s weather 

Stats

	Miles	Time on bike	Average speed	Meters climbed	Miles to go
Day 1 Norwich to Harwich	77.64	06:05	12.8	784
Day 2 Hoek of Holland to Deventer	102.95	09:02	11.4	366	884
Day 3 Deventer to Cloppenburg	103.48	08:16	12.5	231	782
Day 4 Cloppenburg to Jork	90.45	08:20	10.8	538	678
Day 5 Jork to Heiligenhafen	96.11	8:18	11.6	604	582
Day 6 Heiligenhafen to Daley	86.59	6:47	12.7	637	483
Day 7 Daley to Batard	95.67	7:36	12.6	705	388

Today’s route