Day 16 – Rain Stopped Play

Roskilde to Skjoldenæsholm, 26Km

It would have been such a great day today had it not been for the rain. This was my first taste of wild Denmark, a land of nature parks, frogs, butterflies and livestock. But first it was breakfast in Lagkagehuset (the Danish name for Ole & Steen). They sold all the usual bread, pastries and socials, times two. The hotel breakfast couldn’t compete, particularly as Lagkagehuset opened at 6am.

Almost immediately after setting off in Roskilde, I was led down to the harbour for a pleasant walk along the Roskilde Fjord. The path soon led inland for a most attractive wetland walk, the walkway made of double wooden planks, just high enough to keep the walker out of reach of any alligators. It whetted my appetite for the bigger wetlands and forests to come.

Next came a golf course. I inadvertently missed the pilgrim path around the edge and walked up a path through the centre of the course, temporarily disrupting play. At Svogerslev I diverted to the church in the hope of finding a pilgrim stamp but it was locked. I bought a cheese and ham roll from the bakery and continued through the fields to a Viking burial ground with large stones in the shape of a ship enclosing the graves.

The time was 12:30 when I arrived at a small Viking museum and a sign said “Kaffe”. That was an exaggeration but I went inside because a few drops of rain were falling. It soon became torrential. I ate my sandwich, watching and waiting as the rain fell. A few more people arrived and a bit of a Key Largo atmosphere developed inside the “Kaffe”.

Time passed. I knew I had at least three hours walking ahead of me and eventually I put on my waterproofs and with much cheering and encouragement from the assembled people, I set off into the storm.

The small car park was underwater but I crept around the edge and back onto the path which was now a fast flowing stream. Within a couple of minutes there was a bright flash and a crash of thunder. I turned around and retreated back to the small Viking museum to be greeted with general merriment and little sympathy.

More time passed until there was none left to sensibly complete the walk in time for dinner. I summoned a taxi.

During the drive to the hotel, the rain eased off and the sky brightened.