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Skagen, Denmark
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Now, if you ask what we are doing here.....
at least this time we did NOT try the water
But out to the right you can see the real reason for why we are here -
that's the end of Denmark as shown on the map below:
Skagen is a special place
and the large numbers of regular visitors to Skagen all agree on this.
Skagen has so much to offer, much more than a first time visitor can imagine.
This is most probably the reason why visitors to this area return again and again and again.
Sand, sand, and more sand...
Rightclick on most pictures for full screen view
When you are through with the tip (top), that is what geographically is known as 'Grenen',
that's the end of Denmark - oooop! we almost said in NORTH,
but lots of people are mistaken there. Again - when you now have been there,
you can turn your nose toward the West, and start on the trip to the White Lighthouse
just about some two or three kilometers farther West.
On you way now, you will pass the northernmost point of Denmark.
However, it is not marked, but anyway - it is somewhere along the coastline
on the picture above, which also shows what sandy area the so called 'Nordstranden' is.
It is blowing up here. And it is blowing quite a lot. The area is open into all directions,
and wind from the North Sea or Skagerrak, and the wind from Kattegat,
meet here together with heavy oceancurrents and waves..
The sand is flying, and fromtime to time it can be really anoying.
Further South, South of the town of Skagen, are the big white sand-dunes
and even it is now late in october, theyinvite us to come and stay.
We will be back next summer....- or perhaps we should say a litte before that million
of tourists visiting Skagen each year, will come running down for a bath.
We did wander down the coast quite a bit, and here we have come as far as
to the large migrating sand-dune which here now is on its final way
out into Kattegat.
As you can see on the picture, it some times cover the path along the beach,
and some times you either has to be wet on your feet - or to go uphill
to come further down the beach.
What is up there then?
Sand, of course. Much more sand. But it is also partly covered with gras
here and there, which prevent the sand to disappear too soon.
Elsewhere the ground is hard-packed with sand, packed by the ever blowing wind.
But with your right equipment (clothes) there is nothing preventing us
from having an exciting experience.
If you are looking for good objects for a picture, they are out here...
No wonder that so many designers nowadays get their ideas from the nature!
Here the sand has blown away except under small stones,
creating some beautiful formations in the sand.
With about 60 kilometer long beaches, there ought to be enough space for all of us...
(Even at summertime???)
Back to nature once more. The most funny things show up all over.
Here marks in the sand from the last tide.
This one gave us some problems at first, but it is in fact remainings of a plant or seaweed
that are tied in the center of the circles, and then the rest of it blows around and around
in the wind, placing rings in the sand.
Just told you not to forget to rightclick on the picture to see all of it.
On our way back home, a detour out to 'Kandestederne', just West of
the famous and large Raabjerg sanddune on the West coast.
Seesaw - up and down.
Rightclick on most pictures for full screen view
Look once more at the picture, and start guessing.
What do you think it is? At first we thought it was a way to get up water
from a very deep well. But since it was placed on a small 'hill', that
sounded stupid. But how about a look-out for ships in bad water?
A man could be placed in the basket, and up he goes....
Perhaps you need to take a closer look....
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There should
be no doubt.
Of course you can see far away from up there. And if you do a bad job, perhaps the men on the ground will leave you up there for a while... Any other guesses before we give you the right answer to this very, very old thing? Of course, this is only a copy of the original, which was built - and in use - here in the first part of the 15th century. |
Following the many ships being wrecked when trying to pass the
northern tip of Denmark on its way to and from Skagerrak and Kattegat,
many nations placed demands on the danish government forcing them to
build lighthouses on the coast.
Now the 'Parrot-lighthouse' was built on Skagen.
At first it was lightened by wood from the nearby woods, but
soon there were no more woods in the area, and they began
import of more wood from Norway.
About 1581 the sea broke down the lighthouse.
Between 1607 and 1627 other lighthouses were built.
It was around this time the seesaw-lighthouse was built.
About 6 bushels of coal was put in the basket, and set on fire.
Then up and down as the weather changed.
Because of the flying sand and eroding coastline, the seesaw-light
was moved several times till about 1742 when a permanent lighthouse
was built.
More about Skagen
Rightclick on most pictures for full screen view
Top of Denmark. The end is up and out to the right....
Even though most people probably think of sun and summer when they think of Skagen,
the town has in fact much to offer the visitor all year round.
If the weather isn't suitable for outdoor activites (someone said: There is no such
thing as 'bad weather', - only poor clothings...) - you could pay a visit to
Skagen Museum to see the famous Skagen paintings in peace and quiet.
We did so, but also we went around in the area in what someone would call
'bad weather', and now we wonder why the museums and what else worth
paying a visit, are not open during the evening?
Why do we have to spoil a day inside (even if it is really worth doing so)
when you can enjoy the nature outside during the daylight hours?
We just wonder....
And so we do as 1 million other people do up here, we go and visit the end of Denmark.
Of all tourist attractions in Denmark, Tivoli in Copenhagen and Legoland are
on top of the popularity-list. Then as number 3 comes Skagen and the top.
But when it comes to pure nature - Skagen is on the top.
Even when we were here late in October, tourists from Scandinavia, Germany,
Switzerland, UK and many other countries, were visiting the tip (top).
In the background you can see the 4 kilometer long reef,
extending from the tip towards East.
On this picture you can see the two oceans meeting.
Wawes and currents from Skagerrak (west) and Kattegat (east)
smashes into eachother.
© From 'Naturen på Skagen Odde - En guide til områdets natur'
issued by Naturhistorisk Museum Skagen.
During historic age the top of Denmark has grown almost 40 km longer.
Each year about 1 million cubicmeter sand is being transported along the
Westcoast of Denmark by the sea, all the way up to Skagen, where it finally
stops and extends the tip of Denmark another 8-15 meters out into the sea.
During the past 100 years the top of Denmark has grown more than 1 kilometer longer.
Some times a small sandy island comes up off the tip. That is the so called
'Seagull-island'. But soon, often after a few months, it dissapears into the sea again.
The tip goes out into the sea as a long reef, which can easily be seen on the
picture above showing where the two oceans meet.
You can also spot a seal trying to get around the tip. It had to swim out
quite a bit till the water was deep enough to come through into Kattegat.
Skagen Lighthouse were put up in 1858. Why not before?
There were no land to place it on...... (Skagen town in the background).
This is what you can find when you walk along the beaches on both
sides of the top. Just name a colour, and you will find it here.....
It's amazing.
More about Skagen here: http://www.skagenguide.dk/
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