Avoid the River at Midsummer Eve!

Posted on 24. June 2021 by Hanna

The river winds its way through the forest. It is Midsummer Eve. It’s not really dark, which make the trees stand in gloomy gray silhouettes.

No wind, no birdsong, only an eternal sound from the river.

This part of the forest has always seemed alarming and eerie.
In some places the trees are felled, some even broken.

Panic rises, he shouldn’t have mocked the water sprite, and now he has to cross the last bridge before he’s safe.

Suddenly the river is silent too! Only dark and smooth on the surface and without a sound –

This is how Selma Lagerlöf, the famous Swedish author, tells the story about the fiddler who meets Näcken in the forest.

I remembered the unhappy fiddler when I passed a house in the Swedish countryside on a quiet midsummer evening. From an open window, beautiful tones flowed from a violin and forced me to listen.

Midsummer Eve in particular is hazardous since it’s there, Näcken plays his violin, trying to lure people down into the rushing river…

Happy Midsummer 😃

Floden snor sig mellem træerne. Det er midsommeraften. Det er ikke rigtig mørkt. Det får træerne til at stå i dystre grå silhuetter.

Ingen vind, ingen fuglesang, kun den evige lyd af strømmende vand.

Denne del af skoven har altid virket alarmerende og uhyggelig.
Nogle steder er træerne væltede, og nogle er endda knust.

Panikken stiger, han skulle ikke have hånet Nøkken, og nu skal han krydse den sidste bro, før han er i sikkerhed.

Nu er floden også stille! Kun mørkt strømmende vand uden lyd –

Sådan fortæller Selma Lagerlöf om den populære spillemand, som møder Näcken i skoven en midsommeraften.

Jeg kom i tanke om historien, da jeg gik forbi et hus i Halland en midsommeraften. Fra et åbent vindue strømmede vidunderlige toner fra en violin, og tvang mig til at lytte.

Især midsommeraften er farlig, når Näcken spiller sin violin og forsøger at lokke menneskene ned i den strømmende flod.

God midsommer – Trevlig Midsommar Sverige 😀

Note

Midsummer evening Friday 25.6.2021

Spillemanden af Selma Lagerlöf

The Painting Thomas: B. Griffin (American, died 1918). Moonlight on the Delaware River, ca. 1896-1915. Oil on canvas, 29 15/16 x 40 1/16 in. (76 x 101.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. Alfred T. Dillhoff in memory of Rosamund E. Lafferty, 54.104 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 54.104.jpg)

The Vikings’ secret defense in Roskilde Fjord

Posted on 7. March 20197. March 2019 by Hanna

I will take you back to March 28, 2014, on a beautiful sunny day at Roskilde Fjord.
Roskilde Fjord is a beautiful area. I was born at the sea, but grew up in this fjord environment.
Always being near the water brought me many lovely experiences.
The fjord is idyllic, and you can plan many a good walk.
The history is exhilarating, and exceptional relics are left by the Vikings.
My walk starts at the ridge at Skuldelev. The silence is striking except for the song of the larch.
It is unusual to find silence today, but it is still possible here.

You can see the Skuldelev Ås in the background.

Skuldelev Ås is 5 kilometres south of Frederikssund, and is Denmark’s best preserved ridge. Most of the four kilometres ridge is publicly available.

Out there in the fjord is the two islands Peberholmen and Kølholmen.
This is where they found the Skuldelev ships from the Viking Age.
Five ships were sailed out to block the entrance to Roskilde for enemy ships, as a part of a deliberate defence strategy.
The ships were filled with stones, and the only important task was that the ships were properly positioned when they sank.

Skærmbillede 2014-03-27 kl. 16.10.42

The Skuldelev Ship; The Sea Stallion from Glendalough was supposed to block the two major shipping lanes with its 27 meters. The ship could almost reach over both channels simultaneously.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Here is the Sea Stallion under reconstruction at the Viking Ship Museum.

See the most beautiful photos from Sea Stallion’s many voyages.
The photos are taken by Werner Karrasch: Sea Stallion

Wish you a happy walk and leave no trace behind you unless they are of significant importance 😊

A Viking ship is launched tomorrow

Posted on 13. April 2018 by Hanna

Now spring is here!
The Sea Stallion of Glendalough, the 30 meter long warship, is launched tomorrow, April 14th.
Can you imaging the viking sails appear in the horizon?
What an impressive sight that must have been.

The Sea Stallion of Glendalough, Roskilde, Denmark

The Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde, Denmark

Vikingeskibsmuseet, The Viking Ship Museum, ballast stones Roskilde, Denmark

Skjoldungestien, Roskilde Fjord, Roskilde, Denmark

Boat members will start the launch at 10 am
The Sea Stallion From Glendalough, approx. 13 pm
The newly built Teinæring is named and launched at 14 pm

The Viking Ship Museum

The Stone Age Hunters On A Sunny Walk

Posted on 2. April 20172. April 2017 by Hanna

This was a beautiful sunny day. I went for the open sky, the sheep on the field and the wind in my hair.
When my walk was coming to an end I suddenly realised that I stood opposite to Rudersdal Museer with the permanent exhibition on the 7000 year old graves from the hunters who lived in Vedbæk in the Stone Age.
I could see three of the most unusual Stone Age graves exhibited and I could see the environment in which the hunters lived and what tools they used.
Some of my photos are from Vedbæk, the area in which the graves were found.

Vedbækfundene, Rudersdals Museer, v. Gl. Holtegaard, Attemosevej 170

Vedbækfundene, Rudersdals Museer, v. Gl. Holtegaard

Vedbaekfundene

Keep your faith in the invisible light

Posted on 2. February 20172. February 2017 by Hanna

We were late. Was it possible to complete the walk around the lake before nightfall?
We can turn around if necessary, I said. Thus encouraged, we started the walk that’s cherished by so many people. Whether it’s because of the wren that jumps around in the undergrowth, the sheep on the meadow, the soft call of the bullfinch, hovering buzzards, squealing ducks or the blue flash of the kingfisher, I do not know.
But one thing is certain, people love the area and so do I.

The eastern light our spires touch at morning,
The light that slants upon our western doors at evening,
The twilight over stagnant pools at batflight,
Moon light and star light, owl and moth light,
Glow-worm glowlight on a grassblade.
O Light Invisible, we worship Thee!
T.S. Eliot

Keep your faith in beautiful things;
in the sun when it is hidden,
in the Spring when it is gone.
Roy R. Gibson

Spirit and Environment

Posted on 31. August 201631. August 2016 by Hanna

When I walk through the small streets in Taarbæk I cannot help noticing several birds decorated on the gables by the artist Jørn Mathiassen.
That adds harmony and good ambience to the walk as though you are welcomed by the town itself.

Taarbæk was founded as a fishing village in the 1600s, and the fish sold in Copenhagen. Today there is a small marina. The atmosphere is lovely in the town’s quaint streets and the harbour is cozy with a little restaurant.

Notes

Kunsteren Jørn Mathiassen, stod bl.a. bag scenografien til børneklassikeren ‘Jullerup Færgeby’

Taarbæk

Taarbæk Portalen

Truly unique nature in Denmark

Posted on 30. July 201620. April 2021 by Hanna

It was my intention to write about Petersværft, a shipyard situated next to Ulvsund.
The place was chosen for naval base and shipyard to reconstruct the Danish Fleet after the British stole it back in 1807.
Petersværft built gunboats and the explosives were stored in Magleby Church. An excellent dry place for gunpowder.
But there are other experiences which make equal impression on me. The enterprising behaviour and enthusiasm that prevails on Møn.
You can find a decent amount of links at the bottom of the post. Amazing bike paths and beautiful walks are established and some are connected with three veteran ferries, of which the ferry Møn is one of them.
The enterprising locals, however, has a major advantage, which is very difficult to overlook: The historic Nature on Møn.

We’re meeting up with some friends on the Ferry Møn. The ship began operating between Kalvehave and Koster in the 1923.
Today approximately 20 volunteers are working to maintain the ferry all winter. During summer 15 “Summer Men” are involved with sailing the ship.
We had a superb boat trip for 3 hours. After a nice walk in historic surroundings we returned to the cozy farmhouse for bonfire food and fun.

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Links if you got curious:
Expeditions in the wild
175 km Camøno as Camino – The Kingdom’s friendliest hiking trail
Færgen Møn Summer Sailing
Peters Værft
Visitsydsjaelland
Program for færgen Møn
Færgen Møns historie

You can get your bike transported by ferry or the mail boat, Røret between four ports in the summer. The habours are: Stege Havn, Kalvehave Havn, Bogø Havn and Nyord Havn, where there is bike break room and suggestions for local hiking and cycling routes. See the timetables in the bike break rooms.

The sailing cycling trails + Map as PDF

Love Magic and Midsummer

Posted on 1. July 2016 by Hanna

We have been here before in winter when snow and rain vied for the right to drench the presumptuous creatures who step out on the bare and magnificent rocky beaches.
Where the wind did its best to complete the last part of the work by pushing the haughty people to the ground.
Us who thought to master the elements rampage.
Now it’s the fabled Midsummer, where anything can happen. Days, where herbs are enchanted. It’s about Freya and Frey, Vikings, rituals, and worshipping fertility and a rich harvest.
Love and magic are associated with Midsummer. If you pick seven types of flowers on the way home, and hide them under your pillow, the dream of your loved might come true.

Midsommer

Summer Solstice

Posted on 21. June 201621. June 2016 by Hanna

Østerlen

Is this the top of the tower, Mom?

Posted on 6. June 20166. June 2016 by Hanna

Is this the top of the tower, Mom? The boy stepped out into the sunlight as the first of a small English family. He looked eagerly over the red-tiled roofs of Copenhagen, with the beautiful verdigris copper spires and towers.
I can take a photo he said and soon the little group established themselves in front of a lovely boy with a camera.

They chose the right day to enjoy the view from Rundetårn. There is an obvious reason to consider the other towers in Copenhagen, when standing at the top of Rundetårn.

Frelserkirken, Christianshavn

The view is spectacular and so is the sight of the Saviour’s Church. I told the family about the famous spiral ramp on the outside of the tower and how it inspired Jules Verne in his book, A trip to the bowels of the earth.
But I forgot to tell them about the English Bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807 and how the soldiers chose to aim after the spires in Copenhagen. Luckily the Saviour’s Church survived but Our Lady Church, Vor Frue Kirke, burned down and so did many old buildings in the centre of the city.