lighthouse excursion Sealand - lighthouse pages from Anke and Jens

We arrive by ferry in Gedser, not for the first time, but the first time without time pressure. Finally time to visit the Lighthouse Gedser Odde, which is easily visible from the ferry. We turn right, a few hundred yards from the exit of the ferry port and leave the dross of hurried tourists to rush north on their own. A few kilometres later we reached the lighthouse, a few meters further on at the beach even a car park can be found. The lighthouse and the grounds are accessible. We try from several sides to get good position for photographs and are finally convinced that we got a few good pictures. So now we drive back north on the by now nearly traffic-free E55.
Our next destinations are the two lighthouses Orehoved and Ore. So we don't use the motorway, but carry on on the trunk road in the direction of Vordingborg. Immediately before the old bridge over Storstrømmen we don't cross this, but turn into the town of Orehoved. Much to late we look back and see the lighthouse, turn the car and drive back. It is obviously in a harbour/industrial area. When the warning signs get too prolific, we decide to leave the car behind. We ask a couple of elderly ladies, who show us the way and we reach the Lighthouse Orehoved. From here you don't only have a great view of the old bridge, which connects Falster with Sealand, but also of the lighthouse Ore opposite on Sealand, which we tried to reach after we crossed the bridge.
After the third turning into a 'blind vej' (dead end) we manage to reach the Lighthouse Ore. Contrary to Orehoved this one turns out to be a especially nice looking lighthouse. After this nothing is stopping us from driving more or less within the Danish speed limit to our holiday house in Røsnæs.
Even though we are tired as well as satisfied, we felt like stretching our legs. This means nothing other than at least a look at the lighthouse Røsnæs should be possible. After a few kilometres walk on the beach (more bothersome than expected) we see the Røsnæs Fyr flashing away. On the way back we use the direct road, but were still overtaken by darkness, found our house regardless and fell into a dead sleep.

We wanted to start the grand tour with Spodsbjerg Fyr and so we drive to Hundested. A young Dane, in English because of our German number plate, asked for a light, which we could not give. But we use the chance to question him in English about the lighthouse. The response is excellent. He also mentions the nearby museum of the polar explorer Knud Rasmussen. We thank him and are on location ten minutes later. The lighthouse presents a wonderful view and can be climbed by anyone for 5 DKK (Danish Kronas). With only a 100 DKK note in our purse we didn't dare to do that. Well we dared, but since the entrance fee was charged on trust, decency prohibited us from doing that. A Danish couple walking on the beach solved the problem for us. The Rasmussen Museum was closed, which we were sad about, but which was good for our itenary.
Onwards we journeyed towards Gilleleje, where near Nakkehoved, two lighthouses were waiting for us. Since one of them was also known as Gillbjerg and was only few kilometres from Gilleleje, a mountain of the same name, we stopped there, only to find that all the locals shyly denied that there was a lighthouse in this area. Some though knew that it was east of Gilleleje. After a few wrong turns we found Nakkehoved East or rather the old lighthouse Nakkehoved. Without the help of a Danish family who showed us the way to the newer Lighthouse Nakkehoved West (aka Gillbjerg), we would never have found this one, even though it is only a few hundred meters west of the old tower. Thank you (Tak)!
Our next stop was planned to be Helsingør (Kronborg). With the help of a list, our old friend Finn had let us have, we knew that there should be the beacon Julebæk and only the coincidence of seeing this name in passing at a Restaurant/Hotel (and of course stopped at once) we saw the otherwise easily missed sea mark. Bingo!
Carry on to Helsingør, the castle and therefore the Lighthouse Kronborg was soon found. We knew the light was to be found in the northeast tower. Sadly that tower was clad in scaffolding – Hard luck!
We made a little detour to the two little mole lights of Helsingør. These were surrounded by the vehicles of the people fishing here. One car stood directly in the photo-line of port and starboard light. Even though the anglers would have preferred to remain undisturbed, I asked one if he could move his car for a minute to let me take a good picture. Answer: No problem, but a few minutes. After more than a few minutes the car rolled back and I could take the required picture.
3 PM – originally a crossing to Sweden and to the lighthouse Kullen was planned for now. And here at the Danish-Swedish border such ideas are easily made reality. At the entry to the harbour we passed very close by the lighthouse Helsingborg, which is already in operation. We take pictures of all three sector colours and could carry on immediately in the direction of Mölle/Kullen. Really we were only looking for the Lighthouse Kullen, but we found an area, which we got quite enthusiastic about (Kullaberg). It is worth planning a complete day here! We left the Grotto unvisited, but we made the descend to the Lighthouse Kullen västra at the foot of this beautiful peninsula.
On the way back we saw the Lighthouse Svinbådan and tried to take a reasonable photograph with the telephoto lens.
Return to Denmark and home to Røsnæs – Wonderful day!

Inspired by the previous day we want to do similar things with the peninsula of Asnæs opposite, which we can see from our holiday house. We drive until the road ends, which for safety's sake is done with little speed, because we have never experienced such a glut of deer and pheasants, as we see in these woods. After the last houses and acar park only a path leads along the coast of the fjord. We walk a fair time and feel like we should reach the tip soon, but there is no sign of our "flashing" objective. Then it appears after all and we reach the little Lighthouse Asnæs. Now we look a few hundred meters over the Kalundborg Fjord in the direction of our house, which by car is several dozen kilometres away.

We drive to Stigsnæs, the most south-westerly point of Seeland. From here the ferries leave to the islands of Omø and Agersø. We are not clear about, which we should take, because there is a lighthouse worth seeing on both islands. The time-table does not help with our decision because both ferries leave at the next departure. We decide on Omø, because the ferry passes quite close to the island of Agersø. So we take a few photographs of the lighthouse Helleholm, because we don't know if we will visit this island later (we will do that though!). The crossing took about 45 minutes and we, land lovers, enjoy it.
When we arrived on Omø we do not follow the roads into the centre of the island, but walk directly along the beach to the Lighthouse Omø. A lovely walk, a beautiful lighthouse and it is open to the public. We climb it and notice that for the first time we did not end up on the walkway but directly in the lantern room. We look in the direction of Langeland and recognise – with the aid of binoculars – the lighthouse Hov, which we climbed last year.
We took the last ferry to the mainland.

Our destination is Sjællands Odde, even though we knew that there is no lighthouse there, because that is 8 Km out to sea. Because we were here years ago, we wanted to refresh our memory. The most extreme tip is military restricted area, so like the last time we stopped just short of there. With binoculars we see the lighthouse Gniben on Sjællands Rev. The curiosity gets stronger and when we read on the three language plaque, that there is a path from the car park to the tip along the military land, is open at certain times, a decision is made: Even though we notice all Danes turn round at the open gate and a sign says so, we drive into the military zone and find the said car park, where the part starts which leads us to the tip. You can see the white tops of the waves, where the reef, at the end of which the lighthouse Sjællands Odde stands, reaches into the sea for 8 kilometres. After a rain shower has passed over, this is visible at the horizon, but at 8 km nothing can be done even with the telephoto lens!
We leave the military area without any trouble and we don't know to this day, if we were allowed there.

We drive to the little harbour town of Havnsø, the last kilometres take us through Vesterlyng, a grassy heath land, covered in juniper bushes. Here not only do you find 5 kilometres of the best sand beach of Westsealand, but an area with the freely roaming running horses, which has it's own flair, which we so far have not found anywhere else.
We take the ferry to the island of Sejerø, a very modern one – taken into service in 1998. The crossing passes the island of Nekselø, which we already know from a previous holiday. Arriving on Sejerø, we carry on on foot in the direction of the north-west tip, lighthouse in sight. We use the road on the way there, because we can not assess the distance and so get on faster. We reach the yellow, Lighthouse Gniben after approx. 1.5 hours walk and are compensated for the effort. The best weather and a wonderful view let us linger for a long while. On the way back we take our time and follow the coast to the little ferry port Sejerby. Until the ferry arrives we have some time and after countless trips to Denmark, I drink my first Danish beer at a "Strandgrillen", it was in a plastic cup, cold but thirst quenching. Pleasant trip back – a lovely day.

Our second big lighthouse-roundtrip. We drive in the direction of Stevns Klint and see the pretty Lighthouse Stevns from a fair distance and are thrilled, of course we miss the sign at the beginning of the lighthouse access road. We drive towards the red and white barrier with the kind of determination that lets the military guard open the barrier. Only now we notice that the tower stands in the middle of the barracks. We don't take the chance and stop a few meters before. This unusual behaviour sees to it that the barrier resumes it's horizontal position. In English I question the duty officer, who hurriedly appeared, if we can visit the tower – of course NOT, an a bit later if we can take pictures of it – also NOT. He apologizes, for not being able to help us. My "OF COURSE" prompts his question "HOW?". The answer "By looking in a different direction for a few minutes!" lets us both laugh heartily. During this I must have accidently touched the button on the camera! I take my leave and we drive away from the tower (about 100 m). We turn off and drive to the next village Højerup. Here is the church where the choir has dropped into the sea years ago and which is now marketed as an attraction. We wander a little along the steep coast (I think in the direction of the lighthouse) and snap the area wildly with the telephoto lens. At home we discover with shock that we took several pictures exactly in the direction of the lighthouse. The Danish Army will hopefully forgive us. We hurried to leave the area in our own vehicle.
On we drive in the direction of Roneklint. We turn after the town of Præstø to the right on the Margarite-Route and so are led to the village of Roneklint. Here we only need to follow the road to the coast and found the little Lighthouse Roneklint without difficulty.
The next aim was the north east tip of the Island of Møn. We took the road next the coast and notice, when we reach the Møn Klint, that we are too far already. The only chance to get closer to the coast, is Castle Liselund, to which we return. Here we find a beautiful castle and park, which was certainly worth the de-tour. We disturb two gesticulating men in their dispute and asked after the lighthouse. We were lucky, one knew the lighthouse and the other spoke English. 500 meters along the cliff edge in a westerly direction and Hellehavn Nakke Fyr was found.
On we went to Klintholm Havn. Directly by the entrance into the village a road leads east, directly to the Lighthouse Møn. Another example where the search for a position for photographs presents a problem. We would have liked to have walked form here to the chalk cliffs, but it was already late afternoon and there were a few more lighthouses on our planned route.
Shortly before we left the Island of Møn we took a side route and got to the little harbour of Harbølle. We found no lighthouse, but the Seamark Harbølle which is well worth seeing and it was worth a photograph for us. Directly opposite is the lighthouse Grønsund, which was too far for this tour and we reserved it for the way back.
The lighthouses Borgsted and Bogø, which are both on Route 287 towards the motorway, and both turned out to be little wooden huts a la Julebæk, only in much worse condition. So back to the holiday house.