Rainbow over the little harbour at Hov on the north-eastern seashore (author’s photo)

Autumn daytrip completely unplanned

A very different day out from what we had planned

A fine early November Saturday, we set off, my daughter, grandson and me, to visit a large nature reserve south of fjord on the east coast of northern Denmark. We started out by driving to the coast north of the fjord and then took the tiny ferry across the mouth of the fjord. Stepping out of the car onboard the ferry and looking back, my grandson spotted this beautiful rainbow.

Walking among the trees towards the sea (author’s photo)

We reached the sign for the nature reserve, but before turning we spotted a sign saying that they had closed for the winter. Well, should we turn back or just continue — we continued and stopped at a parking lot down the coast close to the sea.

Along the path towards the sea (author’s photo)

Footpaths were laid out, ambling down towards the sea and we set out. Half-way the heavens opened and my daughter and grandson went back to the car to wait for me while I continued.

The trees are thinning out (author’s photo)

Out there is Kattegat, the northern part of the Baltic Sea, before it combines with the North Sea at the tip of Jutland, the large pensinsula that makes up the whole western part of Denmark (author’s photo)

The rain made the moss look even greener (author’s photo)

We went to the little town on the coast farther southwards, Øster Hurup (‘eastern’ Hurup), with its harbour, cafes and the best ice cream parlour anywhere. The harbour had a large playground, a huge bonus after having been cooped up in the car. I went sightseeing.

The harbour at Øster Hurup (author’s photo)

The flats south of the harbour are used by sea birds of all kinds, some as a stop-over on their way south, others just live there — and we all know what the windmills are for (author’s photo)

We went back north to the ferry and the little town of Hov, where we stopped at the old redoubt close to the coast, dating back to the early 1800s and the threat of British ships bombing their way northwards towards the North Sea. There are two other redoubts on this side of the fjord, all with their old canons still in place.

Maybe you can also spot the other canon in the background (author’s photo)

The full moon was the sign to go back home (author’s photo)

Regardless of how much our plan was ruined, the trip was wonderful. We even spotted Jupiter on the early evening sky before the drive back home.

A full moon and Jupiter on the eastern sky over the mouth of the fjord, Limfjorden (author’s photo)