Again, jetlag played around with me, and this morning, I was up at 4 o’clock, before the sun even thought of peeking over the horizon… But the ever-present birds of Silkeborg were already rehearsing, and I caught them preparing for the amazing day to come!
After a couple of hours more, sleeping soundly under my comfy duvet, the sun was up, the sky was blue, and before getting ready for a day of adventures, I was treated with a tall glass of vitamins with a gingery punch by my host.
Skål!
The weather was perfect for a boat trip to my next must-see spot: Himmelbjerget! So my host and I walked downtown to catch one of the excusion boats, after packing a light lunch for our hike.
Canoes and kayaks can easily be rented, all around Silkeborg, but I felt a little lazy!
The Hjejlen is one of the oldest paddle steamer in operation…
Some people were braver than I was… Well, she was! Mouahahaha
Paddle boards are also very popular on the different lakes around Silkeborg!
No worries when things are “Viking-safe”!
The ride from Silkeborg to Himmelbjerget is about 1h15 long, and our little excursion had a couple of stops in different villages along the way. I highly recommend to sail your way to Himmelbjerget if you decide to go see it from your eyes… The journey is definately worth it! Such a quiet, and relaxing trip on the calm water…
And after a little more than an hour of sailing, there it was on the horizon… “Heaven Mountain”… The peak of Denmark!
A little geographic lesson, before we take our hike up Himmelbjerget.
Denmark is the 4th flattest country in the world. Not in Scandinavia, not in Europe… In the world! It has its advantages… It probably made it much easier build a railroad network around the country, and it is definately a plus if you decide to bike yourself around Vikingland. But if you love tall mountains, you’ll soon find out that your options to reach Denmark’s heights, are very few.
Himmelbjerget is recognized as the highest point in Denmark. But if you’ve done a little research online, you probably know that this is not really accurate.
Ejer Baunehøj is, at 170 meters above sea level. But although scientifics gave Ejer Baunehøj the (not so) impressive title, back in 1874, most people will still agree that Himmelbjerget is the real deal (although being 23 meters short of the gold medal).
Welcome to Himmelbjerget!
Although 147 meters might sound like a smooth hike, don’t be fooled. The walk up the summit is rather steep, and you might need a couple of breaks to have a sip of water and catch your breath, if you are not top shape!
But it is well worth the effort, and you’ll see that the view gets more and more amazing as you make your way to the very top.
Tower at the top of Himmelbjerget.
A little boutique is waiting for you at the top of the mountain, selling all kinds of reminders of your heroic way up. You can also climb an extra couple of stairs to visit the top of the tower for a reasonable 10 Kroner (2$).
Time to enjoy the amazing postcard view, from the peak of Denmark!
Just a couple of minutes of walk down the peak of Himmelbjerget, you’ll find the mountain’s Hotel, where you can enjoy a good meal or just a cup of tea or coffee, in the middle of a couple of more souvenir shops, a children playground and a nice picnic area.
Almost there… But there’s no rush, right?
Kid friendly, as most Danish attractions are.
The Himmelbjerget Hotel
Of course, everything good in life has an end, and after taking a little snack, and enjoying a nice tea on the hotel’s terasse, it was time to walk our way back down to our boat stop.
My chance-encountered fur friend seemed disappointed I had to leave, too!
And here are some of the last sights on our way back to Silkeborg…
Yet another fun day spent in Denmark… And tomorrow, I’m going to Hobro, and you don’t want to miss this Viking historic site!
The Turtle's Journey... 