Bornholm, 2nd – 8th May 2025

Normally some travel nonsense at the beginning of my trip causes me agrevation. Be it, a delayed or broken down plane, train etc. This trip, through Edinburgh to Copenhagan and on by car to Ystad to catch the ferry to Bornholm was without incident. Indeed, the drive over the Oresund bridge was something I’ve wanted to do since I first saw it on the Scandia Noir crime dramas and it didn’t disappoint. The ferry trip was outstanding and a lesson to ferry companies everywhere. A buffet restaurant where you helped yourself, sat down and ate and instead of everyone running away and laughing, waited patiently until the woman came for payment. We also, like all the other punters cleaned up and tidied our dishes away, an attitude that prevails unto the hotel.
This attitude extends elsewhere. In seventy-five odd miles I saw one piece of litter, and that was by the roadside, none on the trail. The holiday homes, and there are as many here as any other island, are not boarded up, no matter how lonely and isolated they may be.
Another welcome change from the harsh dry Canaries (visited a few weeks ago) is the wildlife, particularly the birds. The shore has ducks, geese, swans, cranes and all manner of small birds. Raptors occasionally flash past and the large crows seem oblivious to humans.
The forest at the coast is afire with blooms. Hawthorn abound but not tied into hedges as at home. Thousands of wild cherry trees and some tree that I don’t know with their masses of pink flowers counterpoint all the white. Occasionaly when the wind blows a hail of small petals falls on me like snow.
Very lovely.
The people are friendly and speak good English and the lack of home grown accents of any sort is, as usual, a blessing. The only burr in this was a group of young English Christians that passed me on the trail. Not a ‘Hey’ or a nod or any acknowledgement. Mean spirited as I find all Christians to be and, no doubt, they are to blame for the litter.