Banging curtain

It seemed so nice, a shelter with a blackout curtain, but nothing could be further from the truth. The curtain is weighted down at the bottom with a wooden pole, and since it got really windy during the night, that pole kept banging loudly against my shelter. With my sleepy head, I didn’t think to just roll up the curtain. There’s no traffic at night, and so what? Personally, I don’t mind if they see me lying in my sleeping bag. There’s not much exciting about it.

I am broken and the bathroom is missing

I stand up broken. The coffee isn’t giving me a boost this time. According to the Hærvejen app, there’s a shop 200 meters away where you can use the toilet and refill water. I hurry there, but I can’t find it. I can find the house number, but there’s a plumbing company there.

I spontaneously get nightmares that I’m going to have an accident and, in desperation, I ring the bell. ‘Oh,’ says the friendly owner, ‘we took over that building three years ago, that shop has been gone for a long time. But feel free to use the toilet and refill water here.’

Gratefully I take him up on his offer. Just in time. But that app really needs to be updated. It has happened to me often that there was no water point when it was indicated. And when you rely on that, it can be quite frustrating.

Alkmaar, oh Alkmaar

At the supermarket, I strike up a conversation with the cashier. She enthusiastically tells me that she was in the Netherlands a few years ago on business with a cheese trader. ‘I have been to Alkmaar, such a beautiful city!’ she says. ‘I come from Alkmaar!’ I exclaim in surprise. What a coincidence. We chat a bit longer until a line forms behind me. Time to move on.

Cultural barbarian

The route passes by the Børglum monastery, an impressive white building with over a thousand years of history. However, I decide to skip the nearly fifteen euro entrance fee. Call me a culture barbarian, but I’m not really into museums, churches, and old buildings. I enjoy looking around, but standing still for hours to ponder every detail? No. In nature, I never get bored; that’s where my heart lies.

Endless fields and meadows

Further along, the path goes through endless fields and meadows. The wind howls around my ears. When I see a cyclist coming toward me, battling against the wind, I suddenly feel very glad that I’m walking the Hærvejen from south to north. With that westerly wind, I’m already struggling enough.

Willing to pay

I drag myself to my shelter. The bad night has worn me out. I’m so happy when I arrive. A beautiful spot with a view of the sea and a small lake. And these shelters have doors. No banging tonight.

I’m more than willing to pay seven euros for this overnight stay. I don’t have the energy to walk another six kilometers to a free shelter.

It’s good like this.

Overnight stay: Nørre Lingby