Mountain Lifestyle: The Tour of Møn!

Waking up in the tent so close to the beach could only mean one thing - an early morning wake up dip!

Straight out of the tent, it certainly woke us up and got us ready to ride. We dashed up to the showers from the beach for a warm up afterwards, only to find you get just 60 seconds of hot water per coin! As we only had two, it was as a quick rinse at best!

We were on the road by 9am and all was quiet. After riding along the coast again we stopped for a bit to eat at yet another deserted beach. It was calling out for a swim, but having just showered and got moving, we just had a snack and carried on.

Møn is the hilliest of the islands of Denmark and lays claim to having the highest point of the entire country.

To begin with though, things were splendidly flat. Perfect riding terrain!

Elevensis was enjoyed down by another beach. It was actually a bit windy, so we stayed dry and enjoyed some food and rest on a comfy bench.

After this tranquil start, things started to get much tougher for the afternoon. To begin with, we followed some signed route markers that showed a different way to the route programmed into the GPS. The section started with an amazing track past some incredible beach houses, but then turned back in land up a single track section!

Things got worse as it got narrower and stinging nettles threaten our bare legs for a while. Then, when it finally got wider, it was wet and muddy - our slick road tires were wheel spinning as we slipped around.

It was a real relief to be back on the smooth tarmac. We were heading to Møn Klint the far eastern tip of the island (the most easterly point in Denmark- excluding a little off-shore island). The white cliffs of Møn Klint were supposed to be a real tourist attraction (there aren't many cliffs in Denmark!) so we were keen to have a look and maybe even a swim.

It was the toughest ride of the tour so far getting there. Lots of ups and down over small hills. Nothing too steep or serious, but lots of gear changes and it felt tiring having to really pump our legs. The last few kilometres were on a sandy dirt track, which we hadn't anticipated. The final hill was a real beast, especially with the occasional wheel spin. Finally we arrived - hot sweaty and tired - and were surprised to find a huge car park, visitors centre, 3D cinema and coach loads of people! It felt like a bit of a shock having barely seen anyone for days.

The cliffs and the sea looked good, but we couldn't face walking down the boardwalk steps to the beach in a que of other people. So after a very expensive pastry and being plagued by flies, we decided to get out of there quick and back on a quiet road! - On with The Tour!

We powered on with tired legs to the town of Stege in the north of the Island. We made camp, had a (cold!) shower then cycled into town wearing our fresh(ish) clothes. Our first stop was for ice cream while we strolled the Main Street. It was a beautiful day, but being in the wind was tiring. The solution came in the form of a cosy cafe sofa and fine coffee. It felt like bliss!

On our way back to the bikes, we came across a butcher shop/restaurant. That had an amazing buffet laid out and you could pick meat you'd like from the shop and they'd cook it for you on a BBQ. Given the length of the ride we'd just done and knowing that we still had at least another big day ahead of us, we got a table by the gardens and tucked in! Delicious! We ate and ate and ate. Our bodies felt like they were craving replenishment. After several platefuls, we rolled down to the harbour where the sun was setting to digest.