Monday June 11th 2018 Skivern

Well, the weather had to break, and it did so in some style. From about midday on Sunday, for maybe 6-7hours it rained. To hard but steadily and we had to retreat inside. Then the wind began, not hard at first but slowly picking up, rattling the van and causing the awning to make unwanted noises.

So we battened it down as best we could, sat inside and read. Such a pity that after two weeks of warmth and sunshine we should meet the cold of the north.

Worse was to follow. By 5 am the awning was being given a real work over by the wind so it had to be put away! It was light and not cold but, well, it's just not what one expects. For the most of today the wind rocked the area, shook the van, and, alongside heavy, low cloud, took the edge off the day.

We did decide to head off to Skagan, the northerly tip of Denmark, ` the sand spit that runs into the sea and divides the North Sea from the Baltic. A pleasant little town, with rather less of the typical beach resort that one might find elsewhere. Lots of old fishing cottages remain but the town is now dominated by the fishing industry. And the cruise industry has found it. Its huge boats and thousands of tourists descend on the town for a few hours before returning to their floating 'hotel' sitting at the dock. And then off they go…well who knows, and can they make it around the spit?

As I sit here typing this the wind has dropped, the clouds have lifted and it's a beautiful evening. Tomorrow we head a few miles south, so we have only a mile or so to get to the port for the ferry to Sweden.

Next stop, Gothenberg.