More of this Feature • Part 2: Day 1 • Part 3: Day 2

Related Resources • International Marching League Events • Christina's '97 Viborg Review • Gary's Ireland Walk • Gary's Luxembourg Review

From Other Guides • Europe for Visitors

Elsewhere on the Web • Hærvejsmarch

Story by Gary Nelson

Editor's Note: The Viborg 2-Days Hærvejsmarch is a yearly International Marching League and IVV sanctioned walk, held in June in Viborg, Denmark. It includes 30, 40, and 45 kilometer distances each day and the award is a Denmark military medal.

The first thing that struck me about Denmark, and struck me in a welcome state of mind, was it was far flatter than Luxembourg.

I traveled to Viborg, Denmark by overnight train. After arriving in the train station I started walking through the town and was struck by how fresh and clean the city was and yet it retained its historical nature. Halfway to the Viborg Kasern (barracks) I was offered a ride from one of the locals who discerned I was a marcher. I found the office of Frank Jorgensen and completed my registration. To my surprise I was housed in the Officer Barracks, across from the dining facility. The accommodations were wonderful. Motel 6 style accommodations with a European flair, plus the benefit of a balcony.

I spent the first evening meeting up with those I knew and making new acquaintances. I met Simon, retired from the Danish Army while in his 20's. Simon was an inspiration. He had served a long tour in the former Yugoslav republics finding and defusing land mines. After coming home he was assigned to a training mission in Denmark, demonstrating new methods of mine detection and deactivation, when a colleague stepped in front of him and detonated a mine he was working on. Simon lost 80% of his sight.
Yet he continues, before and after, to march. He requires to a degree the assistance of friends to find the markers along the route. Yet he attended every extreme march this summer I attended and more. I wish I had half his courage.

I discovered early on the Danish take the art of combining marching and an environment of celebration to a finely honed degree. Groups gathered and stayed up until well past midnight. Being the venerable Yank I hit the sack at midnight, as it was wise to rise at AM and get breakfast. The cannon which sounds the beginning of the march goes off at 6AM. I was eating breakfast when it sounded and finished quickly and hit the road.

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