| Walking the Haervejsvandring in Viborg, Denmark |
| By Christina Elsenga, 1997 |
Christina Elsenga of Groningen, The Netherlands is our gal in Europe for walking. This month she attended the Haervejsvandring in Viborg, Denmark and the Vierdaagse in Nijmegen, The Netherlands and reports to us what it is like to participate in these events. This week she will tell about the Viborg walk, next week she will report on Nijmegen.
 Walkers ready to start, listening to the daily "Good morning and enjoy today's walk speech." |
The walking organisation FODSLAW from Viborg, Denmark organised the 25th Haervejsvandring 6-12 July 1997. In 7 days participants walk from Schleswig (Northen Germany) to Viborg, covering 300 km. During the night everyboday stays in schools or sportscentres. The organisation takes care of the route with excellent markations, restpoints along route, bringing everybody's luggage to the next place to stay, first aid, etc. etc. The FODSLAW helpers are a great team. They try hard to make the event enjoyable to everybody and they succeed in doing so very well.
I will now give an account of the seven days walk.
Saturday 5 July
Friends from London pick me up from Groningen and I drive with them to Schleswig, Germany. Participants and helpers stay in the "Domschule." It is quite a reunion. Many participants have done this walk before and it is good to see old friends again.
Sunday 6 July
The first walking day. We get up at about 4:30 in the morning (what a holiday!), pack our stuff and wait for the bus to take us to the start where we have breakfast first. At 7 about 490 participants are ready to go. The FODSLAW commemorates the first time 25 years ago, and comments on the significance of friendship and camaraderie during the walk. Participants come from 15 different countries: Denmark (307), Germany (74), Norway (33) The Netherlands (19), Great Britain (16), Belgium (9), Switserland (7), Italy (6), Austria (6), USA (4), Sweden (2) and Canada, Jamaica, Luxembourg and Ireland each 1.
This first day is neary all through Germany. Many years ago this was sometimes Danish, sometimes German. We go to Flensburg and cross the border to finish in Krusa, walking about 52 kilometers.Every participant walks at his or her own pace. Soon you meet with people who walk at the same pace and there is alway time for a little chat. There are many historic sites along route. The organisation marks them clearly so we can learn all about Dolmen, churches, important battles etc.
There are four major restplaces where all kinds of food is for sale. (Soup and bread on the second stop are free). We (My British walkingfriend Hans and I) stop only at the second rest (soup) and the third. The third stop is our traditional stop for a (soft) drink and the famous, delicous Danish pastry (walking is a piece of cake!). In between the rests the FODSLAW puts water and lemonade units along the route. We all have a cup with us and it is good to have a drink regularly. You can also refill your bottle if neccesary. The scenery is good and varies.
Industrial areas round Flensburg are not exciting, but once the route leaves the harbour there is a lovely walk along the beach. We cross the border and then there is this long climb to the finish which we reached at 15:20. There are still many to come. We unpack, collect the luggage of friends, save them a place, have a refreshing shower and chat, dinner etc., etc. What a great holiday.
Monday 7 July
The first day we finished at Krusa. The second day is relatively short. It is
a 33.5 km. walk to Rodekro. Today we walk on some parts of the ancient Haervej or Heerweg.
This is the main route for trading, cattle and armies and has been used for centuries on
end, before concrete, tarmac and other stuff. The route is at times several kilometers
wide and can best be seen on a plane. In the old days people changed the route slightly
every now and then when rain and mud made it impossible to follow the exact route. It is
not a straightforward route. Rivers were avoided as much as possible. Some old stone
bridges (1700 and 1800) have to be crossed. As everybody knows trolls have a habit of
living under bridges, so be kind to them, otherwise you'll never make it to Viborg.
Sometimes we walk on roads, sometimes we walk along edges of fields and sometimes dirt or gravel roads. Especially if you have a blister, these gravel roads can be a real pain. The scenery makes up for it so it is important to walk upright (as one always should do) and look around. Some fields are set aside and there is a abundacy of wild flowers. Lovely smell and great to see. We walk though small villages with characteristic white churches with sometimes red roofs. It looks all very clean when the sky is blue and the sun shines. Some villages are so small that, when the participants and helpers stay the night, the population doubles.
Participants should drink plenty and be aware of sunburns. We walk from south to north mainly. Everyone should use plenty of sun lotion for protection. Even though it is not really hot (20 to 25 Celcius), it is better to be safe then sorry.
I could tell you all about the silly and less silly things we do and think on our walk through Denmark. We are a little group (Some British, some American, some Dutch walkers and every now and then a new member of our "dreamteam") but that would not be interesting to most of you and might even interfere with privacy. So I won't. Truth is we have a very, very good time, though some of us find the walk hard, there is a very cheerful spirit.
Tuesday 8 July
Day 3 is from Rodekro to Jels, 48 kilometers. Along route there is a big stone with runic carvings to study. Today there is more proof of ancient inhabitation. Some places have shown proof of that dating 4000 years back. The last part of the route is though the Jels forest of sorcery. Oaks and pine trees grow in weird curves. Unfortunately there are less crooked trees every year. Still you can see some good examples. Watch you step. Roots seem to grow weird too!
Again the variety in scenery is great. Participants are in a good mood, the weather is fine. There is nothing to wish for (apart from a refreshing shower at the finish)
Wednesday 9 July
The fourth day has a nearly 50 km. walk for us to do
from Jels to Vandel. Inhabitants have decorated parts of the route with flags. A happy
sight. On this day we pass the 150 km. half-way marking. I never know what to feel. Happy
because half of the walk is over, happy that there is still half left or be sad because it
is only 150 km. to go. I enjoy this walk so much. The relaxed organisation, the pleasant
company, even the people who come in complaining they are 'neckered' can't stop most of us
from feeling happy. By now most of us have a (or more) blisters, some tight muscles, need
more sleep, got a sunburn despite precautions, etc. etc. Somehow the lame help the lame,
all walkers are equal. The fast and good walkers endure fatigue and pain too (sometimes
the slower or not so good walkers forget that).
Thursday 10 July
Day 5 brings us from Vandel to Norre Snede, 47 km. Again many things to enjoy. A castle, runic stones, a very old inn, burial mounds in the middle of Jelling with a beautiful church. The people of Norre Snede welcome us with lovely danish cookies and a drink. It is good to feel a warm welcome.
In the church of Norre Snede with a granite baptismal font from 1100 AD. a service is held for the participants of the Hearvej. This is much appreciated. I did not go this year. I went and enjoyed it last year. Since there are more participants now, especially firts timers, I decided to give them the opportunity of a visit. I'll hope to be there next year.
Friday 11 July
Day 6 is another 47 km. walk. Tody we walk across the Tollund Moor. Years ago an amazingly intact and very old corpse was found here: the Tollund Man. He is in the museum of Silkeborg now. Scientists believe he died a violent death. The moor is very peaceful and serene now. It is a pleasure to walk here. We finish in Torning where children welcome us with a smile and an ice cream. What a bliss. Thank you!
Saturday 12 July
The last day. All we have to do is walk to Viborg:
21 kilometers to the school where we can have a shower and change to walk the parade into
town, another 4 km. Viborg is a very old town and if you have the time to spare it is not
a bad idea to stay there one or two more days.
First, 10, 20 and 25 year participants get their reward at the townhall, handed over by
the mayor of Viborg. Others get their reward before the parade and wear it while marching
into town.
The reward is a chain with runic stones and a copie of an ancient coin. Every
year the chain becomes larger until the tenth time. Then you start with a small chain
again, this time gold plated. After the speeches and the ceremony we say goodby to our
friends. Some of them we will meet on other walks. Some we won't see till next year. Buses
bring us back to Schleswig. Within four hours we cover the 300 km. that took me about 46
hours to walk.
This was my 4th hearvejsvandring. Five years ago I met John Santamaria Jr., a
retired US Airforce colonel. John has done this walk 19 (?) times now. That first year I
wondered why he came all the way from the States to do this walk. The route is practically
the same every year. He told me it wasn't just the 300 km. walk, not even the scenery,
beautiful as it is. It is the people, the participants and the helpers that make this
event a very special event and worthwhile to do, time and time again. By now I believe
John is right. I already entered for next year!
About the walker:
Name: Christina Elsenga
City: Groningen
Country: The Netherlands
Age: 32 years (for another three weeks to go)
Profession: Assistant Professor in Business Administration
Email: c.m.elsenga@eco.rug.nl
After I graduated 11 years ago, I decided I should do some sports activities but I
wanted to be free in where and when and I didn't want a lot of obligations. I didn't want
a team sport and I didn't want to do a sport entirely on my own. I decided to do something
generaly known as silly and stupid: I started walking.
I started doing 10 and 15 kilometers walks and did 4 days in Apeldoorn as part of my
holidays. Gradually I really enjoyed the walks, the people, the countryside, etc. In 1995
I got a major back injury but was able to recover and, as walking is very good for your
back (as long as you walk with a correct posture), I enjoy it more then ever. By now
walking with everything that goes with it, has become a real hobby. During the walks I
made friends with several people all over the world and that is probably the biggest award
of all.
I am member of the FLAL (Frisian Long Distance Walkers) and RWV (Rotterdamse Wandel
Vereninging).
Some main events so far:
Apeldoorn 4 days: 3 times
Denmark's Haervejsvandring: 4 times
Nijmegen 4*50: twice
10 times a 100 kilometer non-stop walk in the Netherlands and Belgium
Address of the Denmark Event:
Haervejsvandring Denmark:
Vandreforeningen FODSLAW
P.O. Box 268
8800 Viborg
Denmark
Walking Event and Trip Reports
