Recreational Cycling in the Danish Countryside (Aero Island, Korinth, and Rail Trails)

Following Copenhagen, the second leg of the four weeks abroad took our group to three smaller communities: Svendborg, Aero Island, and Korinth. We focused our activities on the recreational and tourism component of Denmark’s National Bicycle Strategy (henceforth in this post referenced as “The Strategy”). Six characteristics encompass what the Strategy determines as elements of effective recreational cycle routes: safety and security, tourism, service, comfort, signage, and meaningfulness. I noted aspects of each of these elements during the three days spent in these Danish communities, albeit in varying combinations and relationships to one another.

Wildflowers along the bike route on Aero Island

Notable during our day trip to Aero Island were aspects of signage, tourism, and for about half the trip, comfort. I will qualify “about half the trip” by noting I personally do not have much experience biking on gravel paths or traversing up and down steeper inclines as I experienced during the nearly thirty-mile route our group followed. Through the first third of the ride, I felt comfortable biking on paved roads through the small towns of Aeroskobing and Marstal (where I stopped for an early lunch). The segment of the route afforded a flat and smooth ride and here I noted the most visible examples of signage directing cyclists through the residential areas along the national bike route. Between the towns, one finds a bucolic environment, where wildflowers and billowing grasses dot the landscape. Now and then, I passed cows and sheep grazing on the short grasses. 

When describing comfort, The Strategy notes, “A change of route layout should not cause reduced comfort, for example by introducing more climbs, conversion from paved road to gravel or dirt roads [emphasis added], or a greater number of 90 degree turns, unless it is dictated by considerations regarding possibilities for experiences, services, or improvements of safety (e.g., the disadvantages of hills may be offset by the attractiveness of the venue [emphasis added])” (Denmark National Bicycle Strategy, p. 46). Riding at a leisurely pace through the countryside felt emblematic of that “offset” of experiencing the countryside compared to the difficulties posed by the transitions between paved and gravel roads.

On the following day, our group biked through the mainland countryside from Svendborg to the small community of Korinth (an estimated 2022 population of 985). Terracotta-painted bicycle lanes supported the first several miles as we exited Svendborg and proceeded into the countryside. Once more, the group followed a predetermined route that did not exactly adhere to the national bike route, though the route more closely followed, and here I noted the importance of the signage element prescribed by The Strategy. Not only did the blue-painted signs support my directional awareness, but there were signs positioned throughout the journey pointing out the direction of towns between our starting and ending points that functioned well with the “entry” and “exit” signage as we passed over the municipal borders. 

A brief stop in a Danish town, finding a church that functions as both a graveyard and public space

For the most part, though, the further out into the country we biked, the less supported biking infrastructure I observed. This fact directly influenced my perception of safety and security. On the wider, less busy roads, most cars reacted accommodatingly to our presence, slowing down when devoid of a passing opportunity, then veering to the left to give us space when accelerating to pass. I found myself relying significantly on my left mirror to peer back and spot an upcoming vehicle when the sound of the car reached within an earshot. In this sense, the selection of the biking route for most of the journey provided an element of safety for us that was also contingent on the behavior of both of us cyclists and motorists. However, we then took a path alongside one of the country's major state highways as our last leg before reaching Korinth, which was most certainly the least safe I felt during the entire journey. In fairness to Denmark, we were biking on Highway 8, not Bike Route 55.

Lodging for the evening in Korinth

Bike lanes alongside the roadway in Korinth

After staying the night at a quaint lodging in Korinth, our first leg of the final bike commute to Odense began along a rail trail pathway built for bicyclists, designated as L1. I did not recall seeing any signage noting that I was in fact biking along L1, but the route itself proved to be a pleasant, flat ride through forested areas and along (but segregated from) a railway line. Similar to the ride from Svendborg to Korinth, the tightly framed pathway of trees opened to natural landscapes and agricultural fields on either side, often at crossings with other country roads. The fact that the path was segregated from the rail line enhanced my feeling of safety and security, even though an observer might question the narrowness of the path. I had proceeded ahead of other classmates and once biking by myself, did not find that narrowness to hinder my ability, even when I passed people walking the trail, biking, or a small group of oncoming mopeds, though I am not entirely sure they were supposed to be on that trail. Along L1, the element of comfort most stood out among the six elements of The Strategy’s prescription for effective recreational bike routes.

Since our prescribed routes did not exactly follow the regional cycle routes, I find it difficult to ultimately assess how effective these routes were in adhering to this component of The Strategy. Nevertheless, my favorite aspects of these rides were the well-placed signage to promote wayfinding along with the comfort of the flat terrain and gentler inclines I encountered. On Aero Island, the initial path I took (following the route in a counterclockwise direction) the routes filtered me into the small towns, which provided an opportunity to spend on the local eateries and an opportunity to leave some Danish Krones in exchange for some local products, such as jams or foodstuffs that appeared in front of some people’s homes. The experiences impressed upon me that to implement and encourage recreational cycling in the U.S., routes must first address the comfort, safety and security, and signage elements prescribed in Denmark’s The Strategy.

A restaurant in the town of Marstal along the recreational bike route

In my experience, the existence of such elements functions as foundational elements to effectively support the other three elements of tourism, service, and meaningfulness. One simplified example: if a recreational route delivers me as a cyclist to an area highly supportive of tourism, yet the route is not safe and secure, does not feel comfortable, and cannot direct me there without the dependence of my cell phone and data connectivity, I am not going to use it. Identifying land adjacent to rail lines that do not fall under the jurisdiction of railways appears to be a good starting place for locating these potential routes, as the rail lines already incorporate routes that seek flatter land and deliver the cargo (whether goods or people) in a point to point manner.

Recreational opportunities by the water along the bike route on Aero Island