Fyn Things to Do

Most of the houses along the coast road in Brunshuse each have their own private access to the water from a little pier. We had the use of the rowing boat and a pedalo that were tied up to the cottage's pier.

The rowing boat was great. We were able to visit the tiny island where birds nest in Spring but you're not allowed to step foot onto it for fear of disturbing the nesting birds. It's a great way to do birdwatching from a small boat nevertheless the birds are still wary of intruders.

Probably the best time for viewing the birds is when the tide is out; that's when the waders appear.

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If you can hire bikes or take them with you this part of Denmark is a great place to explore. There are only gentle slopes and because much of the terrain is low level when you do find a rise then you can get terrific views over the fields and to the coast. We cycled from our base in Brunshuse down to Helnæs. This was originally an island but it has now been joined by a causeway.
We found motorists were generous in giving us space on the road but it was all very quiet really; no heavy traffic apart from the tractors!

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From Assens catch the ferry for a 30 minute ride to the island of Baagø. We picked up bikes for DKK20 ( put the money in the slot) from the ferry harbour and set off. There's a helpful leaflet that gives you a map but it's difficult to get lost even if you go off the main road.
Unfortunately the rain set in for most of the time we were on the island so we found the birdwatching hide, the church and the museum in the middle of the island a very welcome respite from the drizzle and damp.

It's a pretty place with some attractive houses but go well prepared - we didnt see anywhere to buy any food but maybe we just were not looking. The blackberries we found were good ( mid August) and we enjoyed the hot drink and chocolate bars from the Museum.

The boat ride was good but it could be miserable in bad weather as there isnt much shelter - see transport tip.

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In Funen the countryside is never far away. We visited in late August and the fields were burnt gold and edged with sunflowers. We were lucky with the weather and the combination of those golden fields, deep blue skies and furled clouds was amazing. So many guide books had described Funen as 'Bucolic' we were really anxious to see some cows.They did not disappoint and I am now more convinced then ever of the excellence of Danish dairy products.

The photo shows my husband getting up close and personal with a source of Danish butter!

Middelfart, seen here from the new Lillebaelt Bridge, is either the first or last town in Funen, depending on what side you approach it from. For my purposes it seemed a perfect place to stay - what I thought might be a fairly typical, medium sized Danish town. It's actually famous in a small way for its annual 'Rock Under the Bridge' concert and for being the town with two bridges. The central shopping streets are pedestrianised, with many pretty half-timbered houses. Shopping here, strolling round the harbour and visiting the local churches was all very pleasant. There are several museums in Middelfart, most unusual being 'The Psychiatric Museum' .I didn't get to visiting that last on, but given the nature of my quest, maybe I should have. On Saturday mornings there are many market stalls and a band playing on the bandstand. We stayed at a feriecentre about 2kms outside the town and I found the walk in and out a very good opportunity to observe houses and gardens and all those million and one little things you never see from a car.

The Fyn Kunst Museum, Odense's Municipal Art gallery, was open on Saturday afternoon and if you are particularly interested in Danish Art then it's worth a visit. It features Danish paintings from the 18th century onwards, also sculpture and some contemporary work.I must admit though that I found it a little disappointing, as many of the Funen artists whose work I'd hoped to see, were not represented. As galleries go, I thought it was a little subdued and low key but it is a very handsome neo-classical building and there were lovely views of Odense from the upstairs windows.

Though not as well known as its more famous counterpart, joining Copenhagen to Malmo, The Storebaelt Bridge between Funen and Zeeland is just as exciting to drive over. Longer than the 10 mile Oresund Bridge, the toll here is also slightly more expensive. On both bridges it is possible to pay by credit card.

Odense is Denmark's third largest city and the Capital of Funen. There are so many detailed pages already on VT about Odense that I will only say, that yes it is a vibrant and visually stunning city and that yes, thewalk round Hans Christian Andersens house is like walking into the pages of one of his fairy tales. However, a very important practical fact about Odense and one which I have not seen mentioned on VT so far, is that the shops close at 2.00pm on Saturday afternoon, so if you are planning on some retail therapy, get there earlier. I could also pass on the tip that parking is free for much of Saturday afternoon but now that we know the reason why, perhaps not.