Vikings - Copenhagen to Bergen

Building into the Odyssey we roll out of Copenhagen, against the flow of commuters of which 50% travel by bike. Leaving the Michelin Star capital of the world (which of course we will experience) we ride towards UNESCO Roskilde, home of Viking longships and gateway to the Isefjord where charming villages dot meadows that gently roll down to the lake. Crossing to one of Europe's cultural hubs Aarhus, we continue our journey which grows each day in ambition - Denmark is the flat cycling king of Europe and we will enjoy this tempo - knowing that ahead, once we cross the Kattegat (North Sea) the terrain will change. The Vikings raided all of Europe from these lands and their remnants are everywhere to be seen from shipyards to burial grounds, to Viking villages - we will travel with history as we board our own vessel to cross to Norway!

Landing in Kristiansand we know we have changed land formations as the hills grow and the waterfalls gush around us. We skirt the North Sea, via the amazing Under - a restaurant literally under the sea! Heading north we descend the 27 switchbacks of Lysebotn - this is a road that needs to be seen to be believed. Hitting the Lysefjord we take the breathtaking hike to Preikestolen - a rock lookout hanging out above the fjord - a terrifying sight, especially when tourists line the edges! We end our Stage 1 journey sailing into Bergen - as Vikings did centuries ago - it makes the perfect changeover point with its smorgasbord of restaurants, museums and heritage waterfront.

Highlights

• Copenhagen is the epitome of Scandi cool - a culinary powerhouse and cyclist's haven among pristine waterways and modernist architecture - a magic start to our epic journey.
• North Jutland - Denmark's best natural landscapes and cycling. Note, Denmark is regularly voted the best country to ride a bike in the world.
• The Viking Ship museum at Roskilde! Naturally one of our first stops and beyond the epic history it is the gateway to Isefjord where beautiful villages and fields gently roll down to the water.
• Aarhus - one of the smallest towns ever to be awarded as a cultural capital of Europe! A great little stop after our ferry across from Jutland.
• Skagerrak and Kattegat at Skagen! The clashing waves of the Baltic and North Seas meet at Skagen, a beautiful little town where the weather, caught between two oceans, never fails to be sunny (genuinely!)
• Follow the Viking Trail, from Roskilde to Lindholm Høje, an amazing burial mound with 700 Viking graves just outside Aalborg.
• Gorgeous coastal terrain in Norway - whitewashed wooden cottages, picturesque islands and skerries.
• Fjords! This is the start of our exploration of them, there are many to come in Stage 2 but Stage 1 has a cracker. The amazing Lysefjord with the Preikestolen - just google it!
• Lysebotn - the most spectacular switchbacked road you will ever see. We descend before jumping on a boat down the epic Lysefjord to Stavanger. See picture above in the summary.
• Sauna in Norway - nothing is better after a solid ride and Norway has taken this Scandinavian tradition to another level. Enjoy a steaming hot sauna at Heit Sauna Bergen in urban and scenic surroundings. Views of mountains, the bay and new architecture.