Denmark – Blokhus, Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
The most interesting attractions of northern Denmark in 3 days. Mission impossible?
Day 2
On the second day, we set off early again to explore Northern Jutland. The previous day we visited the northern and eastern parts along the Baltic Sea. Now it was time to explore the western side along the North Sea.
Blokhus
The town of Blokhus is located in the western part of Northern Jutland. Its main attraction is quite an unusual beach. For the first time in Europe, I encountered a beach where you can actually drive a car. So, we packed our grilling equipment, swimwear, and set off. Just a few hundred meters from the beach, the roads were partly covered with sand, and I was so excited to drive on the beach. The initial part of the beach was quite compacted by the cars driving on it, but the further we went, the more risky it became to stop and avoid getting stuck. After a short while, we found a place where we could safely park the car, in a relatively quiet area.
The next windy day impressed us with beautiful waves in the North Sea. Without thinking too much, we jumped into the freezing water to play with the waves. After a bit of fun, we quickly jumped out to have a warm meal, before returning to the cold water. Compared to Palm Beach, here we had to be very careful, as after just a few steps, the water became deep.
The North Sea, driving on the beach – these are not the only attractions. Many people, including tourists, come to Blokhus to try sandboarding on the beach. Since we were already here, it would be a shame not to have a bit of fun.
Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
The next stop on our trip was the Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse. We left the car in the parking lot, and a walk of about 2 kilometers awaited us. Due to the conditions around the lighthouse, driving closer was impossible, but we only found that out after a while.
We walked along the path, surrounded by greenery and grazing sheep, when suddenly, huge sand dunes emerged from behind the horizon, resembling the beginning of a desert. At the top of the dunes, we could see the lighthouse. With great disbelief, we approached closer and closer, until we were forced to take off our shoes to calmly climb the dunes to reach the lighthouse. The climb to the top was completely free of charge, so without hesitation, we climbed the 23-meter lighthouse to admire the view of the waves crashing against the cliffs.
I immediately became interested in the history of the lighthouse in the middle of the “desert,” so I read to learn how it came to be. It was built at the turn of 1899-1900 and was initially surrounded by GARDENS. However, over time, a dune gradually formed around it, burying the lighthouse and blocking the spread of light. After 50 years, in 1953, the lighthouse was turned off as the dunes muffled the sound of the foghorn. For the next decade, the lighthouse was regularly uncovered, but this turned out to be a Sisyphean task, and in the 1960s, it was completely decommissioned. Today, it serves only for tourism purposes. It is possible that this was the first and last time I saw a lighthouse on the dunes. Initially, it stood 200 meters from the sea, but each year, it gets closer to the cliffs. It is possible that in the coming years, the sea will completely consume it.
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