John “Lifeguard”: We Stay Until Darkness Takes Over the Sky

1. Lynæs Sea Bath

Lynæs Sea Bath warms up quickly early in the season and opens out towards the wide horizon across Odsherred. It’s also my favourite place for winter swimming – the combination of ice-cold water and a hot sauna beats everything else.

2. Beaches in Tisvilde Hegn and Asserbo Plantation

When September arrives, the clothing-optional beaches in Tisvilde Hegn and Asserbo Plantation reveal their most magical side – vast dunes, almost no people, and a feeling of freedom and silence.

One of the very best things has been taking international lifeguards there on summer evenings to watch the sun set into the sea.

We stay until darkness takes over the sky. On the very best evenings, the bioluminescence lights up the water – living lights dancing around your hands. For first-time visitors, it feels like a secret the sea only reveals to those who stay long enough.

3. Memorial Day for Kaj Walther’s Heroic Rescue

Every year, on the second Saturday of November, we gather in Rågeleje to commemorate Kaj Walther, who in 1941 carried out a heroic rescue operation that saved a father and son from drowning.

Everyone can take part and try what he did: a 200-metre swim and a 200-metre rescue effort – without neoprene. The cold bites and the wind cuts across your face, but the sense of community and tradition warms you from within.

Afterwards, hot tubs and the sauna feel almost heavenly.

4. Eghjorten and the Other Nature Playgrounds in Gribskov

When the children were little, we spent many weekends at Eghjorten and the other nature playgrounds in Gribskov.

We slept in shelters, fell asleep to the sound of the campfire, and managed with only the simplest things – primitive and absolutely perfect.

5. Frederiksborg Castle and the Castle Gardens

The children have grown up, and my wife and I have found new routines. Now we often walk around Frederiksborg Castle and enjoy the views from every angle.

The castle gardens are also perfect for running – even in the dark, the paths are easy to navigate.

6. Rømers Coffee Bar

Almost every week, we finish with a cup of coffee in Hillerød. We often end up at Rømers, where the coffee is great, and you can get free refills of black coffee – a detail I appreciate more than I might like to admit.

7. Rudolph Tegner Museum

The area around Rudolph Tegner Museum has also become a favourite – wild, open, and almost sculptural in itself. The museum and café are just as good and definitely worth a visit.

8. Freshly Picked Berries from Farm Stalls

And then there’s the taste of the Danish summer: strawberries, apples, cherries, raspberries, and mushrooms. Freshly picked strawberries from a local farm, eaten outside on a warm day, might just be the perfect taste. With whole milk or cream and a little sugar, it’s my absolute favourite dessert. 
I have never been anywhere in the world where strawberries taste as much like summer as they do here.

9. Local Distilleries

We also have some fantastic distilleries in the area, and every now and then, my wife and I enjoy a gin and tonic at home. I can highly recommend trying them – the quality easily matches some of the best from abroad.