Denmark 2026 … here we go again, it can't be true.

 It was rarely so unclear for us for so long where the journey was headed. One thing was certain, September would be travel time with the camper, after we had to forgo many things this year.

The plans were leaning towards a Denmark vacation. A round trip around Denmark including a visit to Copenhagen.

However, since Denmark might not be the best weather-wise in September, we kept glancing towards southern France, where we had great experiences last year – sunny weather deep into October.

We awaited the 14-day weather forecast on the departure day to help us decide. If Denmark is predominantly dry and sunny during that time, that's where we'll go.

In southern France, that would have been a no-brainer – 33 degrees and continuous sunshine.

So we started on Tuesday, 01.09. - and drove north on the A 1 in sunny weather.

The first stage destination was the area between Eckernförde and Flensburg. Here lies the famous extended arm of the Baltic Sea – the Schlei.

In Kappeln, we had to trick a bit before we found the camper space on the grounds of Ancker Yachting GmbH.

It offers everything the camper needs for a parking fee of €20 - large parking spaces (about 100), sanitary facilities, electricity (if needed), waste disposal, and a short walk to the Kappeln promenade on the shores of the Schlei.

Unfortunately, we lost the sunshine along the way, which meant we had to escape sudden rain showers from time to time.

This could be done in the numerous gastronomic establishments or at the large outdoor OLE directly at the Schlei bridge. We browsed there and were interested in rubber boots and rain jackets. But no, one doesn’t have to give in to the first drop and lose their nerve. It will definitely get better soon.

Speaking of the Schlei bridge: the Baltic arm stretches from Schleswig to the Schlei estuary over 42 km and the only bridge is currently the drawbridge in Kappeln. Otherwise, there are a few ferries.

The first “Flens” in the beach chair at the promenade tasted good, and then the sun came out again.

A quick shopping stop at the fish smoking shop “Föh” and then back to the camper.

That night, we faced a setback – raindrops drumming on my roof. Many and for a long time.

This ended our planned extension, and we rolled towards Flensburg. It is only about 70 km away and I had never been to Flensburg.

We actually started with suddenly emerging sunshine, then drove towards a black cloud, which, of course, emptied over us, but we managed to arrive dry in Flensburg.

Flensburg offers a somewhat central possibility for parking without services, but it's free, on the eastern Förde shore in the midst of the industrial zone.

Acceptable for one night, and we also got a good spot (the site was completely full by evening).

Walking along the quay wall to the Förde, one initially passes some industrial wastelands and wonders when the construction boom will begin here by the water. The closer you get to the city, the newer the buildings and the newly established promenade.

Aha, the starting shot has already been fired.

Flensburg has a lively history involving seafaring and trade. In the 18th century, Flensburg was part of the Danish realm and experienced a bloom from the rum trade with the West Indies and Jamaica.

However, rum was never distilled in Flensburg; it was only processed. This led to the rum blend and gave Flensburg the reputation as a rum stronghold.

Some buildings still testify to this, although only two rum houses have survived.

Of course, we had to visit and taste them. Now we are transporting some bottles of rum through Denmark.

We were impressed by the long pedestrian zone with many small courtyards to discover on the left and right. We also appreciated the healthy mix of retail shops, boutiques, and the usual chains (which were not that prominent). Everything fit into the existing buildings, creating a harmonious overall picture.

When hunger set in around 16:30, we searched the small courtyards in vain for a nice spot to eat while having a “Flens.” And had to realize that our hunger came too early. Most establishments opened only at 17:00.

So we ended up at the tapas restaurant in the pedestrian zone because they had the desired “Flens.”

Before we headed back, we made a detour to the “Gosch” restaurant at the harbor head. And since the sun was still shining nicely here and a spot just opened up in front of us, destiny took its course.

At the next table sat Britta and Hans, who had driven over from Sylt to Flensburg to escape the bustle on the island. And since both were very communicative and also enjoyed wine, the evening turned out to be longer (and wetter) than planned.

In the darkness, we finally walked the 2 km back to the camper.

We spent the afternoon and evening quite dry and pleasantly. And what can I say: at night, the rain came back. With everything the sky had to offer.

There was no need to get up early, and going outside wasn’t necessary.

The study of weather reports gradually disenchanted us, as the rain probability in the coming days soared. If only we had bought rubber boots and rain jackets.

Can we still change plans? How far is it to the Cote d’Azur? Can we make it to Copenhagen while staying dry? How do I interpret the weather map to maintain hope?

The next planned destination is already in Denmark (what a miracle, it starts just behind Flensburg).

On the peninsula “Als,” at the ferry port of Fynshav, lies the campground Naldmose Strand, run by former handball player Stefan Schröder. I read about this a few years ago because I was interested in the connection between “handball player” and campground owner.

Through pouring rain, we drove along the coast the short distance (70 km) to Fynshav and were greeted at the reception by friendly Stefan. When he asked if we had made a reservation, we had to shake our heads, which led to a puzzled expression on his face. But he quickly regained his composure and offered us the last available spot near the reception.

And here we are, with a view of the arrival and departure.

We will stay for 2 days with the option to extend – from Friday afternoon, the rain is supposed to have cleared, and the sun should return. We’ll see about that.

In any case, we are very calm here and slept deeply and undisturbed – that’s also worth something. In France, it would certainly have been much too hot.