After the Aalborg Marathon: Skagen

The Route: Aalborg → Frederikshavn → Skagen → Aalborg Airport Logistics: A train to Frederikshavn, then the Skagen line. The airport is about 83 km from Skagen by road. Marathon Month: August Duration: 2 nights

Aalborg ──(train)──> Frederikshavn ──(Skagen line, 38.8 km)──> Skagen (2 nights) ──(train, then onward)──> Aalborg Airport (AAL)

Skagen is the northernmost town in Denmark, a place of yellow houses with red-tiled roofs and a long reputation for its light. The Skagen painters worked here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the museums still hold their pictures. The railway from Frederikshavn runs 38.8 kilometres to the end of the line, and Skagen is the terminus.

August in Skagen. Mid-August is the high season in north Jutland. Rooms book out and the town is crowded in the middle of the day. Reserve early and check each opening time. Climate averages are mild, and the tourist guide gives 15 to 17 degrees Celsius for the summer.

Getting there

Take a train from Aalborg to Frederikshavn, then change to the Skagen line, which is run by Nordjyske Jernbaner. Check the journey time and the Sunday timetable on Rejseplanen, because the connection depends on the day.

Night one: arrive and look

Stay within walking distance of the town centre. Compare cancellable rates and ask about luggage storage. The first evening is for a meal and a short walk through the streets, which are flat.

Day two: one museum, one view

Skagens Kunstmuseer is the museum of the Skagen painters, and it includes the artists' homes, Anchers Hus and Drachmanns Hus, as well as rotating exhibitions. It is an indoor, level visit with seating. Check the August hours and book tickets ahead.

Grenen is the sandy tip of the peninsula, where the Baltic and the North Sea meet and make a visible line on the water. The tourist guide describes the meeting of the seas as a unique phenomenon. The walk to the point is on sand and tiring on tired legs, so go slowly or take transport. Check how you get there from the town.

The Buried Church is a white tower rising from the dunes, the remains of a church that sand overwhelmed. The tower can be climbed, which is a lot of steps. Skip the stairs if your quads object.

Råbjerg Mile is one of Europe's largest migrating dunes, about 40 metres high and moving roughly 15 metres a year. It is a hard walk on soft sand, so save it for a rested day or skip it.

Night two and onward

Eat early and check the morning train. The Kulturhus Kappelborg has a library, a cinema and exhibitions, and it is an easy indoor stop if the weather turns.

Getting home