Day 32 on my Danish pilgrimage took me 21kms to Padborg. My wife and I had stayed in Vedsted and she drove me to the spot she picked me up yesterday and I continued south. The sun was shining and it was perfect walking weather for the short walk to the German border.
I’d barely walked 2km when I arrived at the 2nd of the bridges (the first was yesterday) along the final part of the Hærvej. Povls bridge crosses Bjerndrup Mølleå (river), and is named after an Inn that was next to the bridge. Originally built as a wooden bridge, it was replaced by a bridge of granite blocks built in 1844 are restored in 1970.
I continued along the gravel road, crossing road and railway lines as I progressed towards the 3rd and final bridge.
Gejlå Bridge is the third of the preserved bridges in the final stages of the old Ox Road. It is a double arched, self-supporting stone bridge made of granite. The bridge was built by Thomas Fries of Flensburg and inaugurated on 21 August 1818 – this is known because builder’s name and year are engraved in one of the stones.
A memorial stone for the now burnt down Bommerlund Inn lies 200m south of the bridge, The inn was famous for its schnapps Bommerlundersnapsen. The story goes that a French soldier in the middle of the 18th century arrived sick and tired at the inn, without money or other valuables. Still, he received good treatment from the host, and as a thank you for his hospitality, he presented him with the recipe for a schnapps, which is still produced today (in Germany).
I continued south through Bommerlund Plantage with rune stones along the path ….
.. and on to Bov, with its thatched cottages and church.
I was now just a kilometer away from the German border at Rønsdam, the 2nd time I had reached the border after also walking the Gendarmstien ending a couple of kilometers from here. My wife was waiting as I arrived – but no champagne!
I haven’t finished walking the full Danish pilgrimage yet. I still need to finish the Frederikshavn to Aars and Hirtshals to Aars legs.