Hvide sande Ringkøbing boRk Havn skjeRn videbæk søndeRvig TaRm vedeRsø kliT

insPiRaTion, RePoRTs, and PoRTRaiTs FRom an aUTHenTiC HolidaY desTinaTion

sense THe noRTH sea

eveRYbodY’s WelComeenjoy the seasons – and each other!

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TasTe loCal sPeCialiTiessynonymous with Freshness

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eXPeRienCe THe ConTRasTs From the windy north sea to the little Fjord Harbours

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ContentPage 4

PoRTRaiTFive days out to sea and Two in Hvide sande

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PoRTRaiT anna maxen Changes amber into jewellery in søndervig

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FoTogRaPHiC RePoRTsense the north sea all Year round

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RePoRT stauning Whisky, Hvide sande Røgeri and Westergaards Hotel

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PoRTRaiTon the Water all Your Thoughts evaporate

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inTeRvieWYou’ll Have the best vacation by the north sea

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insPiRaTiondaily life Here

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inFoRmaTionCome to Hvide sande!

Ringkøbing FjoRd TuRismenørregade 2b dk-6960 Hvide sande Tlf. (+45) 70 22 70 01

email: turist@hvidesande.dkwww.hvidesande.dk

Publication by Ringkøbing Fjord Turisme januar 2014

strategic publication and graphic design Flying october www. flyingoctober.com

Printing stibo graphic www.stibographic.com

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RePoRT good Craftsmanship is Passed on at Hvide sande Røgeri

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HVide sAnde/ConTenT

SENSE THE NORTH SEA

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insPiRaTiondaily life Here

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inTeRvieWYou’ll Have the best vacation by the north sea

in Hvide sande, the fishermen land today’s catch in their blue overalls. Close by, sparks fly everywhere from the welders’ work at the town’s old shipyard. This is the life that unfolds daily in this small fishing town. Ringkøbing Fjord is surrounded at all sides by beautiful nature and the landscape changes every mile you travel; from the dunes along the north sea to the skjern Å river delta, from the blooming heath landscape to the little fjord harbours. out here there’s time and space to lose yourself in thought. a visit to the old market town invites a walk in its old stone paved roads and a meal at one of its many restaurants. søndervig’s wide, sandy beach is perfect for relaxation and play.

in the next couple of pages you can read about the people that live out here where the sea is both the closest friend

Travel to the furthest corner of denmark; to the north sea and Ringkøbing Fjord, where the locals live on nature’s terms; out here, where you get close to the sea and each other.

and adversary. meet a fisherman and a surfer; both their blood runs thick with salt water; also, meet some of the passionate gastronomes that enrich the West jutland food culture. You will also get to meet a family that has spent their summer holiday in søndervig for the last forty years; find out why they keep coming back year after year. The beautiful pictures are a taste of the raw forces of nature that you feel to your core when you stand on the edge of the roaring north sea; the sound of the waves hitting the coast, the fresh wind in your face, the special light, and closeness with your friends and family will make you return from Ringkøbing Fjord with renewed energy.

best RegardsLykke Højdirector of Tourism

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RePoRT good Craftsmanship is Passed on at Hvide sande Røgeri

sense THe noRTH sea

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leading aRTiCle

FiVe dAys ouT To seA and Two in Hvide Sandeevery sunday night when darkness falls over West jutland, iver nielsen puts on his overalls and cycles to his ship at the harbour. not until the following Friday does he make the same journey back.

To go to work at sunday night has never been a problem, because even though words like ‘love’ and ‘passion’ aren’t often applied by a sedate West jute, there is no doubt that he loves his life as a fisherman. You shouldn’t go in this line of work for the money, because then you won’t last many years, says iver nielsen over the late morning coffee i was offered at his and his wife’s house at baunevej in Hvide sande. This is where i endeavour to get an insight into life as a fisherman in Hvide sande.

iver comes from a long line of fishermen. His father and grandfathers lived a great part of their lives out to sea. one of iver’s brothers be-came a fish exporter; another became a priest. it doesn’t get any more West jutland like than that. iver grew up at the fishing village agger in Thy. as a child he and his friends fished in limfjorden and already when he was 14 he started life aboard a fishing boat on the north sea. For many years he worked on different ships until he bought his first fishing boat in 1974. later he began working from the large harbour in Hvide sande. a woman named anni had a great degree of influ-ence on that decision.

NO TwO DAyS ARE AlikE OuT TO SEA anni nielsen is iver’s lifelong companion; both out to sea and on land. on land, anni wears the wedding ring that iver gave her; out to sea, anni is a blue and white trawler with a dutch built hull from 1960, which carries iver safely through the worst of the north sea storms. along with 50 other fishing boats, she docks in Hvide sande Harbour while her first mate is on weekend leave.

You might think that a daily life out to sea is problematic in a relation-ship, but it isn’t unusual in Hvide sande; iver’s kids have never known any other life and, by the way, neither have their classmates. both iver’s and anni’s kids have left the nest long ago and settled their own families. iver has a trawler that fishes sand lances and brisling; industrial fish that are used for making fish meal and oils. on the water you often lack sleep. When iver’s trawler finally catches on a good school of fish and the adrenaline and caffeine is pumping through iver’s veins, there’s no time to sleep; then it’s time for work. Thus, life as a fisher-man has a built in momentum of excitement. You never know when you strike gold.

It can be exciting to be a fisherman; the workdays are very

unpredictable. You might get lucky and find a big school of fish were you catch 100 kg and then catch

nothing the next day.

HVide sAnde/PoRTRaiT

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Everybody is welcome down here, because both fishermen and visitors make Hvide Sande Harbour busy and alive.

“it can be exciting to be a fisherman; the workdays are very unpredicta-ble. You might get lucky and find a big school of fish were you catch 100 kg and then catch nothing the next day”. There is also the camaraderie on the boat. iver and his two crewmembers have worked together for so many years that they no longer need to agree on whom does what jobs. one of us minds the engine, one of us is in charge of provisions, and i am the boss, says iver teasingly before he withdraws the statement. These three colleagues work side by side on equal terms. iver sets the course but he also helps out on deck as much as the others when they land some fish.

The ships that sail out from Hvide sande help each other out in small groupings. via radio they let each other know where the good fishing is. it’s not for nothing that the town motto is ‘out here you help each other out’. sometimes a fishing boat’s radio is turned off; not all schools of fish are meant for sharing. wHEN THE NORTH SEA SHOwS iTS TEETH it’s not easy getting a wild sailor story out of iver. after a long life out to sea, he is used to remain calm even when the sea is at uproar and water is streaming into the boat. He knows when to sail out and when to sail back home again. Yet i still try to get a wild story from him. But don’t you sometimes feel in danger out to sea “if we brought a landlubber out there, he would probably feel unsafe but we are used to it and things have always turned out well”.

in spite of this modest answer, the sea next to Hvide sande has never lacked in drama. The sea, which the population has lived off for genera-tions, has demanded its sacrifice. mothers have lost their sons and hus-bands; the flag has often, throughout Hvide sande’s young history, been raised to half-mast at the church. iver finally admits that his own family has experienced how deceitful the north sea can be. once he came very close but it ended well. no doubt, many fishermen in Hvide sande carry around such stories but they are not stories that you tell.

HviDE SANDE HARbOuR HARbOuRS EvERybODy Hvide sande is famous for its busy and active harbour where there is room for fishermen, businesses, and visitors. For several years, a german family has gone to the harbour to see if iver’s boat is docked; then they have a little chat and a tour of the ship by iver. “everybody is welcome down here, because both fishermen and visitors make Hvide sande Har-bour busy and alive”.

even though iver is not a youngster anymore, it will be several years before he stops spending five days of the week out to sea; maybe that’s where you feel most at home when fishing is in your blood.

FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF FISHERMEN ON YOUR VACATION Yours and your family’s dinner will taste so much better if you caught it yourself! or if you spent the day together catching, cleaning, and cooking so many fish that you all get full.

if you caught herring, try the recipe below, which won third place at the herring festival in Hvide sande in 2011.

Hvide sande Herring (feeds 6) ox-heart cabbage salad with horse radish dressing; the ox-heart cabbage is finely sliced and mixed with the dressing.

dressing for one cabbage:1½ dl double cream4 tbsp. vinegar2 tbsp. sugar about 1 tbsp. finely chopped horse radish salt /pepper6 filets of herring are cured overnight.

smear some strong dijon mustard on the fleshy side of the fish. Turn them over in wholegrain spelt and cook them at medium to high temperatures in 50/50 rapeseed oil and butter. arrange the herring on a plate with halved rosehips pickled in cinnamon and cloves. eat the herrings with rye bread and enjoy them with a pint of beer and perhaps a shot of schnapps.

MORE INSPIRATIONwww.hvidesande.dk/hvide-sande/fiskeri-allewww.sildefestival.dkwww.lystfiskerguiden.dkwww.havfriskfisk.dk

Champaign Herring (feeds 6)

6 filets of herring ½ l fish stock 2 dl asti spumante2 dl single creamThe juice of half a lemon all liquids are mixed and thickened into gravy. The herring filets are rolled with parsley, lemon balm, and the juice of one lemon. The fish is placed in a heat-resistant dish; pour over the gravy and place the dish in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. enjoy the herring with wholegrain bread or new potatoes.

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The north sea is one of anna’s great passions; amber is another one. The larger part of the many kilos of amber she has found on beaches all over denmark now beautify lucky fingers, earlobes, wrists, and necks on former visitors to søndervig.

ANNA MAxEN Turns Amber INTO JEWELLERY IN SøNdERVIg

This golden lump is as big as my hand and yet it weighs hardly any-thing. it’s fascinating that it may be fifty million years old; from a time of a subtropical climate and prehistoric animals in what we now call denmark.

i’m holding the largest piece of amber that anna maxen has ever found; and she has found a lot through the years – 18 kilos to be pre-cise. ‘i love amber and i love turning it into jewellery’ says anna right when i arrive. on a cold Friday in november, i have invited myself indoors in anna’s and her husband’s architectural house in søndervig for a chat about amber, jewellery, and art. For about twenty years, anna maxen has made jewellery out of silver, gold, beach stones, and amber. For many years, she exhibited at samsø and eventually she settled in the house in søndervig; in the middle of the raw nature by the north sea.

“Finding amber is mental hygiene and exercise for me. every morning i put on my wellies and go to the north sea. There i bury my hands in seaweed, stones, and whatever the sea might have washed ashore during the night”.

in her warm living room, anna eagerly brings out more amber from her stores. shiny or mat, and large and small pieces fill the wooden table between us. armed with a little stack of notes from one of her lectures, she is ready to enlighten me about the wonderful world of amber. “You can find the best amber out here by the north sea. it’s of a completely different quality than amber that is dug out of the ground in certain baltic countries; earthed amber which is often reshaped. i think that the amber’s original shape, given to it by nature’s elements, should be preserved when it is turned into jewellery”. in a little shack next to the house, anna has a shop with all the tools and remedies for polishing amber, and these machines will certainly continue to run even though she just retired. That just leaves her with more time to look for golden amber on the beach, because anna and her husband love to be outdoors.

“This is where we belong. søndervig is our oasis. Here’s lots of space and with my car i have the freedom to go anywhere i want”. even though anna turned 70 she is still full of life. she regularly cycles around the fjord on her electric bicycle and the beaches are combed for amber every morning. For twenty years, this has resulted in beauti-ful and much sought after pieces of jewellery.

You can find the best amber out here by the North Sea. It’s of a completely different quality than amber that is dug out of the ground in certain Baltic countries; earthed amber which is often reshaped.

HVide sAnde/PoRTRaiT

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Amber is petrified tree resin. The conditions for the creation of amber are that the resin ends up in the sea and that it stays there for at least 30-50 million years!

Find amber that has been washed ashore when the sea redraws after high tides.

THe goLd oF THe noRTHoR FReja’s TeaRs

”The nordic fertility goddess Freja cried bitter tears when her husband disappeared. The tears that landed on the ground turned into gold, and the tears that landed in the sea turned into amber”. This is just one of the many stories about the ori-gin of golden amber which is actually petrified tree resin.The conditions for the creation of amber are that the resin ends up in the sea and that it stays there for at least 30-50 million years! Then genuine amber is formed. The transitional form between amber and tree-resin is called copal and is so porous that you can break off flakes of it with your fingernail.

The world’s oldest amber is 231-235 million years old and was found in austria and bavaria. The oldest danish amber was found in bornholm and is about 170 million years old. The

gO ON AMBER SAFARIgo on amber safari in søndervig and learn more about how to spot the golden lumps of amber and how to tell stone from amber.

MORE INSPIRATIONwww.hvidesande.dkwww.sondervig.dk www.naturstyrelsen.dk www.naturguide.dk/laer-at-finde-rav

density of amber is a bit higher than sea-water and is therefore easily thrown about by waves. The amber that is washed ashore is finer than amber found underground. if you get really lucky, you’ll find a fossilised insect in your amber. When amber is made into jewellery, it’s usually heated and then polished, and it’s well known that amber should be worn as much as possible because contact with the skin keeps it shiny, while it gets dull if you leave it lying around in a drawer. since ancient times, amber and amber jewellery have been used as currency, and it has been said to have healing powers for just as long.

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AuTumn In autumn, the North Sea inflates itself and exposes its sharp teeth; migrating birds glide across the skies fleeing from the cold. Colourful kites join them in the air; reined by kids speeding along the beaches.

wInTerduring winter time, the hilly dune terrain puts on its white dress; the fjord freezes over and tall walls of ice rise on the water before storms push them across the wide open spaces. The cold wind bites any face that is foolish enough to venture outside.

HVide sAnde/PHoTo RePoRT

SenSe THe norTH Seaall year round

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SENSE THE NORTH SEA

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sprIng When spring arrives, the darkness is repressed and the air becomes milder. delicate shoots blossom on the tree branches before the turn into green leafs. On the blooming meadows, the cows perform a giddy spring dance; just like the schools of herring that come here to spawn in the fjord.

summerThe rays of the sun reflecting in the North Sea and the fjord; small feet that tiptoe across the hot sand before they splash into the soothing water; lukewarm evenings that don’t end until midnight in an explosion of lights along the horizon; the taste of fresh fjord shrimp and a glass of cool white wine – that is the danish summer.

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gAsTRonomy wiTH LoCAL and seasonal PRodUCe

Fresh plaice, grazing cattle, and the tart fruits of the sea-buck-thorn; the chefs in the Ringkøbing Fjord area have a wide variety of produce to choose from when they construct their menus. meet one of the passionate restaurateurs who values serving good food made from local produce.

We make an effort to use quality produce from local farmers; we cook good food with local and seasonal produce. We should all enjoy what we have near at hand and make the best of it. These words were spoken by bent graakjær, the owner of Westergaards Hotel in videbæk. With the north sea, Ringkøbing Fjord, and vast meadows and heaths there are plenty of fresh fish, meats, vegetables, and herbs to be had in the Ringkøbing Fjord area. The fish on the menu in videbæk have been caught in Hvide sande, the cattle grazed on the meadows surrounding skjern Å, and the lambs were bred near varde. This local and creative gastronomist grows the herbs and vegetables at his own country house. once you decide to use locally or self-grown produce, you embark on a huge project.

“The cold north is not the optimal place for growing lemons so you need to think of alternatives. This area is packed with sea-buckthorn, the darling of the new nordic kitchen, and its orange fruits make a delicious alternative to freighting fruits all the way from the south of europe”.

sTAunIng whIsky – ONE OF THE BEST WHISkIES IN THE WORLdConnoisseurs from both denmark and abroad have developed a taste for stauning Whisky which is distilled in an old West jutland farm. The nine enthusiasts who started this endeavour are heads over heels with it.

Pretty damn good. This will sell like hell, lads! The world famous whisky guru jim murray was that straightforward in his evaluation when he sam-pled the smoked whisky from stauning Whisky. “That smoke is hot! This mustn’t remain a hobby guys. Full power ahead – go professional!”

They did just that, the nine guys who are so passionate about good whisky, and who started producing a series of now world famous whiskies with the brand name stauning Whisky together. The old farm in stauning was restored and is now the home to barrels of whisky and beautiful copper stills for the distillation process. all stages of the production of stauning Whisky are kept within this farm’s walls. That is in spite of the fact that the men behind this success are a bunch of happy amateurs who have very different educations; none of them related to producing whisky.

Today the distillery has three full time employees of which two are partners. alex Højrup munch, who was educated in constructional engi-neering, is both a partner and an employee; and he is clearly proud and happy and perhaps a little baffled about the success of stauning Whisky. “Yes it’s surreal. We’ve come a long way in few years and we are already expanding our stock space. it’s fantastic!”

if you are visiting this area don’t miss out on a tour of the whisky distillery in stauning. it’s an exciting experience with the possibility of tasting the golden drops to boot.

If you are visiting this area don’t miss out on a tour of the whisky distillery in Stauning. It’s an exciting experience with the possibility of tasting the golden drops to boot.

We always strive to use only top quality produce from local farms. We cook with respect for the local area’s supplies and the seasons.

CulInAry wesT JuTlAndWestergaards Hotel’s newest endeavour is its own ale maddamen, which was named after bent’s Faroe island born wife Hildigunn. one of the rather unique ingredients in this beer is rose hip wine which is made from the rose hips that grow right outside the doorstep.

Westergaards Hotel is part of the local food network kulinarisk vestjylland with the aim of creating awareness of the local and di-versified selection of produce which agriculture, fishing, and other kinds of production produce in Ringkøbing-skjern municipality. bent graakjær invites us all to pluck from the delicious foods that grow in the wild here. Your family can then make their own nordic tapas in the holiday home or at the campsite with a minimum of effort. You can cook wild chanterelles and porcinis in heavy cream, make apple chips and pear dip, or experiment with herb oils made with wild garlic or with water cress which grows on the banks of rivers and streams. Using seasonal foods which are produced locally seems to be the overall message.

HVide sAnde/RePoRT

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THe good CRAFTsmAnsHiP is Passed on aT Hvide sande RøgeRi

The fish’s trip from the water to your mouth doesn’t get any shorter than this. and the quality of them is never compromised. The smokehouse in Hvide sande has sold fresh fish from the harbour since the 1960s.

it all started with arne søegaard smoking his fish in an oil barrel at the harbour. Towards the end of the 1960s, the meagre arrangement was replaced by a cafeteria at the harbour which arne opened with his wife mary. Today the good craftsmanship still prevails with the son and his fellow owner Henrik olsen.

anders søegaard is showing me the all holy inner smoke rooms. His parents old ovens from 1969 and 1972 are still working but many newer ovens have been added as well. mackerel and giant european whitefish hang from many hooks in there. in the kitchen, the chefs are very busy. before the fish end up in there, they need a trip to the smokery’s own carvery where three employees are busy skinning plaice, eel, and salmon. Here at the harbour, my personal guide has spent the major part of his life.

“i joined in since i was very young. i fished out of Hvide sande for ten years with my own boat but six years ago we hired a new generation at the restaurant and at the fishmonger.” smoking fish is a way of preserving food just like curing, but it’s a particularly delicious way to preserve fish. To anders it’s not just a job; it’s also a hobby. “i think it is great fun to smoke fish and the quality is always tip top. We also regularly endeavour in new ways to smoke fish. The chefs experiment a lot, so we smoke all kinds of fish and discover new recipes by trial and error.”

Half of the fish sold at Røgeriet were caught in Hvide sande. The rest were bought in auctions in Thyborøn and Harboøre further up the north sea’s coast. Plaice and codfish are plentiful in the sea at Hvide sande, and the fjord provides the smokehouse with whitefish and flounder. The trip from the water to your mouth is very short.

Smoked fish is always popular with the visitors to the fishing village on this narrow strip of land and they often

get a taste for fish that they didn’t know they liked.

“What’s special about owning a smoker here in Hvide sande is that we are located right by the harbour. We buy many of our fish at the local fish auction. That’s why our fish are always fresh. We buy small quantities so that we can smoke fish every day and always offer freshly smoked fish to our customers.”

smoked fish is always popular with the visitors to the fishing village on this narrow strip of land and they often get a taste for fish that they didn’t know they liked. What started with one fisherman has developed into a successful smokehouse with its own fish store and restaurant with 60 employees during the height of the season. also, the fish store is proud to have the longest fish counter in denmark.

RINgkøBINg FJORd IS THE HOME OF The whITefIsh The helTHelts are salmon-like fish that need clean water to survive; preferably in large deep lakes with clear water rich in oxygen. There are both stationary and migrating schools of Helt; the latter travels between fjords and adjacent rivers. The Helt is able to live in both rivers and in large bodies of brackish water such as Ringkøbing Fjord.Helts make excellent food similar to salmon in taste and consistency and its flesh is

SMOkE YOUR OWN FISH Cold-smoked Helt The Helt is gutted and salted and layered in a box with coarse salt for 4-8 hours depending on the size of the fish. Then the Helt is rinsed and a stick is placed in the bow to keep it open. The fish is dried overnight before it is ready to be placed in the smoking oven. Then the important thing is to keep the temperature below 28 degrees Celsius; otherwise the fish will be ruined.

Hot-smoked Helt The Helt is prepared in the same way as with cold-smoking, but then it needs to be steeped for ten minutes. The fish is then dried in a cupboard safe from flies for three hours. after-wards the fish is placed in an 80 degrees hot smoking oven for 10 minutes, followed by a 60-90 minute interval in an oven set to 50-60 degrees.

MORE INSPIRATIONwww.hvidesande.dk/www.stauningwhisky.dkwww.wgh.dkwww.hvidesanderogeri.dk

white and dense. They grow to a size of 70 cm and 8 kg. The danish record is 1.7 kg – a fish caught in 1987.

smoked Helt is a rare delicacy and it is a treat to get to sink your teeth into one. Helts can be both cold- and hot-smoked for preservation.

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HVide sAnde/naTURen som legePlads

On The wATer ALL YOUR THOUgHTS EVAPORATETwenty years ago, michael lund moved to Hvide sande. He had been taken by that time’s hottest trend windsurfing, and by Ringkøbing Fjord and the north sea he had the opportunity to enjoy this new passion non-stop. Today, he still puts on his wetsuit whenever he has the chance.

“i remember one day, when the waves were like walls; three to four me-tres high. We were only a few surfers on the water and we just rode those waves for hours, completely high on adrenaline. When you come home after such a day, you can barely lift your coffee mug”. michael lund will never forget those days on the water when everything comes together perfectly. Those are the days that he in 1992 moved to Hvide sande to have. back then, he was the first newcomer surfer and he saw how the town’s milieu then began to flourish. ”it was a great time with a lot of windsurfers. Young people moved here to surf and little by little the locals began surfing as well. We hung out all day at the surf centre West Wind nord”.

at first, the local fishermen shook their heads at the surfers’ strange behaviour. Why did they want to be on the waves after hours? However, the fishermen still admired the great courage and technical skills that the surfers demonstrated on the waves.

A wInd guArAnTeeat Hvide sande you can surf, windsurf, sUP, kite-surf, water-ski, and wakeboard at the cable-pulled track. That is what makes this area unique, thinks michael. ”What’s great about this area is its versatility. Within a short distance you can try out every kind of water sport. There’s also the safety aspect; on the fjord you can touch the bottom for half a kilometre on a nice sand floor. it’s fantastic. also, there’s practically a wind guarantee here.”

What’s great about this area is its versatility. Within a short distance you can try out every kind of water sport. There’s also the safety aspect; on the fjord you can touch the bottom for half a kilometre on a nice sand floor. It’s fantastic. Also, there’s practically a wind guarantee here.

USE NATURE AS A PLAYgROUNd learn how to SurfThe water challenges everybody; to go swimming and have a good time, but also to go surfing. learn how to surf in Hvide sande or use the cable-pulled track for wake boarding. Remember that everything doesn’t have to be exhausting; you could have fun building your own kite…

MORE INSPIRATIONhvidesande.dk/hvide-sande/natur/vandhundenes-paradishvidesande.dk/hvide-sande/natur/strandsjov-hele-familien

michael has surfed many other places than denmark; The Canary islands, France, lake garda, and the baltic sea have been visited by this lightning fast dane; and he has proof that he’s fast. in the late 1990s he won the title of the unofficial danish champion of speed surfing. AT One wITh nATure not a day goes by when michael doesn’t check the weather forecast online. but unlike in his younger days, he only surfs when it fits with his family’s schedule and his job. it’s up to the day’s conditions whether he then goes sUPing, windsurfing, or a third discipline. but what is it about surfing that keeps giving him at it? “You feel like you’re going 1000 km per hour on a motorbike but it’s all you that creates the drive. it’s the best thing in the world when everything comes together perfectly”.

HVide sAnde/PoRTRaiT

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HVide sAnde/inTeRvieW

you’LL HAVe THe besT HoLidAy bY THe noRTH sea

This year is the 40th anniversary for 54 year old birgit jawinsky from bad segeberg in northern germany to spend her vacation in søndervig. she has done so every year and now she vacations here with her husband and kids; always at easter or Christmas. i want to be able to feel the elements and i want to have the beach to myself, says birgit

An ACTIve hOlIdAy fOr The whOle fAmIly When the jawinsky family packs the car and trailer back in bad segeberg, they are filled with gear for life in the great outdoors: fishing rods, bicycles, and skateboards. a vacation should be packed with activ-ities; especially for birgit’s two teenagers who are each bringing a friend this spring. The family dog spike is also coming says 54 year old dad michael jawinsky. The fIreplACe CreATes The AmbIenCe a holiday home with a fireplace is on the top of the list for michael jawin-sky: i don’t mind it being cold and windy when we go on our lengthy out-ings, but when we return to the holiday home, it has to be cosy and warm. a fireplace helps create the right holiday mood. We don’t rent a holiday home in order to watch Tv; not even when it’s raining cats and dogs. We go on vacation to spend time together; also indoors, says michael jawinsky.

hAvIng fun TOgeTher – TeenAgers InCluded – Yes, we want to do fun activities together says birgit jawinsky, who espe-cially prefers activities in the rough nature by the seaside; to listen to the ocean and be able to reach the beach within a few minutes. The two kids in the jawinsky family mareike (17) and gerri (19) are happy to spend the vacation with their parents in a holiday home; also because their friends michaelle and Robin will be joining them this year. The jawinsky family’s holiday home must be able to house six active people.

peACe And QuIeT And lOTs Of spACe just like their parents, mareike and michelle love nature outings and trips to søndervig; gerrit and Robin prefer fishing or skateboarding. We are very fond of spending time here outside the high season; it’s much more peaceful, you are able to relax, and we have the beach and nature almost all to ourselves say the four teenagers who need a lot of space for skateboarding – and spike is able to roam free, Robin adds. COnTrAsTs And CulTure The harsh weather by the north sea’s coast is wonderful; especially in early spring. but, after a long walk, it’s nice to have a warm sauna ready in the holiday home. The contrasts here are what make this location so attractive: from cold to warmth; from closeness by the fireplace to wide spaces at the beach. However, not everything has to be about nature; you need a little bit of culture as well. even though the jawinsky family are experienced visitors to the north sea, they strive to inform themselves on new forms of activities and experiences. They enjoy visiting chandlers and potters, or going to exhibitions. However, those are not always open in early spring; fortunately, the dunes, the beaches, and the sea are always open, says a smiling birgit jawinsky.

We are very fond of spending time here outside the high season; it’s much more peaceful, you are able to relax, and we have the beach and nature almost all to ourselves.

We don’t rent a holiday home to watch TV; not even when it’s raining cats and dogs. We go on vacation to spend time together.

SPENd YOUR HOLIdAY HEREThere are plenty of opportunities to spend the night here: holiday homes, house boats, camping, hostels, and bed & breakfasts. Choose whatever you like.

get more information and inspiration at www.hvidesande.dk or contact the tourist office at tel. +45 7022 7001.

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every year for the last forty years, the jawinsky family has spent their vacations by the north sea. Their favourite seasons are spring and winter.

Photo: jørn deleuran

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HVide sAnde/insPiRaTion

hIsTOry COmes AlIve

Bork vikingeHavnexperience the viking age at bork vikingehavn like it was 1000 years ago. visit the craftsman and the housekeeper who are busy with their doings. board the viking ship or enter the beautiful stave church and light a candle.

TArm

THe wedneSday MarkeTduring summer, Tarm is extra lively and busy with the popular Wednesday market; a great crowd attraction which attracts traders and visitors from near and far every Wednesday in the summer.

hvIde sAnde

THe Herring FeSTival– in Hvide sande is the biggest in denmark. The record from 1999 is at 1.467 kilos of herring. a single contestant caught 313 herrings in one hour. This is a yearly event in the final weekend in april.

ClOse TO The skIes

lyngvig Fyrlyngvig Fyr, in the beautiful dune lands-cape, was built in 1906. The area consists of 300 hectares of protected dunes and he-aths. From the top of the lighthouse there is a fantastic view of the north sea and the surrounding dune landscape.

skJern å

angling This is denmark’s best river for salmon fishing and anglers travel here from all over europe to catch the large and shiny salmon that live here. Remember to check the fishing quotas; this salmon and its habitat are well protected.

A COurse fOr kIds

oCean reSCue CaMpThis is a lifeguard course for kids, which lasts 15 hours over five days. We begin in Ringkøbing swim-ming stadium where the basics are taught. Then the course continues at the fjord and finally the contestants try out their new skills at the north sea beaches in Hvide sande and søndervig.

mAke An Offer fOr fIsh!

THe FiSH auCTion during the summer, there are fish auctions for tourists in Hvide sande. make a bid on family friendly portions of fish here. Retired fishermen skin and clean the fish for a small fee.

dAiLyliFe HeRelokal delicacies, historical flashbacks , fysical challenges or a day with your fishingrod. The possibilities are plenty – the common factor is leisure.

Find more experiences on www.hvidesande.dk

skJern enge

rope-pulled FerrieSThere are two rope-pulled ferries in skjern enge where you can pull yourself over skjern Å with your own two arms. You can bring your bicycle on board and continue your trip on the other side of the river.

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SENSE THE NORTH SEA

fOr fun lOvers And dAredevIls

wow-parkThis is a different kind of playground high in the trees where your family and friends spend time together in nature. For children between 2 and 102; lots of activities, a café, and a packed lunch cottage.

lOCAl delICACIes

viSiT THeFarM SHopSvisit one of the farm shops with many local specialities: minced beef, steaks, homemade sausages, ice cream from staby ismejeri, stauning Whisky, fresh vegetables from the fields and the greenhouse.

skJern enge

Make your own SCHnappSgo on a schnapps tour in a fantastic nature. many interesting herbs grow in the danish heaths; get instructions on how to make essence of schnapps, how to filter it, and how to refine the taste.

rIngkøbIng

a walk indenMark’S oldeSTMarkeT Town

speed!

kaBelparkena cable-pulled water ski and wakeboard track which is beautifully situated at the banks of Ringkøbing Fjord in Hvide sande. Cable-pulled water skiing and wakeboar-ding is easy and fun no matter how experi-enced you are. see you there.

TeXT messAge servICe

Buy FreSH FiSH STraigHT oFF THe BoaT sea fresh fish straight off the fishing boat; sign up and get a text message when the fish arrive to get completely fresh fish for dinner.

vIdebæk

veSTjyllandS kunSTpavillonexperience art in a building that is itself a work of art; vestjyllands kunstpavillon in videbæk was inaugurated june 1st 2012 and designed by famous architect Henning larsen. The pavillon is beautifully situated in a park.

Ringkøbing is the oldest city in the area. in the year 1443 it was announced a market town; its ancient historical roots are clear when the city watchmen walk their nightly tour around the town, singing their song saying it’s time for bed.

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flyingoctober.com

THe noRTH seA sTiRs all senses

We have made it easy for you to book your next vacation in Hvide sande. You can get more information and inspiration at our website hvidesande.com, contact the tourist office at +45 70227001, or write an email to turist@hvidesande.dk

We are ready to help you and tell you all about all the fantastic experience activities that await you here. if you want to follow us and meet other fans of Hvide sande, find us on facebook and instagram where we post news, competitions, fun experiences, and much more.

See you in Hvide Sande

get inspiration at our website!www.hvidesande.dk

Ringkøbing FjoRd TURisme nørregade 2b6960 Hvide sande

Tel. (+45) 7022 7001mail: turist@hvidesande.dkwww.hvidesande.dk

Here we live with, in, and from nature – between the sea and the fjord! nature sets the terms; both for locals and for visitors.

enjoy the changing seasons: frosty clear days by the sea that are so beautiful that they take your breath away; spring days when the sun breaks through, hits the water’s surface and quiets you; summertime, when the air dazzles you with heat and sunshine and the beach invites for relaxation in the sand; and the dark and windy autumn that gathers families by the fireplace after long walks by the sea.

Listen to the birds when they rest by the fjord or when they migrate to the south or north. This area is one of the largest resting and breeding grounds for migrating birds.

Taste the loveliest foods from the sea, the fjord, the heaths, and the dunes: fish, meats, honey – the list is endless; you can even taste the salt from the sea on your lips.

see for miles because nothing is blocking your view! This is an open landscape with room for all and free access to the beach and the water.

smell nature’s aromas. The air is full of different spicy scents. let the children play and explore the playground that nature is, or bring your bicycle to experience the scent of all the roses, heathers, seagrasses, and herbs.

Fell the wind and the weather with your body and soul. go to the sea and enjoy the air. Use nature and all that it offers and bring your dog so that it can experience the freedom and the breath taking scenery.