
Overrated..?
Nope. My colleague Ylva in my Malmö office had just recently visited Bornholm and suggested this might be my thing. I’m quick to make decisions, and she got a bit worried. What if I didn’t like it.
I didn’t. I loved it!! Three days of bicycling at Bornholm suited me like a glove of the highets quality. Bornholm is SO beautiful. I’m actually a bit concerned how to make the island justice in writing. And not exhaust your intrest in going with all the images of the scenery. It became a natural high for me. I guess it might have been the endofines from bicycling.

Bicycle onboard the Påga-train
Apparently it’s free during the summer. I had no idea since I’m lazy checking these things out. Meaning… I had a ticket for Karin too. Malmö-Ystad-Malmö. Now I know.
I take my bicycle on the train to Copenhagen regularly, and that requires a ticket. A ticket for a… child that is. Before I found this out I nearly reached a mental implosion trying to buy a ticket at the machine. But now you know as well. That train is run by Öresundståg though, while the train in between Malmö and Ystad is run by pågatåget. And unfortunately Pågatåget has no english web site. But Öresundståget do 😊
Free bicycle on the train is no guarantee that you’ll get on the ride. You can only have your bicycle in assigned cars. And be respectful of other passenges needs as well, kind of needless to be said.
Bicycle on board Pågatåget in Skåne -only swedish-, this is how it works.
Route & Bicycle
Train from the main station, Centralstationen, to Ystad to get on the ferry Bornholmslinjen to Rønne that is the main town in the island of Bornholm. The ferry tickets were ca 50 euro + 2 euro x2 for the bicycle. Such a neat little symbolic fee for Karin. Of course you can also rent bicycles instead of drag your own. Since my bicycles are my most appreciated materials, I prefere my own.
This time it’s my three geared step in bicycle Karin from Monark that get the honour of carrying me around. This is my most comfortable of all my bikes cause you sit up straight. She’s a bit heavy, and with luggare… heavier. My ego says I’m strong enough to handle it. I have to admit only three gears was a bit limiting on this three day safari since the uphills on the island are… long to say the least. But not as steep as on the Seychelles. Thank universe for that.
I pretty much copied Ylvas route. From Rønne and as close to the coastline as possible -> Allinge -> Gudhjem -> Svaneke -> Gudhjem -> and across the middle of the island back to Rønne through østerlars -> Almendingen -> Vestermarie -> Rønne.
Day 1 Rønne -> Allinge ca 20 km
Day 2 Allinge -> Gudhjem ca 20 km and then Gudhjem -> Svaneke ca 20 km then Svaneke -> Gudhjem = 40 km
Day 3 Gudhjem -> Rønne ca 20 km
Renting a bicycle at Bornholm
Bornholms Cykeludlejning
Rent bike Bornholm
Boss Cykler
Fri Bikeshop (only in danish)

Thank you Denmark
For making life on the road so easy. Plenty of toilets along the routes, a d decent ones too.

Camping på Bornholm
I imagines I’d sport a vet low budget vacation carrying my one person tent and for sustainability reasons rent an inflatable mattres through the sharing economy site Hygglo. However… that didn’t happen. Still budget though, but hostel and guest house instead. None that I would recommend, or will stay at again. I did pass many cute campsites by the trails though.
Denmark doesn’t allow free camping in general like we do in Sweden, but there are plenty of official camp sites on the island, and småll sites that are without any of the convenience of an organised camp site. These small places is referred to as primitiv camping. There are some plain wind protection huts as well. Of course there are rules for camping there. And I don’t hold it against myself that I… think I’ll sleep in a tent the next time I’m visiting 😂😂😂.

Camp sites
From Rønne to Rønne along the coast line
Rønnestrand Galløkken (beach)
Nordskoven (beach)
Hasle Familiecamping (beach)
Lyngholt Familiecamping
Sandvig Camping
Egeløkke (the plainer camp site)
Sandkaas Familiecamping
Tejn Camping (no web page)
Bådsted Camping
Gudhjem Camping
Hullehavn Camping
Nexø Camping
Eco Beach Camp (beach & glamping)
Bornholms Familiecamping (beach)
Deoudde Familiecamping & Hostel (beach)
Møllers Deoudde Camping (beach)
Lejrpladsen Baunehøj
There are som camp sites that are not located by the coast as well.

Plain camping & Wind shields
Free and plain camping (llist)
Interactive map and rules for using these sites & vind shields
Bornholm and its variying surroundings
Kill my darlings… sometimes it’s better not to have seen everything in other peoples -in this case mine- images before visiting a place. While I also would like to inspire someone elses maybee-list.
The beauty of Bornholm is it’s constantly changing environment and nature. And of course, I’m on a bicycle since that is SO much nicer than travelling by car, bus or a train. Hop off Hop on. I drove around France some years ago, with my foldable bicycle Sally on the passenger side of my two seater. I did get out of the car with her, but looking back, not nearly as often as I would have preferred.
Last summer I visited stunning Norway. All the views from the train were numbing beautiful, and that made med blaze within a couple of hours. That might say more about me that Norway though. But still. Bornholm beauty doesn’t numb you since the trails for bicycling and hike run through a most varying landscape. The only thing that bugs me is that on some of the most scenic routes the bice trail run next to a road for cars. I think you get it… I listened to audio books on thos distances to mask out the lazy and polluting drivers.
Bicycle and hiking trails
The’re not necessairily the same on the island. It doesn’t appear to be prohibited to use a bicycle on the hike trails –kyststi in danish-. Niether are they damaged by bicycles. Some of them are not cycleable though due to large rocks, roots and change of levels. I’m stubborn if I like something, but there are limits.
My method was trying, and then turning back it it got out of hand. And if you donät mind some challenges I recommend bicycling some of the hike trails inbetween Rønne and Allinge since they are SO very beautiful, and a bit more physically challenging. Mind you I don’t ususally do off trail / mountain bike. The regular bicycle routes are very nice as well.
Hiking trails -links
Komoot
Tripadvisor
Ferieøen Bornholm
Utsidan
Opdag Danmark
All trails -App
Visit Bornholm -no info, just the name of the trails
Bicycling -links
Book Bornholm
Visit Bornholm
Bornholm Info
Komoot -article
Opdag Danmark -App
Less Car More Life -blogg
Day 1
Rønne to Allinge










Ooops
I couldn’t help miself… I promise though, there is even more beauty to discover from the two wheeler as you go from Rønne to Allinge.
Allinge & Hammershög
Both would propably be concidered picturesque, cause they are. But… it’s also a bit too exploited. I actually prefer this little genuine sausage on (almost) wheels from lets guess… the 70’ties, plus the lovely man serving. Regardless of the menue.


Fabers & Hamngrillen in Allinge
Regardless of the exploited feel of the place, there is always something to be seen. Had an awesome burger at Hamngrillen, the burger place alongside of the harbour -Harbour grill-. I also found the qute little gallery cafe Fabers where I had the compulsary Aperol Spritz.


Day 2
Allinge to Gudhjem


Bornholm Art Museum
Just before you reach Gudhjem coming from Allinge, the museum appears on your left hand side. It’s not a building that is crying for your attention. The architect of this museum must have had so much fun planning it. The windows are art work in them selves. Both the shape, and what you see through them.
Borholm Art Museeum located at Otto Bruuns Plads 1






Permanent & temporary exhibitions
The museum displays the art in retaltion to the century they origin from, and primarily on artists from the island, of course.

Søren Rønholt

Oluf Host

Lise Westman

Johanne Foss
Helligdomsklipperne
Just below the museum there are trails that lead to the well known cliffs of Helligdomeklipperne. The trails are a bit risky on some parts, so wear stabile shoes and don’t rush. I didn’t… Very beautiful, so don’t miss it!






Gudhjem to Svaneke
This distance is pretty stretch out, and run mostly with the polluting four wheels alongside. If I didn’t have… the audio book as a distraction, it would have ruined some amazing beauty along the path. I’m very grateful for my company❤️.
Having stong leg muscles also helps since the upphills are fairly streeeetched out as well. But beautiful, indeed.




Danish goodwill
Á la Martin 🙏. My Ipad -and retainer- are pretty much my pacifiers. There are routines and there are routines…no matter what. Reading the the Swedish Daily News and a couple of rounds of Wordfeud before I sleep is one of those that I have absolute kly NO intrest in changing. The’re pretty much a personal must.
So after 40 km / 25 miles of head wind, up- and downhill Allinge -> Gudhjem -> Svaneke -> Gudhjem back, and I reach for my pacifying friend The Ipad and realise… that it’s left at my latest Aperol Sprits watering hole Cafe Skansen in Svaneke… the deepest possible sigh. There is NO way I’ll go back this evening.
I call them, and the owner Martin answeres cheerfully with a yes it’s there, as well as a note for me. I’ll take the bus there tomorrow before I need to leave for the ferry back to Ystad. That would be kind of a waste according to Martin, and drive to Gudjem to give it to me. My deepest gratitude🙏❤️. So a glass of whine in Martins company before he goes back to Svaneke. No breaking of the law, since they have other rules/allowed per mille than we have in Sweden.
On top of this genuine and helpful friendliness, we had plenty of scandinavian 70’s upbringing in common. The organic Green Wave version😂💪. Thank you Martin!

Day 3
Gudhjem to Rønne






Beautiful Bornholm❤️.
I will be back! Do you think I’ll manage keeping my promise to myself, to sleep in a tent with a rented inflatable camping matress?
