Sunday evening Jens and I were invited to have Easter dinner at my friends’ home in Thisted. So we decided not to drive far away for sightseeing, but spend a day locally, exploring Salling peninsula – the area approx. between Nykøbing Mors, where we stayed, and Skive.
Our first stop was Roslev windmill:
In the beginning of 20th century every parish in Denmark had a windmill. With time, they disappeared one by one, and today Roslev windmill is the only one left in Salling. The mill was built as a stylish, chipboard-covered Dutch mill in solid craftsmanship. Using the “tail” in the opposite side of the wings, the upper part with the wings could be turned and curved up against the wind. It was hard work to be a miller and not completely harmless due to the many rotating shafts and uncovered gears. There was also a deafening spectacle, because when the wind blew hard, the cloth-rigged mill could run so fast that the grinder burst. In return, there was good money working as a miller.
Every mill was also an important meeting place for the peasants. Here the latest news were exchanged, and a good gossip story was told over a mug of sour beer, a glass of brandy or a cup of hot coffee.
Roslev Mill was operating until 1951 when the electricity had outcompeted the wind power.
We continued driving, and saw a a small whitewashed church by the road:
It was Otting Church that was built around 1000 – 1100 AC of raw boulders. It was quite impressive to see those solid walls. The stairs at the bell tower led to an open door, and we went in. The bell was old, but mounted to a modern construction, so that it could ring automatically:
The church was restored and newly painted in 1998-1999, but today it is not operational due to mold.
Our next destination was Spøttrup Castle, one of the best preserved medieval castles in the country:
It was built in the beginning of 16th century, and with its moats, ramparts and high walls it still looks very dramatic. The castle’s strong defences have kept the enemy out through the ages – it has never been taken. Today, there is a museum.
We had a walk around the castle – the forest was full of spring flowers:
After Spøttrup, we drove to Skive, to see Denmark’s longest wooden bridge:
It is a hidden gem, and took a little time to find. The bridge is 300 m long, consists of 26 sections and weights around 7.6 tons. It was designed and constructed by Groot Lemmer B.V. of the Netherlands, and costed around 4 million dkk.
Before going for dinner, Jens and I drove by the Svævethy flying club where my Aeroprakt was parked. It was a very windy day: 25 knots with gusts up to 35 knots, and next days the wind was going to increase in power. We wanted to check whether our tiedown could withstand that wind. The straps were a bit loose, so we tightened them:
At Maja’s home, everybody was already there – Hanne, Lene, Claus. We enjoyed the delicious Ester dinner, and laughed a lot in a wonderful company of my dear friends.
Since I got my own aircraft, visiting friends in Jylland has become much easier; it is a long drive otherwise.
Jens and I had a very nice day. We drove around 200 km, saw many interesting things in the area, and had a cosy evening with Maja’s family.
