In the heart of Denmark, the island of Fyn is a true cycling paradise, offering visitors on two wheels 1200km of cycle paths to explore coastal routes and countryside lanes. Sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, heathland, woods and small villages: all can be discovered by bike on the island, known as Bike Island Fyn,
As well as catering to cycling tourists, local municipalities across Fyn are working towards enhancing everyday cycling infrastructure and safety. At Elite level, the UCI 1.1 road race, the Fyen Rundt takes place annually in June, and the UCI 2019 Cyclo-Cross World Championships will be held in Fyn’s coastal town of Bogense.
In recognition of the work carried out to promote cycling in all forms, Fyn was awarded the UCI Bike Region label in 2017.
Last month, a milestone for cycling in Fyn - and Denmark - was reached, with the opening of the N8 Baltic Sea Route. Covering 820km, the N8 – shaped in the figure of eight - connects Southern Denmark from west to east, with the historic town of Svendborg as the central meeting point.
National and local leaders attended the opening event in Svendborg, which included a kids’ bicycle race, a bicycle ice-cream wagon and bike check-ups. Ole Birk Olesen, the Danish Minister for Transport, Building, and Housing, Jan Olsen, CEO of VisitDenmak, and Klaus Bondam, the CEO of Cyklistforbundets gave speeches, then local mayors and national leaders took to their bikes to inaugurate part of the route.
Designed to open the Danish archipelago to cycle tourism, the route takes cyclists around scenic coastal roads and past key tourist attractions. Clear signage marked N8 enables visitors to navigate with ease. The full route includes five ferry crossings, and eight bridge crossings (one bridge, the Great Belt Bridge, cannot be crossed by bike, and riders must take public transport). Excursions off-route can also be made, with visitors able to enjoy day trips to small islands and local attractions.
Backing the development and marketing of the route is a strategic partnership between local and national tourism and transport organisations such as VisitDenmark, Danish Cycling Tourism, the Danish Road Directorate and Destination Fyn. By bringing together these key players, the route will be able to better attract and grow the bicycle tourism market in Fyn, in turn benefitting local businesses and regional destinations.