Hvide Sande and a scowl.

We woke to the van still being buffeted by the wind, nothing serious compared to some of the nights we have endured but enough to know there was no rush to get out of bed. But eventually the boys started to waken and we got up and did the usual breakfast and tidying stuffs. I also decided to fix a couple of broken things in the van, one of the window blind rails had become semi detached at the bottom so this was removed and fixed, we have brought a fairly extensive tool kit as we are a long way from home and its important to be able to sort stuff as we go. I also decided today was a good day to reattach the rear view mirror, this had broken off a few years ago a rattled around in a door pocket since then, there's actually no real need for it from a driving point of view, however when the troops are playing up in their back seats its rather distracting having to screw my neck round to see what on earth they are up to. So, I found the fixing kit I had bought before we departed and cleaned off the old resin and got the mirror refitted. Hopefully it will stay on longer this time. We also popped around to pay the campsite owner as no had been there previous evening when we arrived.

I was disappointed as it didn't seem like a beach day, however I was determined to get over those huge sand dunes behind the campsite and see what was there. The boys went to the playwark for a wee while and then I decided to take them over to the beach for a half hour or so, to be honest we would be lucky to last that long. It was a duvet jacket day for sure at this point so we got happed up and left Mum to chill in the van for a wee while. We cut out the back of the site and up over the dunes, there's cut up conifer branches and rope/wood ladders up the dunes to help with traction underfoot and also probably prevent erosion. When we got to the top we could see the beach stretching left and right as far as the eye could see. At a rough guesstimate from our map and judging by the fact we later saw or followed dunes all along the road we drove I recon these beaches must extend for about 250km....give or take. Its quite a sight, and waves were crashing onto the shore and providing the many kite surfers good surf to enjoy their hobby today. So onto the beach us 3 intrepid sand castle builders went, clad in our shorts and duvet jackets and bunnets and gloves, and soon we found good sand but no shelter. Callum, Logan and I built a few castle and dug a few channels but it was definitely cool, so we decided to take a walk north into the wind (its always a good idea to do the hard bit at the start) and see what we could find, there were some wind turbines and a long breakwater a couple of km's along the beach. We headed north and soon found a small tidal lagoon that was prime for a channel to be dug to see it draining away so we set to it with limited success. I am sure nature has by now taken control again, lol. We carried on north under still leaden skies, however there was a glimmer of blue out to sea. The kite surfers and a very big boat that seemed to be drifting very close to the shore seemingly without power gave us something to look at and blether about, as well as the multitude of shells and nice stones that the boys insisted we should put in the buckets and take back to show mum.

We wandered out onto the breakwater for the views and to see what was there, not much to be honest and took a few pictures. By the time we walked back to the shore the sun was out and the sky's were clearing. The big boat had also got power back and was ploughing through the heavy waves towards the open sea, whether it had meant to be in so close or not I am not sure. We decided to investigate the harbour which was home to some Jack Up rig vessels and this gave us the option to take a different route home along the cycle track but I was unsure about the route and also whether Joyce might have wandered along the beach to try and find us, so discretion was exercised and we headed back onto the beach which was by now gleaming white under the sun.....Hvide is Danish for white so the name Hvide Sande is very appropriate. Time was wearing on and we hadn't had lunch so we walked back along the beach checking out washed up jellyfish and counting down the beach markers to find the correct exit back up and over to the campsite. It was now about 2.30pm so, our half our wander had turned into 3 and a half hours. We arrived back at the van and Joyce was none too impressed with our late arrival.....ooops......our lunch with black pudding was past its best,  the campsite man had been round to see why we weren't registered on his system.......and she thought perhaps we had all been swept out to see by a rogue wave or some similar catastrophe. So, with our tails between our legs and the boys reminding mum it was me who had kept them away so long we crunched at out black pudding with sheepish looks to each other, OH, we are so bad us Boyz.

To be fair, we were a bit late and we had probably overstayed our welcome a bit at the campsite and this led to wee bit of a dilemma, should we just stay put for another night, not a major drama, or quickly pack up and go. There decision was taken by Joyce and we tidied up after a coffee, had one last play on the swings and headed a bit further north. It a lovely drive, lots of houses around here have thatched roofs and are low level tucked in behind the dunes for shelter. It's not like the west coasts of Scotland or Ireland whereby the coastline is rugged and rocky and there's maybe a hill or crag you can build behind, here, all there are are the dunes with marram grass holding them together.
The road north was continually interesting with huge dunes flanking one side in places and vast openness on the other. A quick Google check and there seemed to be a ferry which would take us over a short stretch of water between Thyboron and Agger and we elected for this route passing an interesting  wind farm en route. Theres a line of turbines that are linked by a causeway, you can walk along this causeway or take a carriage pulled by a tractor for a guided wind turbine safari......Theres also a further 4 turbines further out and these are built on a yellow subframe stilt system which has recently received certification for a design that is cable of withstanding the issues with sea ice that can affect the area. Its an interesting area and another that would benefit from a longer visit. Theres a sea war museum also and memorial to the Battle of Jutland of WW1 one of the biggest ever sea battles fought.

We headed for the ferry, which we had just missed, apparently due to myself stopping too often to take pictures, lol. It was not too long till it was back however and soon we were onboard for the 15 minute crossing to Aager and the last drive through the Thy National Park, its a beautiful place with the road running through ares of dunes that are now miles from the sea, We decided to aim for a campsite at Klitmoller for the night and what a great choice this appears to be, so much so that it may well be we stay here for 2 nights before heading to the ferry at Hirtshals rather than visiting Skagen.

The lady on reception is lovely and welcomed Callum and Logan, giving them a couple of sweets each for after dinner and also explaining everything about the site and the surrounding area. The boys are particularly impressed with the play area with great climbing frames, slides, bouncy air trampoline thingy and a proper mans toy JCB digger.